The author was born in Asi Gonia (where he STILL lives) which is in the mountains above Sellia, In the book he recounts his involvement with the Cretan resistance during the German occupation. It was written entirely in Greek and translated into English by Patrick Leigh Fermor who was instrumental in the capture of General Kreipe. George was later awarded the BEM.
Available in the Forum. Gripping stuff - full of tales about very long journeys accross the mountains, hiding in caves and getting British officers off the island. Goes into all the details of the villages the Germans burned down in the Armari Valley and lots of the action takes place in the Plakias area.

Ten walks in the Plakias area

Lance Chilton

Marengo Publications
17, Bernard Crescent
Hunstanton
PE36 6ER

Phone / fax

01485 532710

The local map and books should be on sale at Manolis Haniotakis' (Stelios Livikon's son-in-law) "Plakias Market" near the bus station.

A little paperback we picked up the supermarket by the bus station in Plakias. This is brilliant if you like to explore as it takes you step by step through olive groves and up dry river beds.
There are walks for all abilities from just a few kilometres to some that are much longer.
Walks listed are:

Walk to Myrthios via the water mill
WalK to Sellia
Walk to summit of Timeos Stavros
Quick Route to Myrthios
Walk from Sellia to Kotsifos Gorge & Myrthios
Walk from Sellia to Finikas Monastery & Souda
Walk to Lefkoyia Walk to Damnomi & Amoudi Beaches
Walk to Lefkoyia, Gianniou & Previli Monastery Preveli Beach/Lower Kourtaliotis Gorge

These walks tend to follow footpaths/donkey trails and are mainly off the roads.

{Lance first visited Greece in 1982 and has led botanical walks there every year since 1984. From 1987-1990 he was resident in Heraklion. His publications are produced by a walker and botanist for walkers and botanists (but I think they have a wide appeal to fans of Greece). For his botanical and guided walks see the bottom of his web page: just click here. - John}

Takako - A Story of Crete

Anthony Anglin

ISBN - 900-220-450-0

Bought a book called Takako this year, have you read it? It's all about a young man who stayed in Plakias and the surrounding areas. I can't work out if it is fact or fiction (or even a bit of both). Some of the things he writes about ring very true indeed and some just don't add up. Mirthios is called Stavros and there is mention of a lost village in the hills somewhere near Damnomi. I know it is Mirthios he is talking about because there are photographs of what is now the Platia Taverna when it was a youth hostel and taverna and the other views of the village are unmistakable. The book appears to have been written in the early seventies,(although not published until 1993) but an old lady who was born in Mirthios (in her eighties now I would guess) had no recollection of it changing name. There is also a most peculiar map, a mystery river source and waterfall somewhere in the Kotsifos gorge near Sellia.

We are going to investigate further next year, using the book and the map. And I hope you'll be telling us what you discover Tina - John