I've spent the past few days on a road trip round eastern Crete. Beautiful place with some great roads, until I came across one stretch yesterday that can only be described as nothing less than fantastic. This is the closest google maps will get to my itinerary.

"K" is start and finish

Great scenery, roads, beaches and tavernas but on the wa back was a stretch of road that was extra special, Xerokampos to Ziros. Only 20kms but sea level to 650m+ high in not far at all.

Complete stretch

And for added definition of terrain and layout

No photos I'm afraid as they're stuck on my camera and I think this experience finally dashes any last remaining hope of ever persuading my wife that it would be fun to drive down to Greece one year, via the Alps.

But awesome anyway.

I've spent the past few days on a road trip round eastern Crete. Beautiful place with some great roads, until I came across one stretch yesterday that can only be described as nothing less than fantastic. This is the closest google maps will get to my itinerary.

"K" is start and finish

Great scenery, roads, beaches and tavernas but on the wa back was a stretch of road that was extra special, Xerokampos to Ziros. Only 20kms but sea level to 650m+ high in not far at all.

Complete stretch

And for added definition of terrain and layout

No photos I'm afraid as they're stuck on my camera and I think this experience finally dashes any last remaining hope of ever persuading my wife that it would be fun to drive down to Greece one year, via the Alps.

But awesome anyway.

The wiggly bits on the map look impressive. Did you come across any great Cretans on your trip . . . I know, only at the security check at the airport

The wiggly bits on the map look impressive. Did you come across any great Cretans on your trip . . . I know, only at the security check at the airport

The Cretans are great, the cretins work at Manchester Airport.

Crete is still a popular holiday destination and if people can tear themselves away from thier fish bowls in Malia, the area around Sitia is worth the effort.

Your location looks a bit off the beaten track.

Tarmac surfaces or off-road ?

Presume that the interior is sparsely populated with not too many backpackers in the vicinity? Are there any get-you-home facilities if you get into trouble ?

Nick

Your location looks a bit off the beaten track.

Tarmac surfaces or off-road ?

Presume that the interior is sparsely populated with not too many backpackers in the vicinity? Are there any get-you-home facilities if you get into trouble ?

Nick

The roads are pretty good. The only stretch of untarmaced track I used was a few k's to get to a beach taverna at Xiona. I could have done it in a normal car, only would have been slower than the freelander Some of the roads, my father in law was involved in the construction when he did his national service in the '70s.

The distances aren't that great and whilst the roads weren't that busy there are quite a few tourists about. Even quite a bit of tourist accommodation where you would expect only goats and olive trees. So never that far away from anything or a reasonably sized settlement (an hour or so). Being in k's not miles helps shorten the distances. 

Was in Makrigalos yesterday (about 12 o'clock pos. in the map) and will be in Agios Nicolas today (10 o'clock pos.) where you hear more English accents than we ever get Ierapetra (8 o'clock pos.).

I found some fun roads while I was there.

Some steep climbs and descents with proper hairpin bends.

Wish I'd had something more powerful than a 1.2 Fabia.

Lot's of fun on the way down though