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INTRODUCTION

Corcyra [Corfu] is all Venetian blue and gold – and utterly spolit by the sun.

Lawrence Durrell, Prospero's Cell

To this description add brilliant wildflowers, lush countryside, quiet mountain villages, an agreeable climate, golden sand beaches, turquoise sea and breathtaking coastlines – and don’t overlook affordable prices. Nowadays, 600 years after Venetian rule, famed Corfu - once known as Corcyra - is still a most desirable Greek island, as borne out by visitor numbers: all the languages of Europe can be heard in its hotels. Brits in particular have been flocking here since Victorian times: many have stayed on, and over 10,000 now call the island their home.

Off Kavos beach (Corfu Trail, Stage 1)

Set at the bottom of the Adriatic, to the east of the ‘heel spur’ of Italy, Corfu is the northernmost of the beautiful string of Ionian islands. On the map Corfu resembles the stocky rear leg of a horse, kicking away from the mainland a matter of kilometres off the coast of Albania and Greece. The island’s perimeter measures 217km, the surface area is 580sq km, and it stretches 62km from north to south.

Corfu is often associated with coastlines desecrated in the name of low cost package holidaying. Yet despite some construction sprawl – thankfully limited to a handful of resorts on the east and north coast and easily avoided – Corfu has much to offer the nature lover and walker. Many localities, including the island’s interior, have escaped development altogether and retain a laid-back, traditional atmosphere. Moreover Corfu is the greenest of all the Greek islands and, with mile upon mile of paths and lanes, makes a superb destination for a walking holiday. Last, but definitely not least, the Corfiot people are amiable and helpful. In a nutshell, Corfu never fails to enchant.

As is the fate of islands, Corfu has had a chequered history. Famous figures have been visiting the island since antiquity: the ancient Greek hero Hercules (before he set out on his 10 labours), the Argonauts (after they got hold of the Golden Fleece) and Ulysses (who procured a ship to take him back to Ithaca). Rather later on came the Venetians – who stayed for close on four centuries (from 1401 to 1797). Under them Corfu – in view of its position perilously close to the huge Ottoman Empire – became a heavily fortified outpost. Despite a number of touch-and-go battles the island didn’t succumb. Intermediate periods saw mainly French and British control: it wasn’t until 1864 that Corfu was finally unified with modern Greece.

Old Venetian fort at Corfu Town

The list of VIPs associated with the island includes European royalty such as Empress Sissi of Austria. For the majority of English-language readers Corfu is inextricably linked with the Durrell family thanks to the books of the brothers Gerald and Lawrence, relating their sojourns of the 1930s, the best-known of which is Gerald’s My Family and Other Animals. For the record, Roger Moore also came by – as James Bond, during the filming of the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only.

This guidebook presents a selection of 22 day walks, perfect to do from a hotel or rented accommodation. The routes have been chosen to give a taste of the many different landscapes on this marvellous island. It also describes the long-distance Corfu Trail which stretches the length of the island.

The Corfu Trail

Suitable for both novices and experienced walkers, this marvellous 150km (93 mile) trek explores Corfu from toe to top – far south to far north – in 10 memorable day stages.

In this guidebook each stage ends at a village or beach location with meals and accommodation for an overnight stay, be that privately rented rooms, taverna (local restaurant) premises or hotels across the range. Local shops sell picnic supplies, and many cafés and tavernas can provide lunch en route as well. On several walks there are accommodation options at intermediate points, meaning that the route can be shortened. Naturally, rest days are also feasible – maybe at a beach. The island’s bus and taxi network allows walkers to join or leave the route at multiple points, with easy access to Corfu Town.

Corfu Trail waymark

The CT is described here as a south–north route. It would be tricky, although by no means impossible, to walk in the opposite direction; however waymarks can be hard to spot and the route description awkward to follow.

Several UK travel agencies arrange for guided holidays on sections of the Corfu Trail, booking middle and top-end accommodation along with daily luggage transport as well as transfers. However, savvy walkers can easily do it themselves with the help of this Guide.

