Path Information
Path Information of the Holy Mountain
Our Maps contain Conditions, Walking Times & Links to Descriptions and GPS Tracks
Our maps contain major walking routes on Mount Athos. The entry for each route contains a link (or links) to a detailed Path Description and to GPS tracking where these are available. It also contains the latest information available to The Friends of Mount Athos on the condition of the route (all subject to the disclaimers at the end).
Routes are listed alphabetically by the Greek name of the monastery, skete or other landmark at which each path begins. Names beginning with “Saint” (St. Anne, St. Paul, St. Dimitrios) are under Agias/Agiou. The Great Lavra is listed as “Megisti Lavra”.
Pilgrims are recommended to refer to Practical Information about Walking the Footpaths of Mount Athos before setting out, and to use the Pilgrim Map of Mount Athos along with the footpath descriptions in both planning and making their pilgrimages.
Most of the information in the table is from the FoMA project to clear and restore the footpaths of Mount Athos, or from pilgrimages made by members of the project team, as specified under “source and date of information”. If you have current information on path conditions or the timings shown below, The Friends of Mount Athos would greatly appreciate your report. We invite you to contribute to this service by e-mailing The FoMA Footpaths Team.
Explanations:
1. Footpaths are shown in preference to roads or tracks.
2. Path Condition is at date of latest information.
Key: ‘Good‘ means path can be followed with ease. ‘Passable‘ means that the path is easy to find but may be overgrown in places. ‘Blocked‘ means that the path can no longer followed at present. ‘Unknown‘ means that the condition of the path is unknown.
3. Underlining indicates a link to a detailed path description.
Information is produced and maintained by The Friends of Mount Athos, a charitable organisation which, among other activities, works with monasteries to keep footpaths on the Holy Mountain, open. The condition and signing of paths and tracks on the Holy Mountain are subject to continual change. The Friends of Mount Athos strive to keep this information correct and up to date but cannot take responsibility for its accuracy. Copies of footpath descriptions are available, free, from the Friends website, www.athosfriends.org and in a number of places on or associated with the Holy Mountain.
Correct info coming soon
| FROM | TO | PATH CONDITION | WALKING TIME | SOURCE & DATE OF LATEST INFO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agias Annis, Skete (St Anne) | Kafsokalyvia, Ag. Triados Skete | Good, footpath | 3.3 | FoMA team members September 2017 and September 2019 |
| Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) | Good, footpath | 6 | FoMA team May 2019 and FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Mount Athos Summit | Good, footpath | 8 hrs. return | FoMA team member May 2015 | |
| Nea Skiti (Skiti Theotokou) | Good, footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Agiou Pavlou | Good, footpath | 1.15 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Prodromou, Skete | Good, footpath | 5 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Agiou Dimitriou, Skete | Vatopedi | Good, path and track | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2019 |
| Agiou Pavlou | Dionysiou | Good, footpath and track | 1 | FoMA team members September 2019 |
| Agias Annis, Skete (St Anne) | Good, footpath | 1.15 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Nea Skiti (Skiti Theotokou) | Good, footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Bogoroditsa, Skete | Pantokrator | Passable to Good, path and track | 1.3 | FoMA team September 2020 |
| Profitis Ilias, Skete (Prophet Elijah) | Passable to Good, mainly path | 1 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Daphni | Koutloumousiou & Karyes | From Daphni to Stavros = road. From Stavros to Karyes | 3.30 – 4.00 | Karyes-Stavros by FoMA team May 2017 (remainder = road) |
| Chilandar: see below, Hilandar Panteleimonos | Good, path and track | 1.45 | FoMA team member January 2016 | |
| Xeropotamou | Good, path and track | 0.45 | FoMA team member January 2016< | |
| Dionysiou | ||||
| Agiou Pavlou | Good, path and track | 1< | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Grigoriou | Good, footpath | 2 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Dochiariou | ||||
| Konstamonitou via Arsanas Konstamonitou | Good, footpath and track | 1.45 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Koutloumousiou and Karyes | Passable to Good, footpath and track. Follow Dochiario | 4.30 – 5.00 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Vatopedi | Passable to Good, path, track and road | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Xenophontos | Good, path and track | 0.25 | FoMA team May 2018 | |
