Walking and Trekking on Corfu. Gillian Price
Читать онлайн книгу.
alt="Image"/>
Corfu ferry awaiting passengers at Igoumenitsa
Local transport
Two excellent capillary bus networks radiate out from Corfu Town and cover virtually every corner of the island. Be aware that heavy traffic in and around the town often causes delays, especially on rainy days. It’s a good idea at the start of a holiday to pick up a copy of timetables from the main ticket offices in Corfu Town so you can plan your movements.
The Blue Buses run around Corfu Town and relatively close destinations such as the airport, Benitses and Pelekas (tel 26610 39859, www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr for timetables). Villages further afield, as far south as Kavos and north to Aharavi, are served by the Green Buses (www.ktelkerkyras.gr tel 26610 28927). They also do long-distance runs to Athens and Thessaloniki.
Otherwise there are the island’s taxis. Services are plentiful right across the island and fares are reasonable. Ask your hotel or B&B to call one for you. Alfa Taxi (www.alfataxicorfu.net tel 26630 32400) covers the north of the island, as does the taxi company tel 26610 30180. For the south of the island (mob 6977 864823 www.southcorfutaxi.com).
Information
The official Greek Tourist Authority website (www.visitgreece.gr) has all sorts of helpful and inspiring information about Corfu. There are currently no tourist offices on the island.
More walk suggestions can be found at www.zizyphus.co.uk and www.corfucastaway.com.
When to go
The best time to go is May–October, when everything is functioning and in full swing. Walking on the island is possible year-round, but much of the accommodation and restaurants close down in late October and do not open again until late April/May. This is of crucial importance for walkers on the Corfu Trail. That said, in the off season it is not impossible to find hotels and flat owners prepared to let out premises even for a single night, and people are unfailingly helpful in finding walkers a place to stay.
The White House at Kalami (Walks 1 and 2)
The weather is the other determining factor. Corfu’s climate is temperate, mild in winter and with sunny balmy days in summer, often tempered by a sea breeze. Maximum temperatures on Corfu are 23°C in May, 31°C July/August then 23°C in October. Midsummer, on the other hand (July–August in particular), is not the best time to walk low-level routes due to the scorching sun and hot winds, which can make long, shadeless stretches too warm and unpleasant. Moreover beach resorts and Corfu Town will be heaving. On the plus side, however, walks close to the coast can be followed up with a refreshing swim in the turquoise Ionian Sea, which is at its warmest in August, when the water temperature averages 27°C. Winter spells storms and heavy rain, especially from November through to February, and snow can appear on the mountains (it is this precipitation that makes Corfu so lush and green.) The driest months are May–September.
Accommodation
For visitors planning day walks Corfu offers an excellent choice of reasonably priced hotels and family-run guesthouses, often with an attached café-restaurant. Some suggestions can be found in Appendix B. Staying in a resort, usually booked through a tour operator, can be an excellent deal thanks to the all-inclusive formula whereby limitless meals and drinks are paid for in advance, but check the location carefully. Unless you opt for accommodation in Corfu Town or a village with good bus links, a hire car will be essential to access the walks.
Corfu offers many family-run guesthouses, often with an attached café-restaurant
Hotels and resorts generally accept credit cards, but always check, especially at small family-run establishments. Where possible advance reserve in advance, either directly to the accommodation provider or online through sites such as www.booking.com (which charge owners a commission). Rooms to let always have an en suite bathroom, and often turn out to be flats with a kitchen: at worst there will be an electric kettle. Breakfast is not always included, often an advantage for walkers who can see to their own and make an early start instead of wandering around a village in search of an early-opening café. Be aware that many apartments are available for single-night stays as well as longer term. Don’t hesitate to ask.
The Corfiots are great gardeners and many hotels and rented rooms are pleasantly set amid scented lemon trees or flourishing flower and vegetable gardens.
Lemon blossom and fruit in the orchards on Walk 21
A mix of private rooms and hotels can be found along the Corfu Trail: these are referred to in the stage descriptions as well as in Appendix B. Not all have a website or email address, so some phone calls will be necessary.
Camping is definitely an option for the Corfu Trail. Walkers suitably equipped and used to lugging around the extra weight will enjoy the freedom and versatility. Most villages en route have a small grocery shop. There are a couple of buts to wild camping on Corfu: finding water can be a problem, wandering livestock are not uncommon, and permission should always be requested before pitching a tent on private property.
Communications
If you don’t have overseas coverage with your normal mobile phone provider, consider buying a Greek SIM card for those local calls. (You will need a photocopy of your passport for this.) This is especially important for Corfu Trail walkers who may need to phone day by day to arrange accommodation. Phone credit is easily purchased at newspaper kiosks and local shops.
These days the majority of hotels and rented rooms have WiFi.
Food and drink
Flavoursome, simple and healthy is the best way to describe the food on Corfu. Expect plenty of locally grown vegetables, salads, meat and sometimes fish, all accompanied by the island’s tasty olive oil. Ubiquitous unmissable classics include Greek salad – crunchy chunks of cucumber, tomato, green pepper and feta cheese with onion and black olives. Then there’s moussaka – a baked pie of aubergine and minced meat topped with a thick white sauce and cheese. Souvlaki are grilled skewers of meat while stifado, sofrito and pastitsada are delicious home-style stews or casseroles with beef, veal or rabbit with onions and pasta. Meze refers to a snack such as a small plate of olives and cheese to accompany a glass of wine. Apart from the traditional crumbly feta cheese, made from sheep or goat’s milk and stored in brine, cheeses tend to be mild.
For picnic lunches village cafés and shops will usually rustle up a sandwich or roll for you. It’s a good idea to learn the Greek terms for bread, ham, cheese and so on (see Appendix C). Savoury pastries – such as spanakopita with spinach and feta or tiropita with cheeses – make a delicious lunch if you’re lucky enough to find a good bakery.
Riverside cafés at Potami (Corfu Trail, Stage 1)
Sweets are never lacking, especially in Corfu Town and larger villages that have a café-cum-cake shop. The mouth-watering array of Greek desserts includes the all-time favourite baklava – layers of flaky filo pastry and chopped nuts, drenched in honey. Luscious thick Greek yoghurt is a common dessert. Walkers will appreciate pasteli – bars of honey with sesame or almonds – as they travel well.
As