Hiking walks in Lefkada – Part 4

We continue our walking excursion at Lefkada, with the book “Lefkada on foot” by Lida Out.

Lazarata – Spanochori – Episkopi – Prophitis Ilias –
Ag. Stephanos – Lazarata
2 hrs (6.3 km)

This walk starts from the village square in Lazarata at the kiosk on the left hand side coming from Lefkada Town (LKM1). Cross the road at the kiosk and go more or less straight ahead. This road takes you to Spanochori. Follow the main road until you reach the village. After just over 5 minutes from Lazarata square turn left onto the paved track going uphill. Via the steps you reach the top after a few minutes (LKM1A). On the left you see the remains of the old olive oil factory dating from 1871, see stone tablet.
At the top you turn right going uphill. Then turn left and immediately left again before a house with a stone tablet, “the place of birth of doctor and resistance fighter ΞΕΝΟΦΩΝΤΑ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΗ, 1902”. After 2 minutes you pass a church and on the right you see a derelict mill. After 1 minute, at the Y-junction, turn right going downhill.

The road to the left leads to the church and the ruins of the Theotokos monastery. Until the end of the 17th century it was home to the bishops of Lefkada.

After 5 minutes you pass a well and a little further you reach a tarmac road where you turn right (SV1). From the doctor’s house you have walked for about 10 minutes.
After 6 minutes you ignore the track to the left (SV2). You come out here when following walk no. 4 from the Melissa gorge. About 100 metres further you turn onto the track to the right (SV3). Ignore all side tracks, until after about 10 minutes, at a vineyard, you reach a clear Y-junction where you turn right. After 5 minutes, past a fence and a vineyard to the left, the track turns left and in this turn you see on the right an old path, going uphill through the shrubs (LKM8). This is where walk no. 4 continues.

But you go straight ahead; you see the church of Prophitis Ilias high above on the mountain in the distance. After a few minutes you turn right onto the concrete track between two vineyards. Two minutes further you go straight ahead and after another 3 minutes you turn right onto a narrow tarmac road. Then keep left towards a stop sign until you reach the bus stop on the tarmac road to Lazarata (SP2).
Cross the road and join the tarmac road that goes uphill to the left, towards the church of Prophitis Ilias. After 2 minutes a track from the right (SP3) joins your road. This is the spot where the ancient monopati (footpath) from the church brings you downhill. When you go uphill here, along the tarmac road, there are some lovely views to enjoy.
After about 15 minutes from the bus stop you see the church of Prophitis Ilias on the right hand side, (SP4) with the free standing bell tower.

At the end of the wall you turn right straight away and immediately keep left on the track. Thirty metres further a path to the left leads uphill under the bushes. This path first ascends then descends and after 5 minutes, via steep concrete steps and a difficult rocky track with a rope handrail, you reach the chapel of Ag. Stephanos, built in a cave (SP5).
(continues in the book)