| Esphigmenou | Hilandar | Good, track | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2019 |
| Koutloumousiou and Karyes | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Vatopedi | Good, path and track | 3.00 – 3.30 | FoMA team members April 2018. FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Zographou via Vagenokamares | Passable to good, footpath and track. Minor diversion n | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Grigoriou | Dionysiou | Good, footpath | 2 | FoMA team September 2020 |
| Simonopetra | Good, footpath and track | 1.2 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Hilandar | Esphigmenou | Good, track | 0.45 | FoMA team September 2020 |
| Karyes | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Vatopedi via Esphigmenou | Good, track and footpath | 3.45 – 4.15 | FoMA team members April 2018. FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Vatopedi via Chera | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the< | 5.00 – 5.30 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Zographou | Good, path and track | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Iviron | Karakalou | Good, road to Karakalou arsanas, then footpath | >2 | FoMA team May 2019 |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, footpath | 2 | FoMA team members May 2019 | |
| Philotheou via coast road | Passable to good. Main road towards Megisti Lavra, the | 2 | FoMA team May 2017 | |
| Philotheou via Skiti Iviron | Good, Path and track. Bridge close to Philotheou now r | 2 | FoMA members May 2016 and September 2019 and FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Stavronikita | Good, mainly footpath | 1 | FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Kaliagra (Arsanas Koutloumousiou) | Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Occasionally passable, otherwise Good, mainly footpath | 1.30 – 2.00 | FoMA team May 2019 |
| Karakalou | Iviron | Good, footpath to Karakalou arsanas, then road | 2 | FoMA team May 2019 |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, footpath and track via Philotheou (see relevant e | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) | Good, footpath to Karakalou arsanas, then road | >6 | FoMA team May 2019 to arsanas (remainder = road) | |
| Philotheou | Good, mainly footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team members September 2019 | |
| Provata | Passable to good, mainly footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team members November 2015 and May 2019 | |
| Karyes: see below: Koutloumousiou & Karyes | ||||
| Konstamonitou | Dochiariou via Konstamonitou arsanas | Good, footpath and track | 1.3 | FoMA team September 2020 |
| Karyes | Passable with care at WP 54 otherwise Good. Path and | c.4.30 | FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Vatopedi via Chera | Good, mainly footpath with some track (WP 12 – 11) | 3 | FoMA team September 2020< | |
| Vatopedi (crosses the ridge to the South of Chera) | Passable with care at WP 54 otherwise Good, Path and | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Xenophontos | Good, path and track via Dochiariou (see relevant entrie | 2 | FoMA team May 2018 | |
| Zographou | Good, mainly footpath | 2 | FoMA team September 2020 | |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Bourazeri, Cell | Good (= first part of Pantokrator path) | 0.3 | FoMA team September 2020 |
| Daphni via Stavros | Good, path and track (follow start of Karyes – Simonopet | 3 | Karyes-Stavros: FoMA team May 2017 (remainder = road) | |
| Dochiariou | Passable to Good, Path and track. Follow Karyes to Hilandar to WP 27 then Vatopedi to Do | c. 4.30 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Esphigmenou | Accessable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Hilandar | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2018 and May 2019 | |
| Iviron | Good, mainly footpath | 1.3 | FoMA team members May 2019< | |
| Kaliagra (Arsanas Koutloumousiou) | Occasionally passable, otherwise Good, mainly footpath | 1.00 – 1.30 | FoMA team May 2019 | |
| Karakalou | Good, footpath and track via Philotheou | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team members September 2019 |
Links
The Friends of Mount Athos – www.athosfriends.org
The oldest and most informative site, particularly for prospective pilgrims. An excellent Pilgrim’s Guide is available, as well as Footpath Descriptions and GPS tracks.
Ascetic Experience – www.asceticexperience.com
Produced by a team with close ties to Vatopedi Monastery, the site explores spiritual experiences from Holy Mount Athos.
The German Friends of Mount Athos – www.athosfreunde.de
The website magazine of Vatopedi Monastery – www.pemptousia.com
Mount Athos information – accommodation, ferries, etc. – www.ouranoupoli.com/athos/mount-athos-information.html