The old path to Krini leads through shady olive groves (Corfu Trail, Stage 7)

Plants and flowers

Corfu is smothered with huge numbers of glorious Mediterranean blooms and aromatic plants throughout the spring and summer. The seashore alone is home to myriad wildflowers. Clumps of grey velvety cottonweed (Otanthus maritimus) grow on the seaward side of low sand dunes, their thick stems lined with masses of lightly serrated leaves and topped with tiny tufted yellow blooms. The bushy everlasting or curry plant (Helichrysum) has unassuming woolly flowers of a golden hue at the tip of slender stems punctuated with silvery needle-like leaves: these release a curry-like aroma when rubbed.

Clockwise from left: sea daffodil; brilliant poppies; fragile rockrose

Dry terrain near the seashore is the perfect habitat of the monstrous giant agave, or century plant (Agave americana), which can grow as tall as seven metres. Originally from Mexico, its spiky blue-grey leaves are clustered in a rosette at the plant’s base. Its impressive trademark candelabra-like flowers, which appear at the end of the agave’s life, grow on stems reminiscent of gigantic asparagus, and appearing to have come straight out of a science fiction film.

That same terrain is shared with the prolific – and considerably shorter – sea squill (Urginea marittima). This has slender rod stems, the top parts of which are lined with white blooms. The leaves dry up around the base of the plant but its most characteristic feature is its huge onion-like bulbs, which can weigh up to 2kg, and more often than not protrude above the ground. Because the bulb continues growing even after it has been uprooted, in olden times the plant was attributed with magical powers of regeneration. Still today people hang it in their houses at New Year to guarantee good health and luck for the inhabitants.

More like a lily, and sometimes confused with sea squill, is the beautiful showy sea daffodil (or sea lily) that grows in clumps. Its bulb is not usually visible and its large trumpet-shaped flowers appear a couple to each stem. The Latin name Pancratium maritimum derives from ‘all powerful’, probably in view of the plants’ capacity to survive in extreme conditions such as dry salty sand, although it may also refer to the plant’s medicinal properties.

A little further inland flourishing bushes of rockrose (Cistus) with pale pastel paper-fragile flowers enliven the maquis scrub. This habitat is shared with thick masses of headily perfumed broom that colour hillsides and send bees into a frenzy. Walkers with keen eyes will find clearings in light woodland to be the perfect breeding ground for tiny exquisite orchids: an estimated 36 types have been reported on Corfu. Outstanding examples are the early spider orchid (Ophrys sphegodes), the woodcock orchid (Ophrys scolopa) and unusual autumn-flowering lady’s tresses (Spiranthes spirales), with tiny white star blooms on a plaited stem.

The giant agave is never far from the seafront

Poppies are many and memorable: eye-catching yellow horned-poppies (Glaucium flavum) sprawl on beaches, and are easily recognisable for their long pointed seed pods. Brilliant crimson specimens of the common poppy (Papaver rhoeas), on the other hand, are found along streams, forming vivid carpets in olive groves. Inland rural settings are also the habitat for colourful lupins (Lupinus) that mostly come in blue.

A surprising number of flowers bloom as late as September: meadow saffron, cyclamens and the white blossom of the common myrtle (Myrtus), a typical Mediterranean shrub whose evergreen leaves contain an essential oil. It was named after a legendary maiden from ancient Greece, who was slain by a rival (male) gymnast and turned into this lovely bush. The curious strawberry tree is another late noteworthy: it bears its white bell flowers and fruit at varying stages of maturity at the same time. When ripe, the rough red balls taste like strawberries – if you ignore the lumpy bits. The second part of the Latin name Arbutus unedo means ‘eat one’, implying that one is sufficient!

