Lefkada Trails- Eglouvi

Eglouvi to Agios Donatos and the lentil fields loop

High above Eglouvi lie the wonderful and unique lentil fields that produce the famous Eglouvi lentils (now DOC protected). Next to the traditional threshing floors is the tiny church of Agios Donatas. Nearby are old stone volti shelters. This route follows the traditional monopati used by villagers over centuries to reach the lentil fields. You can return back the way you came or follow this trail as it explores the lentil fields before descending a gorge back down to Eglouvi.

The first part of the trail up to Agios Donatos is well shaded and possible on a hot day, albeit better evening or first thing. After that there is infrequent shade, but not much ascent. There is no water on the trail.

6.8km.
365m ascent.

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There is an infrequent bus to Eglouvi from Lefkada Town.

Tavernas and accommodation in nearby Karya. Tavernas in Eglouvi.

The trail starts in Eglouvi square where are several tavernas. Water from the tap by the plane tree. Go 50m back downhill to the road junction where a paved path climbs steeply to the left. The trail to Agios Donatos is signposted on the wall.

You are going up the M3 to Agios Donatos

You will mostly follow the blue paint blobs, except for a few key sections described below, so don’t follow them without consulting this text. The many coloured routes are each different distances in the Eglouvi mountain races held each year. The village runners have kept these trails open over the years and we are grateful to them. For full continuous guidance download and use the GPX file on your phone or GPS device.

At the forks go left, right, left. Follow the blue paint. Walk up the road towards a church and cemetery and go right up the monopati just before you reach them.

After a short climb behind the cemetery keep right up the steep concrete track. You join a road for a brief way (left then right) and continue up the monopati.

Follow this wonderful monopati as it climbs gently in the shade of trees tended by previous generations. A truly stunning path that used to be the main route between village and the high lentil fields.

After a while you cross the road again, left then right. After 200m the path opens out approaching the top where it forks. Fork right, this time following red not blue paint. The blue returns just after this fork.

Just after the fork you reach the Ag Donatos church and lentil threshing floors. Behind are rock shelters used in ancient times by the lentil workers. If you are here in the evening of the 6th August each year there will be a lentil festival in full swing with a church service, a thousand people queuing for lentil soup and sardines, and late night music and Greek dancing.

You can simply retrace your steps back down to Eglouvi, many do and it is a good short trail. But the lentil fields are worth visiting too with wonderful views and many wild flowers. The best are in spring and autumn, but even in high summer there are many rock flowers unique to this high plateau.

After looking around, take the track on the opposite side of the road behind the threshing floors following the blue paint marks. Keep left at the fork and climb the low hill.

To your right is an expanse of lentil fields running across and up Stavrotas mountain. If you are here in spring or late autumn this will be green and full of wild flowers and the yellow flowered lentils. In mid summer it will be brown, but still wild and beautiful. The lentils are an important crop with high quality bringing high prices. This preserves traditional life and keeps at bay the Faustian pact of tourist “development”. As a hiker you can appreciate without disrupting.

Ignore turnings into fields and keep straight on the track up the hill. The track ends just before the hill top and becomes a monopati.

The monopati climbs to the top of the hill running right along the low ridge giving little view vignettes in all directions. Look back down to Donatos threshing area and onwards to Mega Oros and Agios Ilias. The path drops off the ridge down to a track. Go first right then almost immediately right.

Join a track, going briefly right, then left.

The track runs through fields then over a low ridge whereafter are views north towards Paxos and sometimes Corfu. Descend the valley keeping on the main track. The track starts to ascend the valley side, steep and gravelly at first. After going over a low ridge you meet a track where you turn left.

Follow the track ignoring field turns and gradually ascend. At the top of a hill turn right and then fork left heading towards the golf-ball shaped radar base.

The track goes off right at the top of a hill.

When the track goes right a monopati goes left straight up the hill. Follow the monopati over a rocky hill and down to the road as it skirts a big quarry. The monopati becomes a track just before reaching the road.

