We continue our walking excursion at Lefkada, with the book “Lefkada on foot” by Lida Out.
Karia – Kambos Karia – Monastery of Ag. Ioannis – Pinakochori – Karia
(2½ hrs) 9.2 km
If you are standing in the central square of Karia (REK1), with your back turned to the cafes, take the road in the far right corner of the square, just behind the kiosk. Descend from the left of the house with the KKE-sign, keep right and after 3 minutes continue straight ahead at the crossroads. Two minutes further on, at the fork in the road take a left. A little further on turn right at the crossroads, onto the road called OΔΟΣ ΚΑΤΩΠΟΔΗ. Ignore the concrete road to the left and after 2 minutes, you reach a wide tarmac road (KA1). Do not turn onto this road, but keep going straight ahead onto the tarmac road that descends left of the main road. A little further along this road you will see some impressive pine trees and further on you will walk through olive groves.
After 10 minutes descending keep following the road in the direction of Holly Abbey Agiou Ioanni Prodromou and ignore the tarmac road off to the right. After another 10 minutes you will pass a track to the right as the road bends to the left. Two minutes later ignore the track to the right but continue a little further and turn onto the tarmac road to the right, with a view over to the electricity pylon (KA2).
Follow the tarmac road, after a few minutes you will see a little house on your right hand side. Two minutes later, after the old well, keep right and 1 minute later, after the concrete bridge follow the gravel road to the left. Ten minutes further on, turn right at the tarmac road. In the distance you will see the monastery of Ag. Ioannis.
Just over 5 minutes past the concrete building, turn onto the tarmac road on the left. On the corner is a signpost for the monastery. After 80 metres on a bend to the right a steep path (KA3) ascends. After 5 minutes ascending, this path comes to the monastery of Ag. Ioannis (KA4). On the path you will pass two animal gates.
If you prefer to follow the main road to go to the monastery stay on the tarmac road and after 5 minutes you will reach a crossroads (KA5). To see the monastery of Ag. Ioannis turn right after the quarry. After 5 minutes ascending, you will see the monastery of Ag. Ioannis on your left (KA4). Above the entrance you will see two key-stones; one above the old entrance and one above the new, which entrance now has an iron gate. Unfortunately, the gate is often closed.
The monastery of Ag. Ioannis (St John the Baptist) in Livada was founded in 1605…
(Continues in the book)