Extensive oak forests once cloaked the hilly island, and were widely exploited by the Venetians who used the wood for shipbuilding. They were partially replaced by extensive and profitable olive groves: the Venetians paid the farmers to plant them, and accepted taxes paid in oil. An estimated three million graceful olive trees now thrive on Corfu. In early spring tiny sprigs of round, creamy blooms appear between the tiny blue-green leaves. A story narrates that the island’s patron saint, Spiridion, appeared in a vision forbidding people either to prune the trees or pick the fruit; this may explain the abandoned look of the majority of the groves (cutting down trees is still prohibited by law), but not the fact that each winter families painstakingly collect the tiny black olives and press them to make fragrant oil.

Wildlife

The island is not heaving with wildlife, but a number of delightful sightings are on the cards. The magic flickering of fireflies is hard to beat of a summer evening. Another treat are the 83 species of butterflies. Freshwater terrapins are not uncommon inland, in or near streams, while yellow-and-black tortoises may be heard moving around in the undergrowth. Exported as pets in the 1960s, nowadays they are thankfully protected.

A timid tortoise on the sand dunes

Birds of prey, including the buzzard and kite, are at home on open mountain terrain, such as the Pandokratoras. In a more urbanised setting, astonishing numbers of swifts, swallows and house martins swarm over Corfu Town in shrieking black clouds during from the month of March all the way through to mid-October, before they head for warmer climes.

The hoopoe is unforgettable and eye-catching, as it runs and bobs its way along the ground. Vaguely like a woodpecker, it has a showy crest of black-tipped, chestnut brown feathers and black-and-white striped wings.

Water birds include the occasional flock of flamingos, along with waders such as seagulls, herons, spoonbills, egrets and oystercatchers that can be spotted at the important wetland sites of Lake Andiniotissa, Lake Korission and the old salt pans at Lefkimmi.

The vast wetlands at Lefkimmi are home to many birds (Walk 20)

Potential danger may come in the shape of the island’s small venomous snakes, but sightings are rare. The asp viper (Vipera aspis) is a smallish cream–hazel-coloured snake with a broad triangular head, whereas the horned viper (Vipera ammodytes), as its name suggests, has a horn on its snout and is a lighter grey–brown, with wavy markings. These snakes only attack when threatened or surprised – they may be drowsy when soaking up the sun on a path, so give them time to slither away. Their poison acts slowly and very rarely is the bite fatal. In the unlikely event that you are bitten, contact emergency services immediately. The number of these snakes has diminished drastically over recent years due to the widespread use of pesticides and weed killers.

Harmless snakes include the grass snake and the slow worm, the latter related to lizards. These come in many shapes and colours: the best loved is the ingenious gecko, which hangs onto walls and ceiling with its marvellous sucker feet as it hunts for insects attracted to light sources.

Getting there

The easiest and cheapest way to reach Corfu is by plane. There is a huge choice of flights from the UK and many European cities, including northern Europe and Scandinavia. Companies that serve the island include British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways. The airport (www.corfu-airport.com) is only 3km from Corfu Town, and handy airport minibus transfers can be arranged through www.hoppa.com/en/hoppago and www.holidaytaxis.com. Should you need it, a city bus (frequent service) stops a 15min walk away out on the main road.

It is unquestionably more romantic, if more long-winded, either to drive or to take a train to Italy’s Adriatic coast, then catch a car ferry from either Ancona, Bari or Brindisi. These leisurely overnight voyages conclude at the Greek mainland port of Igoumenitsa, from where there are plenty of connecting ferries across the straits to Corfu Town or Lefkimmi. Direct ferries to Corfu have unfortunately been shouldered out by the more lucrative cruise ships.

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 regards drinks, locally brewed and bottled ginger beer, originally introduced by the British, is especially refreshing after a walk: freshly squeezed orange juice is another contender. Portokalada is orangeade and lemonada the lemon equivalent.

Red, white and rosé wines are available, many home grown or hailing from other regions of Greece. Kumquacello is a bright orange sweetish liquor made with the rind of kumquats. This tiny citrus fruit, resembling a smaller version of a mandarin, was introduced to Corfu from Southeast Asia in the 1860s.

Tap water is fine to drink, unless specified otherwise. Bottled water shipped in from the mainland is always on sale.