Go left for a short way to the junction where the road goes right up to Profitas Ilias church on the mountaintop. If you have energy it is worth a detour. The trail takes the track going sharp right down across the quarry at the road junction. The blue markers go a different way, but indistinct red markers show your way now.

The track down over the quarry starts at the road junction.

Follow the track as it bridges huge gravel diggings keeping to the right where it forks. You are heading for the stream exit at the bottom right. You join a red yellow painted track as it comes in from the right. Keep down along the dry stream-bed. The blue paint markers re-join too from the left, and the multicolour trail descends towards Eglouvi.

As the stream gorge gets deeper keep to the right side and follow the very clear good path down the gorge. Eglouvi appears below and the Micky Mouse ears of the old NATO microwave relay base are up to your right.

Join the road at the bottom at a hairpin bend. Head down left to the next hairpin where you go straight on along a track towards houses. A paved path goes sharp left down between houses and descends steeply to where you started.

I can strongly recommend the tavernas, you may see Trish and me sitting there post-hike. If you want to try the lentils they sell them, both in packets for you to take home or as various dishes to taste here. They sell out quickly after the late-July harvest, although they save some for the kitchen for you to taste. Beware fakes if you buy them elsewhere.

Lefkada all-thousand-metre-peaks challenge

Climb all^* the Lefkada peaks over 1000m in one day. The route starts and ends in Eglouvi village with its traditional tavernas. To earn that beer and lentil soup you have to climb a total of 1,345m over 23.3km of rocky mountain paths. Are you up for this mega-challenge?

The route first takes you up Profitis Ilias, then a trek across the lentil plateau to a climb up Stavrotas, the highest peak. The route heads east to Mnimati peak. Then out to the south end of the ridge at Mourrat, back to the far eastern viewpoint at Katharia Rachi, finally descending to Eglouvi via the windmills.

Only do this trail if you are fit and have experience of mountain trails. There is no serious scrambling nor rock climbs, but it is long and over rough rocky paths. Take all the water you can carry – at least two litres each (and more if very hot). We strongly recommend using the GPX file on a GPS app or device to find your route.

^*Note that “all” over 1,000m peaks does not include Mega Oros which is an off-limits military radar base. We go close but not fully to the top of Mnimati for the same reason. We don’t include smaller peaks, that are separated from a taller peak with a drop less than 30m. So it is “all significant over 1,000m peaks on Lefkada that you are able to climb without going to prison”. But that doesn’t fit easily on the T shirt.

23.3km difficult
1,345m ascent

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Infrequent bus to Eglouvi from Lefkada Town

Tavernas in Eglouvi. No accommodation but Karya is a 4km walk downhill.

Start from the Eglouvi village square. You can get water from the tavernas or from a tap under the plane tree.

Head off up the A3 path to the top of Profitis Ilias.

Walk a little downhill from the tavernas back towards Karya. On your left is a turning with a yellow A3 sign. Take this turning and follow the next yellow A3 signs left, right and right again through the footways of Eglouvi village. The last footway takes you back onto a road heading rightwards up the hill.

At the top of the road (just as it turns a hairpin left) another yellow A3 sign points up a monopati heading up a steep valley. Follow up that monopati as it climbs right up to the top on the left side of the steep valley (almost a gorge).

The trail leaves the road just above Eglouvi heading up the steep valley / gorge

The going is pretty steep so take care. You follow yellow and red painted marks on the rocks all the way up.

As you come to the top you start to enter a large quarry area. Keep going up the dry stream bed until you get to a trail junction with the A3 marked going off right. Go right and head over the quarry heading towards the mountain up on the right (your destination).

The junction of the A3 (going to Profitis Ilias) and M4 (going to Karya)

Head up the mountain ahead until you meet a short track heading from a road on your left. It is possible to take that road up to the top, but the A3 trail keeps right along the short track passing a small field. The track then turns back into a monopati climbing further up the mountain. Finally it reaches that road again further up. Walk a short way up the road to the church of Profitis Ilias at the top of the mountain.

