Agios Georgios

This walk makes a good starter as it mostly level and quite short. However some of it is on unmade and little-used paths which can become overgrown and be difficult to see in the early season. You will walk alongside orchards of citrus trees and fields growing vegetables and go past tall clumps of waving bamboos. The track enters quiet groves of mature olive trees whose fascinating trunks have unusual holes from years of pruning away branches. Here the sounds of birds and insects fill the air. You might hear the unusual calls of Golden Orioles or the 'hooping' of a colourful Hoopoe (bird). The track edges are alight with colourful but tough wildflowers struggling to survive the heat and dryness of the Corfu summer. In May walkers might spot more tender species such as the elegant Field Gladioli or tiny delicate orchids.

Leave Agios Georgios beach where the road turns away from the beach adjoining 2 supermarkets (Red square on map). Just before a roadside shrine and before you reach 'Frontrunners Motorbikes' take the stone covered road on LEFT. Stay on this road past small fields and some apartments and do NOT turn onto any side roads. The road, now rough concrete, then climbs uphill past the final apartments and enters an olive grove. Just before 2 small farm store buildings turn RIGHT at point B onto a rough path (BE AWARE that there is sometimes a pile of builders' rubble obscuring the entrance to this track).

Proceed down this path to the stream at the bottom and step across.

In early season the path ahead from the stream crossing may be indistinct in the long grass but go straight ahead up the slight hill and in less than 100m you will meet a wider and more well-defined vehicle track where you must turn RIGHT at point C. (if you veer too much to the left following an incorrect direction you must turn sharp RIGHT when you meet the vehicle track ).

Having turned, now stay on the partly grass covered track through peaceful olive groves of tall trees and more open areas where some old trees have been cut down to get new growth.

The track eventually reaches the gates of a private house where it goes left round a corner.

Sadly the following section has also been allowed to get overgrown so is not recommended in the early part of the summer, maybe not at all if it is not cleared. Therefore it is recommended that walkers take the longer route by staying on the vehicle track, (marked 'Option avoiding stream' on map) and following the ALTERNATIVE below from Point D

At (Point D about 100m after the gates, look out for a little used path on the RIGHT just past a small field ). You now have a choice. The shorter and more rural route has a stream crossing which in Spring or after a period of heavy rain can be difficult to cross so an option is suggested (see below).

If you still wish to try the shorter route take the path on the RIGHT from Point D alongside the cultivated field, sometimes through long grass, but where it turns right at the end of the field you must go STRAIGHT AHEAD until you almost reach the stream.

WARNING: The original bridge over the river was removed and the original path is overgrown so look for a path on your left to go round to a new 'scramble' down a few rough steps cut into the bank, so entering the stream near the bright green vegetation on the left of the photograph above. The shallow stream can usually be stepped across. If in doubt use the ALTERNATIVE detour.
The 'ALTERNATIVE detour' is return to the main track at point D and continue along it for a few hundred metres to a junction near some apartments where you turn right onto the tarmac road. Now walk for an equivalent distance to meet the footpath again at pont E.

I am informed, Oct 2016, that the ' original footpath' on the opposite bank is now also completely overgrown by bamboo but, provided the water level is low, it should be possible to walk along the stream bed diagonally to the left, emerging from the stream at the start of the private orchard of citrus trees.) On reaching a private orchard of citrus trees you are expected to keep to the right and do not walk through the fruit trees. THIS narrow footpath goes along a high bank at the side of a tall hedge and around the outside of the orchard but sometimes becomes OVERGROWN until someone cuts back the vegetation, in which case it might be necessary to use the orchard route !!

On reaching the tarmac road (E) turn RIGHT and follow the road until you reach the Pagi road near Theo's Hotel. Turn RIGHT here towards the beach. (Guests from Theo's Hotel should turn LEFT here)

After passing the Butterfly Bar you can take a shortcut on your RIGHT down to the bridge near the Frontrunners Motor bikes and to the starting point of the walk.