Taverna at Agios Stefanos (Walk 7)

As in other parts of Greece, local restaurants are known as tavernas and they serve lunch and dinner. Rare is the village without a coffee shop, usually the exclusive realm of the menfolk who gather around a table to pass the time of day. Traditional Greek coffee is dense, short and sweet, made with ground coffee boiled with sugar: visitors are usually offered instant coffee or international styles in hotels and restaurants.

Be aware that tavernas, cafés and local shops tend to close between 2 or 3pm and 5.30pm, as many people take a siesta then.

What to take

Give careful thought to gear for walking. Here are some suggestions:

 Lightweight walking boots are essential for the Corfu Trail as well as for routes over rough ground with loose stones. They will help avoid twisted ankles and sore feet and are safer on wet and slippery terrain. Good trainers with thick soles are fine for shorter simpler routes. Apart from Walks 18 and 20 keep sandals for the beach as they can be downright dangerous on mountain paths

 a medium sized rucksack for the Corfu Trail, or a small day pack for the shorter walks

 long lightweight trousers protect legs from a scratching on overgrown paths

 T-shirts and shorts – remember that you’ll often be walking through villages so avoid anything too revealing

 a light fleece

 a whistle, headlamp or torch for attracting help in an emergency: don’t rely on your mobile phone as there is often no signal

 snack food such as dried fruit, halva, muesli or sesame bars on sale in village shops

 trekking poles are useful for the Corfu Trail

 rain and windproof gear such as lightweight jacket, rucksack cover and over-trousers

 sun protection – a hat, high factor sun cream and sunglasses

 a swimming costume and a lightweight towel or sarong come in handy on those coastal walks when you want to stop for a swim; a mask and snorkel are a boon for exploring the underwater realms

 lightweight plastic sandals for walking on pebble beaches

 a compass for those places where waymarking is scarce and route directions need to be closely adhered to

 a water bottle

 a supply of tea bags or instant coffee and biscuits for a DIY breakfast

 a first aid kit including insect repellent, as mosquitoes can be a pest during the summer months. Also take something to deal with wasp or other insect bites: the island’s chemists are well supplied.

On a paved stretch of the ‘Secret Path’ (Walk 5)

Maps and place names

Sketch maps are provided with each walk in this Guide. Key landmarks and as much useful detail as possible have been crammed in, dictated by limits of space and graphics. In most cases these maps, along with the route description, are sufficient for the walks. However, it is always a good idea to get hold of a larger commercial map for many reasons: they are helpful when planning your trip, put places in a wider context, help you identify points of interest, and are essential in orientation if you lose your way.

The Anavasi 1:56,000 scale map is the best for walking. It is widely available on the island as well as online from www.anavasi.gr and at bookshops in the UK. For a glossary of commonly used geographical terms on maps and signs see Appendix C.

As can be expected, place names on Corfu are in Greek script, although many have been transcribed to English characters and often translated on signs to help visitors. However, there are huge variations in spelling. The versions in this Guide are based on those on the Freytag & Berndt map. Note that Corfu Town is also referred to as Kerkyra.

Another thing to watch out for is the recurrence of identical or very similar names. A common example is Pantokrator or Pandokratoras – Christ depicted as all-embracing, ruler of the universe, The Almighty. Numerous chapels bear his name, and have often given the name to the mountain they stand on. The only true Oros Pandokratoras (Mount Pandokratoras) is the highest point on Corfu in the northeast. Others often referred to as Pantokrator for their eponymous monasteries are the Agii Deka massif between the villages of Agios Deka and Stavros, and Agios Mattheos further south.

The Pantokrator, Christ the Almighty

Agios or Ayios – pronounced ‘eye-eos’ – means ‘saint’ (the term gave rise to ‘hagiography’, the lives of the saints, in English). An immensely popular place name is Agios Georgios (Saint George). There are two beach locations with this name – one in the north and the other in the south. For the purposes of this Guide, one is referred to as Agios Georgios south and its counterpart Agios Georgios north. To confuse things more, there’s a Mount Agios Georgios on the west coast, not to mention the village of similarly spelled Agios Gordios to its south. Agios Georgios south is sometimes referred to as Agios Georgios Argyrades, and Agios Georgios north as Agios Georgios Pagi.

