Richtis Gorge
Richtis Gorge (Greek: Φαράγγι του Ρίχτη, Faraggi tou Richti) is a gorge in Crete, Greece (Map of Richtis Gorge here). It is a state protected park near Exo Mouliana, Sitia, eastern Crete (Greece) that starts at the traditional village Exo Mouliana, which is located on the national road between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia and ends at the secluded Richtis beach, just east of the village Kalavros. The hiking trail is about 4 km in length of moderate (spring/summer/autumn) to hard (winter) difficulty. Especially after a rainfall, the beginning of the descent is very muddy and treacherous. Waterproof shoes or sandals are strongly recommended, as the stream leading to the waterfall has to be crossed numerous times, often inevitably through the water. Rich vegetation (mainly platanus trees, wild berries and local flowers and herbs) and animal life (mainly local species of butterflies, small reptiles, birds and small mammals) can be observed along the way, as well as old stone bridges and water mills before it culminates with the Richtis Waterfall and beach, making Richtis gorge trail one of the most diversified hiking experiences in Crete.[1][2][3][4]
Hiking the gorge
There are several options:
- Walk down the gorge and return to the village the same way via the gorge (about 5 h total). If with a car, parking at Lachana bridge and starting the descent from there will save about 20 min walking each way.
- Walk down the road to the beach and walk up the gorge back to the village (about 4 h total). The opposite (down the gorge and up the road) is not recommended on a sunny day because the road is not shaded and you will be walking uphill and under the sun, the gorge however is almost entirely shaded.
- Drive to the beach (15 min) and walk the gorge until the waterfall (about 1/3 of the total length of the gorge), return to the beach and drive back to the village (the "lazy" way, about 2.5 h total)
- Drive 2 cars to the beach, drive back with one car, walk down the gorge and drive back to the village with the other car (about 4 h total). Alternatively, arrange with someone to pick you up from the beach and drive you to the village.
Times are given with the assumption that the gorge is walked at very slow pace and with at least one stop.
Precautions
- Not recommended to walk canyon with children.
- Down in a canyon the is no cell phone grid signal, so in a case of emergency you will not be able to call for help by phone.
- Its strongly recommended to use special navigation maps with pre-downloaded mapping data that work independently of mobile cell grid, but use GPS navigation satellites signal, for example maps.me Also such an aplication has good function letting to log your walked way which you can use as a guide for return the same way.
- Also shouting is not effective, except if people are relatively near.
- Through the canyon path there is not enough direction markings (as for 2020 july) and there are few confusing difficult passages that lead to circling around without way out, while in reality there are easy passing around the corner.
- Don't go to gorge near sunset time, because in case of emergency you would have difficulty to return to Exo Muliana village.
- Car road to Rihtis Beach and waterfall parking is steepy and narrow. Keep in mind, that two cars will have difficulty to pass. Also have a enough powerful engine to return back up hill if you have a lot of people or luggage in the car.
- Going down steepy serpentine could overheat car brakes - be careful and use low gear to slow movement of car and compensate brakes usage.
- If you risk to walk gorge canyon in the dark - have charged sources of light and best of all - have a overhead lamp as miners (or mountaineers) use.
- In a case of total darkness and having no light source it's better to walk longer, but more clear car road back through the Richtis beach side, than walking the canyon.
- There are some snakes in gorge and people saw them in a water.
- Going down from Exo Muliana to Laxana bridge or back go only straight road, don't turn left or right.
Photo Gallery (on Flickr)
References
- ^ http://www.sitia.gr/en/visitor/rixti/rixti.html Municipality of Sitia website
- ^ http://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/gorges-of-crete/gorges-in-lassithi-prefecture/641-richtis-gorge.html[permanent dead link] Richtis gorge
- ^ http://candia.wordpress.com/photos/photo-2010/richtis-gorge-april-2010/ Richtis beach and gorge
- ^ http://www.worldreviewer.com/travel-guides/canyon/richtis-gorge-and-waterfall/61078/ Richtis gorge and waterfall