St. Georges castle . Argostoli

 Wednesday18th June 2025

Greece is so Soporific.

It’s tough getting your mindset in place to do long walks here. The heat is draining. 

Our day started straight up and straight down a winding back road over a hillside heading to the bus station in Argostoli. It took roughly an hour. 

We bought our ticket to Traviata on the bus which terminates in Poros. It cost €2. 

We boarded the bus and although we had seat 24-25 on our ticket we just sat at the front because we were getting off in around 15 minutes. The bus was leaving at 11.30. I think we were the only Brits onboard. At around 11.25 a guy at the back shouted something to the driver and everyone laughed loudly. We only recognised the word Yannis so we put 2 and 2 together and thought he’s telling the driver not to go without his mate. This one bus only goes every other day. At 11.28 the driver started his engine and again another shout from the back and another barrage of laughter. At 11.29.30 Yannis, an old man, made an appearance and wondered why he was getting a round of applause and short shift from his mate. I bet this happens every week. So funny. 

So at 11.30 on the dot the bus gets on its way. It’s full of chat and we are just a little worried we might end up in Poros. We come to Traviata sign post and we just carry on down the road. He didn’t stop. Sheila was in aisle position and gets to the driver and says Traviata! We eventually stop in the next village called Mazarakata. Nobody got on and we were the only ones to get off. I bet we were the talk of the wash house. 

As it turned out, luckily, it actually did us a favour. We were heading up to the castle of St. George which sits atop of a prominent limestone hill at 320 metres. and I hadn’t realised that there was a better route up to the top from this village. 

A pleasant back road gained height quickly and relatively traffic free.  The views opened up across to the west coast highlighting why the castle was strategically built by the Venetians all those years ago. 

 Just passed the signpost for the derelict church of Ayioi Theodorio, we found another short cut, or what we hoped was a short cut and not a path into someone’s garden.  So we tentatively made our way up the path.  It turned out good and brought us out directly on the Main Street to the castle. 

For as long as I can remember and I’m going back into the 1980’s, there was no entry fee charged to go into the castle. The castle is basically just a perimeter wall with a kind of dungeon in the middle and that’s it. 

However, this time we were asked to pay, which we declined to do.  As I’ve been in a dozen or so times I know it’s not worth paying for. 

Now the real reason why we came all the way up here was that we had been told of a new cafe right next door to the castle pay office.  So we went in. It’s called Lily’s.  They do some unusual soft drinks which are very nice but very little in the way of food. We had a Cretan Salad which I found bland. Certainly not as good as a Greek salad and a small variety of cake. I think they need to get this first tourist season done and dusted and then over the winter find a way to offer more choice. Oh yes, husband and wife team are very friendly and helpful. 

Lily’s cafe 

After lunch and in the hottest part of the day we again found another short cut through the surrounding old houses, the path being about 1 metre wide and walls delightfully covered in Bougainville  and other climbers like Jasmine, it led down towards the main road and our way back towards Argostoli. 

The houses surrounding the castle are very old and many suffered at least partial destruction during the 1953 earthquake which destroyed most of the island. Over the last few years we have seen an influx of money and numerous old properties have been renovated delightfully. The restaurant across the road from Lily’s is called Kastro, we have eaten there many times and it’s wonderful. 

The short cut brought us out beside a very old house which I think is a holiday rental property. It would certainly be a quiet place to spend some time. After a ten minute walk down the road we come to what the locals call the M25. It’s just one of the main arterial roads in Kefalonia not that busy but it probably feels that way to local folk. 

We had to follow it back into town as I don’t know of an alternative route off road which goes in our direction. A separate road adjacent to the M25 has been built recently but no traffic ever uses it. It is a road and not a cycle track but it was ok for us and provided safe walking for a mile or two. I asked a local what it was and why it was built and the answer was “nobody has the foggiest idea”.

No shortage of signage 

At the end of the ghost road a land rover track takes us all the way into the outskirts of town. We were feeling the heat, dripping in sweat and we needed more liquid. A petrol station provided 2 bottles of freezing cold water. We drank one straight away and kept the other for the next 2 hills. 

It seemed to take us an age to do these hills and I admit I was feeling shattered at the watershed of the 2nd hill. I needed a seat, a biscuit and more water. We had a ten minute break then descended the couple of kilometers to our apartment where we just crashed out for an hour. 

In total we did 17.52km. Locals who asked us what we had done today said we were crazy and that they wouldn’t do that in the winter never mind the summer. I did this blog post using Apple notes. Composition was easier than blogger. But the shortfalls I found was that once the text was copied and pasted into blogger it wasn’t straightforward if you wanted to add a new paragraph. It’s probably just a learning curve. 

Another thing I found out was that on the go you can use Notes as a dictaphone which converts the audio into text for you so you can “write” your blog as you walk. 