Spiridion is the island’s highly revered patron saint: however, curiously few places have been named after him – apart from the place where the Corfu Trail concludes.

Saint Spiridion

Spiridion was a 4th-century Cretan shepherd who took his vows on the death of his wife and went on to become a bishop. He was credited with some miracles during his lifetime. When Crete was taken over by the Arabs his body – still intact – was moved to Constantinople. In 1453 a Corfiot monk took the embalmed remains to Corfu, where they are still held in great awe today and attributed with miraculous influence. Spiridion is known as the Keeper of the City for his help in expelling both the plague and the Turks – on that occasion he appeared in a vision to the invaders, threatening them with a cross and a flaming torch.

Dos and don’ts

When out walking on Corfu keep the following points in mind:

 allow plenty of extra time for wrong turns, fallen trees and mud after heavy rain: these can hamper progress

 carry all your rubbish away with you

 avoid treading on the nets in olive groves – they’re expensive

 close all gates behind you

 don’t light any fires and, if you smoke, put out cigarettes carefully as the vegetation can be as dry as tinder

 carry lots of water wherever you go walking: villages do not have drinking fountains and streams are often polluted by chemicals used in agriculture; refreshment points – cafés and the like – are listed in the information box for each walk

 remember that people live here: stay on the paths and don’t walk through private property

 walkers on the Corfu Trail should carry a good supply of euros in cash as unlike the larger hotels, small establishments don’t usually accept credit cards and the only ATMs en route are at Kavos and Paleokastritsa

 don’t expect everyone to speak English: find time to learn some Greek expressions (see Appendix C). This will endear you to the Corfiots.

Avoid treading on the nets under olive trees

Emergencies

In case of emergency call:

 ambulance tel 166

 police tel 100.

Using this Guide

This Guide describes a selection of 22 shorter walks designed to fit into a single day. The majority are circuits with a return to the start point. They are listed under four chapters: northeast, northwest, centre and south. Each chapter begins with an introduction outlining the area’s main features, villages and transport and accommodation facilities.

The Guide then describes the Corfu Trail (CT), which has been split up into 10 stages, each corresponding to a reasonable day’s walking, and always concluding at a village where meals and accommodation can be found. Walkers with less than 10 days’ holiday can slot in or bail out at the many villages linked by bus to Corfu Town. Handy places include Potami, Agios Georgios south, Pelekas and Agios Georgios north. Otherwise one of the island’s reliable and reasonably priced taxis can be used.

Not many walking routes on Corfu are waymarked so the detailed route descriptions and maps in this guide need to be followed carefully.

Each stage for the CT and the day walks have an information box containing the following essential data:

 Walk start and finish point

 distance (given in kilometres)

 ascent and descent: this is important information, as height gain and loss are an indication of effort required and need to be taken into account alongside difficulty and distance when planning the day

 difficulty – each walk has been classified by grade, although adverse weather conditions will make any route more arduous:Grade 1 – an easy route on clear tracks and paths, suitable for beginnersGrade 2 – paths across hill and mountain terrain, with lots of ups and downs; a reasonable level of fitness is preferableGrade 3 – strenuous, entailing prolonged ascent/descent, possibly with orientation problems: experience and extra care are recommendedWalking time: this does not include time out for rests, picnics, views, photos or nature stops, so as a general rule double the walk times given when planning your day. Every walker goes at a different pace and makes an unpredictable number of stops along the way, so the ‘skeleton’ times given are a guide.

Compass bearings are abbreviated (N, S, NNW and so on). Reference landmarks and places encountered en route are in bold type. Altitudes are given in metres (m) above sea level (100m = 328ft).

Arrows are also used to mark the Corfu Trail