Monastery discovery
Start: Turtle Bridge, Skala Eressos
Finish: Turtle Bridge, Skala Eressos
Distance: 14 kilometres
Height gain: 218 metres
Duration: 90 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
This ride is a must do for anyone with basic cycling skills and is a great way to explore the area around the village of Skala Eressos. Just behind the beach to the right of the village is ‘Turtle Bridge’ (home to hundreds of terrapins) and the starting point for the ride.
From here you turn left onto a wide track which offers views of the surrounding countryside on both sides. You then ride along a dried-up river bed leading to a wide U-shaped valley with mountains on both sides. Follow the river bed track until it swings around a corner where you'll see a dam. It’s a good place to enjoy a breather, before a short climb (approx. 16%) on a concrete road to reach the top of the dam. On reaching the top you are rewarded with views of the mountains, a lake and a 15th Century monastery. The hard work in now over and the return journey back to Turtle Bridge is downhill all the way following the same route.