The views from Profitas Ilias are equal to the best anywhere

Many describe this spot as being close to heaven. You can see all of the Inland Sea from here – on a clear day to the entrance of the Gulf of Corinth. When you’ve paused to take it in, set off back down the road. Keep going on the road as it passes around and across the quarry finally meeting another road at a T junction. Turn left along the road and then after 100m take a track going off right marked in red, yellow and blue paint.

For a while you follow the red, yellow and blue. The track turns left and then right onto a monopati across the low hills. You rejoin another track keeping straight on and then right. At a point the markers turn right onto another path, you keep straight on along the track until it rejoins the road. Go right and follow the road a short distance to the small church of Ag Donatos and its threshing floors.

Behind Ag Donatos church are several old stone shelters. This view looks back the way you have come.

Follow the road first right and then, shortly after, left heading to Ag Ilias. Follow the road up past twists and turns as it climbs up through the lentil fields. Just before the road turns sharp left on a hairpin at the end of a small valley a track goes off up to the right. Take that track. Keep left at two junctions and the zig-zag up the slope heading up towards Stavrotas. At the top keep right and over the low pass where the track fades for a short length as you cross the high meadow to the track on the other side. Head left up the track.

As you start to climb again the track is blocked and a path starts following the same route as the track but slightly down the hill. Take this path along and up to a small saddle of rocks. The red paint markers help you follow the trail. After the saddle you go left up to the start of the main slope up Stavrotas.

At this point a second path (which you will go down later after summiting Stavrotas) joins from the left with both yellow and red dots. Carry on upwards and slightly rightwards following red dots. Climb up the slight ridge on the left side of a small field system and up onto the steep rocks of the last part of the climb. Do not walk over the fields as they grow lentils even at this high remote spot.

Keep going up to the top. There is a slight false summit just before you get to the real summit. The real one is clearly the highest and has a small cairn, flag pole and shrine box. This is Lefkada’s highest point at 1,182m. The views from the top are in all directions. You can see up North over Preveza to Paxos and Corfu – South to Ithaca and Kefalonia – east to the Gulf of Corinth – west out over the Ionian Sea.

From Stavrotas looking south. The southern peak is lower and less than 30m of height separation. So not included in this trail.

After resting a while head back down the way you came to the path that came up from the left (now right). Head down that path. The way is not all that clear but you are heading down the right side of the small valley to the bottom where it passes a high goat hut. There is sometimes a dog chained up which you can avoid passing around either left or right to the track in front of the hut. Head right and down a short way until you reach a road.

Stavrotas showing path down, coming over ridge to right, passing a hut, and onto the track going left.

Turn left and head up a short way to the top. Another road heads off right heading to the communication masts on the top of Mnimati. Walk up this road, it is usually very quiet. Just before you get to the masts themselves a path crosses the road marked by red yellow paint. Follow the track off right as it descends a track past a small hut.

Follow the track off to the right before the antennas

Follow the track with red and yellow paint blobs as it winds down over the high plateau of Elati past several small hills. Ignore where the red and yellow paint marks go off left leaving the track on a path (you will go that way later). Soon the track stops on the ridge running north-south with a view down to Nidri. Climb up a faint monopati running along the ridge up to the peak of Mourat at 1,037m. This is the most southerly peak on this trail.

When ready head back the way you came to where the red yellow markers went left (now right). Follow the markers as they cross a field and then climb up to Katharia Rachi. This is the last peak at 1,085m with its stunning view down to Nidri and out over the Inland Sea.

Stunning panorama view from Katharia Rachi

Turn back almost the way you came but following the red yellow paint a little to the right heading directly back to the antenna masts on Mnimati. Follow up and down along the ridge passing the masts on the right-side and then descend towards Eglouvi. The ridge is fairly steep down so go carefully. Towards the bottom of the ridge the paint marks will take you around the right of a small vineyard and then down to a road. Head left a short way to a track heading up right.