Then once the text is in blogger add the photos where ever you want them. 

It’s not perfect but it works. 

Trial run. 1 notes

This is just a trial run at an alternative method of blog composing not using blogger. I am using Apple notes as the basis. 

What I am trying is writing in notes and uploading a photograph. Then copying the “post” completely then pasting it into blogger. That’s the idea so let’s see if it works

In the bay close to our apartment is moored The Al Mirqab yacht it is owned by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, who served as Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Not bad for a politician. 

Ok. So it didn’t like uploading a heic image so I will convert it to a jpg and try it. 

Ok so it worked as a jpg. 

That was easier. I’m sure there will be problems but it’s a start👏

A narrow escape from hospital.

 Monday 16th June 2025.

On a 15km walk in temperatures of 33 degrees C we stopped for a coffee at an out of the way place we have known for years. Across the road was a yard with some machinery for sale. One vehicle was a Belorussian tractor. 

After coffee I just had to get a photo but there was a metal fence between us which didn’t make for a good picture. 

I climbed onto a wall which was less than a metre high so that I could get the camera above the fence. All good. 

As I jumped down from the wall my hand stayed where it was. My 1860 family heirloom ring had got stuck on a spike on top of the fence. The pain was intense, I thought I was about to loose a finger or a least break a finger. Luckily the ring snapped and I reached the ground. 

The ring and my finger was not pretty but I felt lucky and relieved that the damage was superficial and didn’t look like I needed a stich or two.  A pharmacy was only a couple of km’s away so that’s where we went. It made the walk slightly longer but at least……….,,,,

I did get the tractor picture. 

Belarus Tractor built between 1977 -1994. A good reliable workhorse built in Minsk. I’ve never worked on one but seen a couple of them in Greece. 

A return to Greece.

 Kefalonia 9th June 2025

We arrived here on 2nd of June after spending a night at the Tribe hotel at Manchester Airport. I recommend it. Getting an early flight at 6.25am staying over just takes the stress away.

Getting through the airport procedures was easy enough but I have to say I do dislike terminal 2. 

It’s great to be back here, it’s our 2nd home. I worked it out that I have spent over 5 yrs of my life here. 

I’m only doing a short post because blogger is not suited to my iPhone and it’s awkward to say the least. Today’s walk we did in 30degrees temp. 19.02km.  

Kefalonia is very hilly so it’s virtually impossible to do a flat walk. Our walk today is classed as mad by the locals. To be honest it is steep but for a hiker it’s just a walk up hill. 

On route we pass a small church which is open so we enter with respect. 

It’s a small church with room for about 40 people. Sitting and standing. It’s beautifully clean and serene. 

A little further on we came across another small church but it was closed and neglected. Such a shame. 

At our highest point we had a good view of the Islands highest point. The ridge leading to Mount Ainos. 

Wild flowers adorned our route and below are a sample of what we saw today. 

Prickly Pear. Unfortunately no fruit yet.

Clematis Flammula.

Squirting cucumber.

Nerium

Canna Lily.

We needed to buy some food for tea as we were eating in tonight. It is a steep drop down into town and a sweaty walk back up the same route. The photo below doesn’t do justice to the incline. 

With hearts pounding we stopped a few times for water. Thankfully we didn’t forget to bring the cool bag. 

We passed a small holding with a few goats where Sheila decided to go over and have a chat with them. I was thinking more on the lines of a curry. 

With about a km to go, (all down hill) Sheila says her legs a feeling wobbly. It’s not surprising as this is the longest we have walked for 2 years and since my cancer treatment. It was great to achieve this and I felt good if tired. Nothing that a cool fruit drink, a banana and a cup of green tea won’t cure. 

Surprisingly I have managed to get this far with the post. Only loosing it once and having to re-download images numerous times. Not a single tractor seen. Oh well, next time maybe. 

Oh yes and here is a photo for Sir Hugh. A couple of relic VW campers. 

To Rochdale - a local walk.

 15th May 2025.

On the spur of the moment we decided to walk to Rochdale and visit the wonderful Town hall which has opened after a complete refurb. It cost £20 million of which £8.9 million came from the National Lottery.

We made our way to the towpath of the Rochdale Canal, parking can be had at the Hopwood Arms or the Canal and Rivertrust car park adjacent to the petrol station. (Please note that the clock time on any photo is incorrect.) 

The weather was warm and very calm which had helped the Hawthorn and Blackthorn trees to flower and give a good show all along the banks. The bird song from Wrens and Chaffinches followed us loudly.

We headed towards the Township of Castleton, once a bustling hub of factories and mills but now is a shadow of its former self. The church tower of St. Martins dominated the view across farmland.

The above photograph shows where the canal splits. The LH branch which is now slightly covered by a floating habitat was originally the canal which went to Heywood. This canal was opened in 1834 and worked until abandoned in 1937. In 1952 the canal was disused and sections filled in as the M62 motorway was built just beyond the trees in the photo.

