Walking the Corfu Trail (North)

Our Corfu walking adventure starts in Liapades, situated just 15 minutes walk from the traditional village of Liapades and surrounded by green hillsides. For those arriving in time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7 pm for a welcome meeting and the chance to go out for dinner for those who fancy it. The hotel does not have a 24-hour reception. If you plan to arrive later than 7 pm, please contact your tour leader, Spiros, in advance on the number provided in your travel documents so he can organise a late check in. There are no activities planned for today, so you're free to arrive at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Corfu International Airport (CFU), around a 30-minute drive from the hotel. If you miss the meeting, our tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you could take a leisurely stroll to the beach. The picturesque pebble beaches of Rovinia and Liapades are about a 25-minute walk through the village of Liapades.

First thing this morning, we'll negotiate a steep, fairly difficult ascent up to the old village of Lakones - with one of the best views in Europe. After close to a kilometre of unavoidable road, we'll head up on an old cobbled footpath towards the villages of Vistonas, Makrades and Krini. In the afternoon, we'll continue down one of Greece's most remarkable footpaths, The Donkey Path. This pathway zigzags down a wide track to the sweeping bay of Agios Georgios. Our accommodation tonight is in the pleasant beach resort of Agios Georgios, with a long sandy beach and views of the green hills bordering the bay. Today's 14.5 kilometre/9 mile walk is graded as moderate and is expected to take around 4 hours with 490 metres/1,608 feet of ascent and 490 metres/1,608 feet of descent.

Today starts with another sharp climb from Agios Georgios to the village of Prinilas. We'll descend to the picturesque village of Pagi, from where tracks and a quiet road lead us through agricultural land alongside the Megapotamos River through Aspiotades to the sprawling villages of Agros and Agios Athanasios. From the villages, we'll follow a quiet road past the wealthy convent of Agios Athanasios and tracks that take us to the road junction at Rekini. At Rekini, we'll take a short bus journey to the nearest accommodation on the north coast at Roda. Today's 12 kilometre/7.5 mile walk is graded as moderate and is expected to take around 4.5 hours with 600 metres/1,969 of ascent and 500 metres/1,641 of descent.

Today, we'll take a local bus back to the Corfu Trail. Starting our walk from Rekini, we'll take the unmade road to Valanio, a village deep in the middle of nowhere, from where tracks funnel us up a deep valley. We'll follow a cobbled path to enter Sokraki, where the village square with its happy atmosphere calls for a stop. Then we'll carry on to Spartillas, where a chartered bus is waiting to take us down to our accommodation at the picturesque coastal village of Kalami. Here, in the White House, Lawrence Durrell wrote Prospero's Cell. The little bay in Kalami is lined with white pebbles and has a panoramic backdrop of mountainous Albania. For the next three nights the group will be spread over a variety of simple apartments and studios around the bay. Breakfast is at Thomas's Place, a family run taverna on the beach of Kalami. Tonight, we'll enjoy a delicious local dinner together, where we'll get a true taste of Corfu cuisine. Today's 13.5 kilometre/8.4 mile walk is graded as challenging and is expected to take around 4.5 hours with 710 metres/2,330 feet of ascent and 375 metres/1,230 feet of descent; we are transferred to Kalami from the top of the village.

Today the real mountain terrain beckons. We'll transfer by bus back to Spartillas to begin our walk, which starts immediately with a steep mountain footpath, climbing a gully to a fantastic viewpoint at Taxiarchis Chapel - a ruin with fresco-covered walls. We'll ascend further to cross the Karst Plateau, Corfu's wildest scenery, under the summit of Pantokrator. Then, we'll make our way to the very top (917 metres/3,009 feet) and visit the monastery, with its views across to the mountains of Albania. Descending, we'll have fine views as well as some rough sections of terrain as we reach the deserted village of Palia Perithia where we'll stop at a taverna for a refresher. Eventually, we'll make the final stretch of the Corfu trail ending at the most northerly point of the island. Today's 22.5 kilometre/14 mile walk is graded as challenging and is expected to take around 8.5 hours with 640 metres/2,100 feet of ascent and 1,050 metres/3,445 feet of descent. The optional climb of an additional 3 kilometres/1.9 miles to the summit will take approximately 1 hour with an additional ascent and descent of 250 metres/820 feet.

Today is free to rest your legs and relax in the local area. If you'd rather keep going, there's an optional walk - a 15.5 kilometre/9.6 mile round trip from Kalami to Mengoulas or a 12 kilometre/7.5 mile walk through the unspoiled Erimitis Peninsula to the lovely seaside village of Kassiopi.

We'll return to Corfu Town's old port by bus this morning. This afternoon, our tour leader will accompany us on a walking orientation tour of the main points of interest in the marvellous Venetian town centre. There might be time to take a bus to the postcard-perfect location of Kanoni to explore the archaeological sites and walk across the causeway to visit Vlacherna Church, too. Alternatively, you might like to visit the intriguing Mouse Island by boat departing from the peninsula's small jetty.

Our tour ends at our hotel in Corfu Town. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is leaving later in the day, there are luggage storage facilities available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Corfu International Airport (CFU), around a ten-minute drive from our hotel.