Walking to the Haramis Windmill
Kelsey Edwards • 5 November 2019
Welcome to my November Avlaki Walk
Avlaki is the very green, residential valley west of Hydra Harbour at the beginning of the Hydra to Kamini coast road. All views from the few houses on the gentle hillsides focus on Avlaki Bay. Both sides of the valley ridges have chains of windmills.
I started my walk leaving Hydra Harbour and taking the upper road above the ‘Periptero’ to visit the Sophia Loren Windmill which is one of the Hydra locations immortalised by the film ‘A Boy On A Dolphin’ made in the 1950s.
Continuing by the windmill and statue, I am walking parallel but above the coast road and just after the stone built gully bridge, I turn left up some small steps to continue to upper Avlaki. If I’d gone straight on at this point and taken the first right, I’d have gone down to the Techne Restaurant on the coast road.
I like walking around Avlaki because it’s not on a main route to anywhere. It’s peaceful and quiet. And to my eye, it’s tidier and more picturesque than some other areas of the island.
At the lower crossroads along the way I stopped to see how the huge tree in the middle of a wall was doing. The tree was there first so when the built the wall, they simply built up to the tree!
Following the path up, I stopped to photograph the prickly pear trees that over hang the street making it essential to look where you’re going so you don’t get the fine thorns in your hair. And I took a slight detour to admire one of the few real grass lawns on Hydra as well as to admire the views from the lower slopes which are covered with new pine trees.
Continuing up I visited the ruins at the very top of the hill that surround the church and Haramis Windmill. Walking up, you will see the island’s comms antenna on the east ridge of the valley but you can’t climb up to it from this side. The ruins are on your right as you walk up to the top of the hill.
This is an area much loved by artists and photographers. Throughout the summer you will often find group classes of artists painting together here in the evening light.
I met up with Elias at the ruined house so stopped for coffee and to admire his chickens and winter spring greens.
The Church of Aghios Antonios has a unique bell tower with three bells and passing down the left side of the church (the right side is a private entrance for some residential homes) I reached the landmark Haramis Windmill. If you do this walk, take care walking around because you will quite often meet a mule wandering by itself. They are harmless but avoid holding your hand out to them because they might mistake your fingers for food.
The mill is one of the few left on the island that still has someone living in the lower living quarters and has the original machinery in the actual tower. Sadly it doesn’t function as a mill these days though.
And if you’re brave enough to walk over the manure strewn paths, you can climb up to the highest mill platform (the actual mill was taken down years ago), where you can admire an incomparable 360 degree view. You look down into Kamini Harbour and along the coast over Dokos Island with Ermioni and Spetses in the distance. You can see all the way down the Kamini to Vlychos valley. Continuing round, you look down at the inland Kamini valley, at the area known as Four Corners and up to Kiaffa and the Agios Konstandinos church (Patron Saint of Hydra). High above Agios Konstandinos you can just see the top of the Profitis Elias Monastery above the pine trees. And as you turn, you look down into Hydra town and part of the harbour.
On my way back, I went via the inland route down to Four Corners passing the brown door on Kriezi Street where swallows annually nest in Spring time. And then down Lignou Street which is the main arterial route that connect Hydra harbour with Kamini.
The bougainvillea tree over the terrace to the side of the street is a welcome place to stop for a break and is so well appreciated that it is a landmark in its own right!
At the bottom of Lignou Street I stopped to photograph the plaque in the wall that shows a scull and crossed bones. This indicates that the re-interned bones of a priest have been laid to rest in the church that he was associated with. However, it also served to remind me that I was thirsty after a long walk and turned my mind to the Pirate Bar!
However, I’d forgotten that the Pirate Bar does open until 6 in winter evenings so I had to make do with a cuddle with Jack Sparrow the sweetest one-eyed cat on Hydra instead.
I hope you enjoy the video and it inspires you to explore Hydra on your next holiday.
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