The RH branch is our route, the Rochdale Canal which was re-routed during the canal restoration works passing under the M62 motorway.

The pre-cast concrete tunnel under the M62 motorway with the floating walkway which can be floated out of the way if a "wide beam" canal boat needs to pass through.

Looking north towards Castleton.

The original canal bridge built in 1803/4.

Bridge over Rochdale Rd, Castleton.

As we passed through Castleton the area on the left of the above photo which is now a brown field site used to be a section of the Old Castleton Railway station and buildings belonging the Tweedale and Smalley Globe Textile Mill. There was a mass of chimneys, noise and people here. Today all quiet except for the odd mill and factory.

We follow the canal towpath getting closer to Rochdale, we have only seen two dog walkers so far on route. The day is certainly warming up. Walking this section so far does not give you any sense that you are approaching a fairly large town and suburbs, but that changes soon.

From Castleton looking across to Scout Moor and Knowl Hill.

The Chimney of Arrow Mill. 

As we approach Sandbrook we have to leave the canal and take a slight detour onto the road. I guess when this section was being built it was a Friday afternoon and the pubs were open. The towpath was forgotten.

We crossed the road which from this image gives the impression of a quiet road but nothing can be further from the truth. This is a busy junction. Our canal journey continues just beyond the tiled roof house on the right.

Back on the towpath we spot a very unusual sight in this area. An Orang Utan up a tree. Keeping an eye on passers by. Whoever did this deserves a round of applause.

We are still enjoying our peaceful surroundings with lots of trees and birdsong. 

We noticed a strange construction above the treeline. One which we hadn't seen before on previous walks. It turned out to be a circus big top. Here for a few weeks. 

We came to a bridge with no towpath so we had to cross a minor road to pick up the canal on the other side. It was a short section remaining until we reached the A671 which would be our route into the centre of Rochdale.

The Rochdale canal continues under the bridge on the right of the photo. 

The branch adjacent to the white derelict building ends at the arched bridge just beyond. The canal used to go about half a mile further into Rochdale town  to a delivery basin, but is now filled in. There is a group of "Friends of the canal" who are trying to get Rochdale council on board to try and put the canal back into water and use the basin as a marina in a similar fashion as to what has taken place in Castlefield Manchester. That is now a huge money spinner, brings loads of people into the area and is very vibrant. To me it seems a no brainer, it would be wonderful and I hope they succeed in the challenge.

The above two photos show the Norwich Street cotton mill. The mill itself is still being partially used but the outer buildings are being knocked down as i type, a fire destroyed parts of it. The mill was originally built in 1870's for John Pilling from Spotland. It was a weaving and spinning mill and had 40,000 spindles.

Heading into Rochdale. The bridge is the railway.

Below are a few shots walking into town centre.

Heading down towards Drake Street.

Rochdale wall Mural.

The River Roch and the council/library building.

The tram stop and behind it is part of the new shopping area.

It was now a very warm day so we headed for the shade of the Caffe Grande coffee shop in the bus station. We know this place well and in my opinion the coffee here is the best in Rochdale.

After a welcome break it was back out into the sun and a walk around the town centre. The planners have done a good job around the Town Hall, The Old Post Office, The Parish Church Approach, the River Roch opening up from what was previously culverted and the Memorial Gardens. Here are a few images.

Gracie Fields.

Rochdale gets a lot of bad media, whether it be because of the influx of immigrants, grooming gangs, dodgy politicians etc etc and to be fair some of it is not wrong. The ridiculous decisions to build a new shopping area when there are already two very large shopping malls which are now more or less redundant eyesores makes one wonder why?

However if you look back through my images you will see that there is very little litter along the canal or streets heading into town. Very commendable but if you walk the backstreets it is a different story. Probably like numerous old industrial lancashire towns they put on a front but don't follow up what is hidden.

Rochdales immigrant population is said to be about 20% and in my opinion that figure is too high for a small town. It changes the dynamics of the area. The problem is that it tends to mass in certain areas of the town in the older housing and the percentage rises to maybe 95%. It's a bad trait.

Rochdale shopping street 50 years ago was a throng of people, obviously mainly indigenous but today it's a town of takeaways, betting shops, charity shops and anything else that can bring some taxes to the council. It's a sad reality.

Anyway, that's enough politics.

We hadn't been in the Town Hall since its refurbishment so decided to go and see what's been done and if possible have a meal in the restaurant.

Unfortunately there was a large event on in the main hall so our walkabout was limited. 

We did manage to get a table in the Martlet Restaurant but we were disappointed with the standard of food. It was hardly restaurant quality and we won't be rushing back. 

So that ends our walk to Rochdale. Now to get the bus back home.