Product Description

Pocket-sized and in full colour, this guide describes eight car tours in western Crete, highlighting places where you can stop for a walk or just a stroll to a lovely picnic setting. There are accompanying fold-out touring maps covering the whole of the island.But the major part of the book is devoted to 31 main walks and their many variations, all illustrated with large-scale topographical maps (1:50,000). Mountains rearing straight up from the sea, deep wooded gorges, ravines and valleys and yet more glorious mountains, standing proud and acting as a magnet to the eye and the imagination - that's western Crete, or real Crete, as some would say.Its strong, dramatic scenery and colours create sweeping landscapes of this harsh but beautiful countryside that has been the backdrop for heroic deeds, ancient civilisations and constant intrigue for thousands of years, and the home of obdurate, tough people made so by their labours on the land and their experiences. Western Crete is real hikers' territory, and this book, the first-ever walking guide to Crete, in print for decades, describes all the best routes. Also included are plans of Hania and Rethimnon and bus timetables (most of the walks are accessible by bus). A unique on-line update service keeps readers abreast of all route changes since publication, and GPS tracks can be downloaded for many of the walking routes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #105617 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 136 pages

Customer Reviews

Useful walking guide for first-time visitor (like me)
I bought three walking guides for a recent visit to Western Crete, and this was the nicest one: clear maps, good selection of walks of various lengths and in different kinds of terrain, nice mixture of the popular and the more quiet country lanes. We did five of the 31 included walks and found the descriptions clear and useful. The times that we went astray it was from not reading the instructions clearly enough, but hey, getting lost can be good fun too - though it was rather prickly!
I think this just beats the Hirner/Murbock walking guide, though that is pretty good too; and the Wilson White Mountains guide, which seems more geared towards the trekking community.
Only drawback - the book has helpful bus timetables in the back. Don't believe these, because you will stand by the stasi for a long time - they are quite out of date. Get the current months' timetable from Chania bus station, and you'll be OK!

Excellent guide for walks or car tours
As well as describing the popular gorge walks and excursions, this book also takes you well off the beaten track into lovely alternative landscapes. We did many wonderful walks in solitude - unlike the Samaria Gorge walk! An enjoyable different guide that encourages you to explore on your own.

Mountainous regions and spectacular gorges
This book offers the reader a rich variety of landscape to marvel at and explore. The main walks include mountain treks, spectacualar gorges, and coastal walks, and through archaeological sites. Most walks are accessable by public transport from Chania (at least that was the case when we were there last June). However the car tours also offer a great deal of exploration. This book is a must have for all those visiting Western Crete.