The only plan the acclaimed walking journalist Christopher Somerville had for his journey across Crete was to begin in the east at Easter and nish at Whitsun in the extreme west, at the Monastery of the Golden Step.
During his 300-mile walk, Somerville tackled four mountain ranges, high slopes and the numerous gorges of the west. Following a poorly waymarked path, he had to rely on his own instincts when climbing mountain passes, crossing high plateaux, and walking through shepherding country, where villages are scarce and each night’s accommodation uncertain. He saw a Crete few ever encounter.