Walk up the track to two windmills with their view out over central Lefkada and Eglouvi. Take the monopati down left behind the first windmill as it descends to the village. Follow the markers along the road to the centre of the village – straight on, right, left, right, left, right and up the steep path to the back of the tavernas.

Congratulations. You’ve completed the challenge. I strongly recommend the tavernas to refresh and celebrate. In fact you will often find me sitting there having lunch or an evening beer after a walk. I recommend trying the lentils – either as soup or salad. They are the best lentils in the world and a fitting meal for a champion hiker like you.

You can give a toast of thanks to the mountain runners of Eglouvi that maintain most of the monopatis you have walked. Theirs are the painted blobs indicating the various length runs. We are very grateful to them for keeping these paths open.

Eglouvi to Karya monopati traverse

The old monopati route running from Eglouvi to Karya across a low pass below Profitas Ilias. Paired up with Lefkada Trail day 3 Karya to Eglouvi this makes a great loop trail from either Eglouvi or Karya. Go out on one and back on the other – a great hike – one of Lefkada’s best.

4.4km. 10.7km if paired with route back over Profitas Ilias.
200m ascent. 760m ascent for the full loop, 560m with the shortcut.
Moderate.

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There is an infrequent bus to Eglouvi and more frequent to Karya from Lefkada Town.

Tavernas and accommodation in Karya. Tavernas in Eglouvi.

The trail starts from the centre of Eglouvi. Here are three tavernas and a great small square shaded by a plane tree. A great place to seat and eat or drink, but today we are going walking. Head off down the road towards Karya. The road goes around a few bends and after almost 1km a track goes off left. This is the well-marked start of the monopati.

Take the track off left from the road down to Karya from Eglouvi

After 20m a second sign shows the monopati itself goes off left climbing through the trees. The monopati goes parallel to the track before starting to climb up the hillside. The monopati is well marked with yellow and red paint marks.

The monopati climbs up the hillside marked with yellow and red paint

Climb right up and over the low pass. On the far side there are a few easy rock scrambles and then a great traverse across the steep hillside. You get fantastic views across to Skaros, Nidri and down to the Inland Sea. A truly wonderful monopati.

The monopati traverses across the hillside towards Karya

After a couple of kilometers you reach a telephone mast. Follow the path around the mast and it becomes a quiet tarmac road. Almost immediately a red and yellow painted arrow on the road shows a track going off steeply down into the trees. Head down that track to reach Karya. If you are planning to walk back on Lefkada Trail day 3 Karya to Eglouvi you can take a short-cut by instead continuing along the quiet road. Follow the road until you meet the trail heading up from Karya about 50m past a fork in the road (go left). The shortcut saves 200m of climbing.

The yellow and red marker shows the path heading down to Karya.

The path down to Karya heads down through the wonderful pine forest above Karya. It is a little steep in places but reasonably easy down through the trees. The yellow and red markers show the way. Keep going until you reach the back roads in Karya.

Inventive yellow and red paint markers on the trail.

When on the road head down left and then immediately right. A short track heads off immediately left behind a house.

At the bottom the short track rejoins a road. Take the road turning first left, first right, first left, and first right again. Then straight down, round a bend left, and down to the main square in Karya. If you miss those turns just head down and you will get to the square.

The main square is delightful with great tavernas and bars clustered around a square with plane trees providing shade. This is a popular place to come, in the evening especially.

The Lefkada Trail day 3 Karya to Eglouvi trail starts at the spring in the north west corner of the square. Head back here to Eglouvi, this time climbing to the top of Profitas Ilias. You can also walk back up the road, but not nearly as interesting.

