Ronnie on the Miners track

 Monday 3rd October - Hora and about

Last night we went to Livadi for dinner, on the walk back along the beach to the car, we bumped into a super friendly Cocker Spaniel. I think it’s fair to say I have not seen Ronnie play with other dogs, but they got on really well, jumping around in the sand. This does not mean Ronnie is not friendly to other dogs, it’s just not his thing. I think he is very like Luna the black Labrador, she does love her cuddles too and likes being on and taking over your bed. 

In the morning, I had decided to do the Miners walk, taking the road out of Hora. I put my boots on, filled up the water bottles and took a box of rubbish with us. The local cats are always on the case when they see people dropping rubbish in the skips, and I am sure they often get rubbish being dropped on them. We met a cat on route and as I had not spotted it, there was a hiss and a lunge. Next stop was the bakers, they were only just opening up, I saw the baker himself. They had spanakopita, these were those Cumberland sausage shaped ones. They were small, so we had two. When we paid for them I asked the guy who owns the shop and bakers, what his name was. It was a very long Greek one, he said just call me Den. He has two dogs, they might be French Bulldogs I think, from what he said. I have never seen them. 

As we passed Marinos we said hello to everyone outside the coffee shop. We ate the spanakopitas as we went along, we had one each. The sun was just coming up.

So the road we were on, was climbing, but not overly steep. It goes to Panagia and Mega Livadi. There was an old lady walking along the road, she had a stick and we soon caught up with her, and said Kalamera to her. Very often when on walks, drivers of vehicles, of both two and four wheeled varieties will wave or say hello. It’s just one of the things that are just so delightful. I am sure I am known as the Englishman who goes for walks, now he has a dog! ( for a few more days!) we were in the shade and every so often the wind would make its presence felt, cooling us down. There was a lovely rock with beautiful colours. We also went past a miners memorial plaque.

We carried on up to where the road split, we went left, towards Mega Livadi. We had another pit stop and as we did an old guy in a beaten up,Vauxhall Astra stopped to look at us. I think he was checking we were ok. He saw we were and waved to us. By the Heliport we turned towards it. Just here in the distance was a huge flock of sheep, being herded across the mountain. Shortly down the track, we turned off on a narrow path. Ronnie being half a Spaniel has all of their walking traits. He pulls on his lead, wants to get somewhere as soon as possible. He wants to be at the front of the pack. If he isn’t, he will barge past you to be there. He is like a mountain goat and is very sure footed. We then got to the church, called St George. The path is quite rocky to start with and then becomes something more substantial.

 The sun was in our eyes at this point, so we had to be doubly careful. Ronnie loves walking on walls, will sleep on the one with a sheer drop to a ravine at his home. He was quite good in this track and kept away from the edge. On all of the route we could see plants starting to grow again, after the hot long summer. There must be water in those hills. We could see the Wash house and the Medical centre below us, and Hora too. The wide path soon disappears and goes back to being a rocky path, this eventually drops right to the road that goes path this house, which makes it very convenient!