Walks in Symi, Greece (Book and Map)

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This book includes twenty walks, based on Yialos and Horio, but covering most of this attractive southeast Aegean island, with its numerous tiny monasteries and wonderful panoramic views.

Symi - a small but hilly Greek island with a deeply indented coastline in the southeast Aegean, situated 24 km northwest of Rhodes, but just 6 km west of the Turkish Resadiye peninsula, has a character all its own. Its current population of about 3000 is only one tenth of the number of inhabitants in its prosperous heyday in the late 19th Century. Away from the main harbour, there is little development, many paths and excellent countryside for walking with its numerous tiny monasteries and wonderful panoramic views. Though appearing completely rocky and barren from the ferry, the interior does have areas of pine, cypress and juniper woodland.

About 13 x 11 km in size, 57km² in area, and formed of hard Mesozoic limestone that reaches 616m at Mt Vigla in the centre, Symi has two medium sized satellites Nimos and Seskli, the latter inhabited until recently, plus numerous small rocky islets.

Yialos Town. Sponge-fishing and shipbuilding funded the building of numerous mansions in Yialos, in the sheltered northeast of the island. It is said that Jason's Argo was built here. The houses, shops and tavernas of Yialos are clustered around a long, fjord-like natural harbour, and feature in many calendars of the Greek islands. The main population of the island is centred around Yialos-Horio, with the smaller settlements of Emborio and Pedi on the next bays to the north and south. The remnants of the town's 19th century wealth are still clearly visible in the neoclassical residences, though many are now just abandoned shells. Competition from the divers of Kalymnos, the invention of the artificial sponge, combined with war and politics, brought about the downfall of the Symiot economy in the first half of the 20th Century. The majority of the population emigrated, to Rhodes and far beyond. Nowadays Symi is almost more famous for its chefs, working in Rhodes and elsewhere.

Horio village, the older capital, is just a long flight of steps away on the ridge above Yialos. In prehistoric times, the inhabitants built protective walls, remnants of which remain. The ancient acropolis was situated at the highest point of the village, though in medieval times it was converted to a Byzantine fortress. The Knights of St John arrived from Rhodes and added a tower from which they could signal to their base in the latter island. The retreating German army of occupation blew up its surplus explosives - plus 260 Horio houses - in December 1944. Fortunately, due to a German corporal warning the locals, only 1 Symiot was killed, although ironically the soldier died the following day when his ship hit a mine just after leaving Symi.

The scenery is often stunning - an arid, rocky landscape dotted with numerous tiny monastery churches, and an empty mountainous interior, which is partly forested with pine and juniper trees.

Symi is a wonderful island for the active walker, with few surfaced roads but numerous paths, though the latter are often quite stony, which can make the longer walks more challenging. Other routes are on well-preserved, stone-paved kalderimi paths. Cross-island walks will have considerable ascent and descent, and some routes have very little shade, apart from at the monasteries.

"... it's best to be equipped with the Walkers' Map of Symi, packaged along with Lance Chilton's Walks in Symi." - from The Rough Guide to the Dodecanese & East Aegean Islands, May 2002.

"...many thanks for your excellent guide to Symi, which really was the heart of our trip last year." Louise F., September 2008

Large-scale sketch maps of Yialos, Horio, Emborio and Pedi are included within the text.

The 44-page book is A5 size, with a card cover. The book and map are supplied in a tough A5 plastic sleeve.

The new 2010 map is an A3 double-sided colour map at a scale of 3.75cm:1km (1:26666). Book and map first published 1999, book updated 2005.

ISBN 978-1-905333-13-4 (replaces ISBN 978-1-900802-60-4)

UK ONLY SYMI walk book and map
Royal Mail 2ndClass Standard SYBM-UK-2nd Ł8.25
Royal Mail 1stClass Standard SYBM-UK-1st Ł8.75
Royal Mail 2ndClass Recorded Signed For SYBM-UK-RSF2 Ł9.25
Royal Mail 1stClass Recorded Signed For SYBM-UK-RSF1 Ł9.75
Royal Mail Special Delivery Next Day SYBM-UK-SDND Ł14.00 (not Saturday delivery)

OUTSIDE UK SYMI walk book and map
Europe Royal Mail Airmail Small Packets SYBM-EUR-SP Ł9.49
Europe Royal Mail Airmail International Signed-for Small Packets SYBM-EUR-ISF Ł13.99
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA Royal Mail Airmail International Signed-for Small Packets SYBM-WD-ISF Ł14.90
Europe Royal Mail Airmail Airsure SYBM-EUR-AS Ł14.64
Canada, New Zealand, USA Royal Mail Airmail Airsure SYBM-WD-AS Ł15.46

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Lance Chilton and Marengo 2010

Marengo, 17 Bernard Crescent, Hunstanton PE36 6ER, England