Lefkada Trail day 3 Karya to Eglouvi

This walk runs between the mountain villages of Karya and Eglouvi. It climbs over Profitis Ilias which is a church set on a mountain top with one of the best views in Lefkada. Warning – there are hundreds of churches on peaks in Greece called Profitis Ilias. This is the 1,009 metre peak just SSW of Karya. The trail then descends down the other side to the village of Eglouvi. The trail is along monopati and unsurfaced tracks for almost all of the route.

6.3km
560m ascent
Moderate.

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Accommodation and tavernas in Karya. Tavernas and limited Aaccommodation in Eglouvi

Infrequent buses to Karya and Eglouvi from Lefkada Town. However you really need to use a taxi or have a friend/partner that drives.

Day 3 of the 80km Lefkada Trail.
Day [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

The trail is the third part of the Lefkada Trail. It is a relatively easy short day on the Lefkada Trail – but then tomorrow, day four, is one of the hardest. You can walk it as a stand alone and walk back a different route to Karya. It is a steep climb up Profitis Ilias mountain and a steep rocky descent to Eglouvi.

Start from the town square in Karya, with all the nice tavernas and the shade of the plane trees.

Start of trail up hill between spring and bakery

This trail is marked as M4 from Karya – with red markers and arrow signs for most of the way. Go up the steep path/ narrow lane in the north west of the square, by the drinking well. There is a good baker as the path starts where you can get cheese pies for the top.

Follow up through the steeply climbing streets going straight up – but bear a little left at first and then a little right. The path narrows and reaches a turning right up stairs. The M4 red arrows show you the way.

At top of stairs you reach a road. Turn right and go a short distance to a monopati heading up the hill left.

The first section of monopati leaving the road.

The monopati zig zags up the hill passing through ruined stone buildings and past a small church. The path then goes left to meet a road on a sharp bend. Go up the road until a T junction where you turn right. Very soon a monopati starts up the hill on your left.

Second monopati leaving the final bit of road out of Karya

Follow the really nice monopati up the mountain. It passes a wonderful natural amphitheatre full of olive trees. Keep going up through some rocky outcrops (but with a good path to keep you safe). The path is well marked by red-yellow paint marks.

As you come to the top of the hill another path joins from the right. The markers now become red-yellow-blue. At the top go left following the markers (there is a less distinct path continuing straight on down to Eglouvi direct).

When you reach the top of the ridge the vista west will open up. Below you is a quarry and over beyond that to the left is the old American communications base. Follow the red-yellow-blue markers up along the ridge until you reach a road heading up the mountain. Go left up the road.

Old American communications base above Eglouvi

Climb the twisting road up towards the top of Profitis Ilias. The odd car ventures up here, but it is being undermined by the quarry, and difficult to pass. As a walker you won’t have any problem. Stick to the road all the way to the top.

Reach the mountain top and the very pretty church of Profitis Ilias with its amazing views in all directions. Many describe this spot as being close to heaven. You can see all of the Inland Sea from here – on a clear day to the entrance of the Gulf of Corinth.

Church of Profitis Ilias looking back over the last half of this trail

Note that this peak is a drone-free zone. And you can see why many would fly drones here if permitted.

Looking down to Eglouvi and your destination for today

Head back down the road you came up. After about 100m there is a large red and yellow arrow indicating a footpath off left. Descend that path down towards the quarry. The path skirts a small field and then almost gets back to the road. Instead go straight down the slope left. The path is clearly marked with red and yellow paint markers.

Cross the quarry keeping to the path. At the bottom you meet another path coming from the right. You head down the dry streambed to the left. Again, follow the painted markers.

The junction of the A3 (coming from Profitis Ilias) and M4 (going to Karya)

The path becomes steep and rocky so take care. As it steepens the path takes the right hand side of the stream or gorge.

The path eventually meets a road on a hairpin bend. Go down left towards Eglouvi. After a short way paint markers show a path leaving the road and running down into the village. Take this path following back down the A3 trail. If you miss the path the road goes to the village too.

The start of the A3 trail in Eglouvi – or end of this trail for today.

Eglouvi village has three or four tavernas in the main square up a little on the right. Sit in the shade of a wonderful plane tree and relax. There is some accommodation in the village and an infrequent bus to Lefkada Town. Day four of the Lefkada Trail will take you up over Lefkada’s highest mountain and down to the south of the island.

Mount Elati Five Peak Loop

Stunning walk across the roof of Lefkada. A trail with the best views of the north, east and south of Lefkada with the surrounding seas, islands and mainland. Takes in five peaks on the high plain of the eastern end of Mount Elati – the highest part of Lefkada. And all for a mere 166m of climbing. The easy way to be a mountaineer.

If you want a full-on longer hike then walk up the A4 trail from Eglouvi, go around this trail, and then go back down the A5 to Eglouvi. This makes probably the best mountain hike on Lefkada. In total 600m of ascent and 11.5km long. Or for an uber-hike try the Lefkada all-thousand-metre-peaks challenge.

You won’t have to climb but do take suitable clothes, boots or walking shoes and carry plenty of water. The weather up here is usually more extreme than down below except being cooler in summer. The sun is stronger though.

4.7km
166m ascent
Easy (but very rocky ground in parts).

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You need a car or taxi to reach the start of the trail. You can walk up from Eglouvi if you are fit.

Links to trails up and down to Eglouvi, or beyond to climb Stavrotas too.

The trail starts from the high road by the antenna at the top of Mnimati at 1,130m. Drive up from either Eglouvi, Karia, Chorta, or Sivros. Take the turning off the high road crossing from Eglouvi to Sivros leading up to the antenna station at the top. Park just before you get to the antenna gates – near to a concrete blockhouse up on the right of the road. Do not block the road or tracks leading off.

Track at the start of the trail leads north-east from the road just below the radio antenna

Take the track heading north-east. There is sometimes a metal fence that you need to locate and untie the wire or rope that holds the track gate closed. Take care and don’t damage the fence (it keeps the cows in). Make sure you re-tie as you found it.

Head along the track with views all the way up to Lefkada town in the distance. After about 300m the track turns sharp left and a marked path goes right. The path is marked with big red and yellow paint marks on the rocks – and is the A4 trail coming up from Eglouvi. Follow that path rightwards all the way to Katharia Rachi – the first peak. The path descends at first to a low pass before climbing up gently to Katharia Rachi after 1.5km. You can’t miss the red and yellow paint marks all the way.

Distinctive read and yellow paint blobs mark much of the trail.

Katharia Rachi is marked with a sign in a small cairn. Also the slope suddenly drops steeply down in front of you and to both sides. You are now at the top of the most glorious view in all of Lefkada. Stand where Odysseus did. Look north towards Lefkada and Preveza beyond – on a clear day up to Paxos and Corfu. To the east is Nidri, out across the Inland Sea with Meganisi, Kalamos, and the mainland. To the south is Ithaca and Kefalonia beyond. To the south-east on a clear day is the start of the Gulf of Corinth and Patras. Stunning. Sit here and enjoy.

When you have finished looking take the path heading sharp-right almost back the way you came. The same red and yellow paint marks descend down and right down to high pass below you. After about 200m the marked path turns back left and descends more gently to the pass. The path then turns right and goes over a low hill until it reaches a T junction with an unsurfaced track. The paint marks go off right, and you will eventually go that way too, but first turn left and follow the track downwards.

The track descends to another pass where it ends and a path ascends a peak in front of you. Take that path to the top. At the top you stand on Alevrata with a similar amazing view as you had on top of Katharia Rachi except oriented more to the south. You can now see over the whole south of the island with Ithaca and Kefalonia beyond. Again, sit for a while and enjoy.

When ready retrace your steps down the path back down to the first pass and then back up the track you came down. Follow the track all the way until you pick up the red and yellow paint marks. Follow the track as it winds across the high plateau. There may be wire fences to cross but most have tied “gates” where crossing the track. Leave them as you found them as they stop the cows roaming.

The track eventually climbs back up to the road near the radio antenna at the top of Mnimati. At this point the paint-marked trail follows the A5 down to Eglouvi. Instead follow the road right towards the antennas and your parked car.

Follow the road back right towards the antenna

This trail can be easily linked into the trails A4 and A5 up and down from Eglouvi. You can also head along the short road to the start of the trail up Stavrotas – and go for a sixth peak.

Eglouvi to Profitis Ilias (A3)

A justly popular walk from the mountain village of Eglouvi up to a pretty church on the top of a steep peaked mountain. You can see the church from Eglouvi up on the top of the cliff high above. The trail goes around the cliff to the left but it is still steep and rocky. However the views at the top are just heavenly. Take your camera as the summit is so photogenic. Don’t take a drone as the top is a drone-free zone.

If you want to climb Profitis Ilias from Elgouvi a good alternative to this trail is to loop around via Karya. Take the Eglouvi to Karya monopati route (optionally using the suggested shortcut) and come back on the Lefkada Trail day 3 Karya to Eglouvi. This combination takes you around, up, and back down Profitis Ilias without retracing your path. It is 9km and 500m total ascent if you take the suggested shortcut, 200m more if you go all the way down to Karya. This combined trail is one of the best in Lefkada.

2.2km
300m ascent
Moderately Difficult

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Infrequent bus to Eglouvi from Lefkada and Karya

Tavernas and accommodation in Eglouvi

Links to a trail back down to Karya

Start in Eglouvi in the main square with the tavernas. If you haven’t got water fill up now – there will be no more drinking water until you get back down. I suggest at least a litre a person minimum. There is a tap next to the plane tree or buy from the tavernas.

The rail leaves the road just above Eglouvi heading up the steep valley / gorge

The going is pretty steep so take care. You follow yellow and red painted marks on the rocks all the way up.

The junction of the A3 (going to Profitis Ilias) and M4 (going to Karya)

Many describe this spot as being close to heaven. You can see all of the Inland Sea from here – on a clear day to the entrance of the Gulf of Corinth. Gaze back down the cliff to Eglouvi where you started this climb.

Retrace your steps back down to Eglouvi. Alternatively head down to Karya using the Karya to Profitis Ilias (M4) in reverse (note you keep on down the road up to the church until the M4 goes off right – you are joining the M4 higher up than you met it on the way up).

Note that there is a narrow road going all the way to the top of Profitis Ilias. But the road is starting to collapse into the quarry so much safer and nicer to walk.

Eglouvi to Katharia Rachi (A4)

Another superb climb from Eglouvi up Mnimati (at 1,157m Lefkada’s second highest peak) and then out along a ridge to an amazing viewpoint (Katharia Rachi) over Nidri bay. Best combined with Eglouvi to Psili Rachi (A5). As A4 is pretty steep it is best to go up A4 and down A5. This combined route is my favourite from Eglouvi.

4.8km.
514m ascent.

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Infrequent bus to Eglouvi from Lefkada and Karya

Tavernas and accommodation in Eglouvi

Links to trails back down to Eglouvi

Start of three trails in Eglouvi; even the corrected distances are wrong

Go up and round to the left of the tavernas and down the narrow path to the right. You will soon see the sign for the start of three trails. You will follow A4, and A1 will accompany you as far as the windmills. If you only want a nice short walk going just to the windmills this can make a good evening stroll. For those going on up A4 you get two trails in one. Come down A5, as recommended, and get all three.

You will follow red and yellow paint markers and A4 signs all the way to the top of this trail. They are pretty clear for most of the way.

Walk through the quiet village roads until you see a monopati heading up to the left up the hill. Follow this diagonally up until you reach the windmills.

Approach to the windmills. This trail goes up that ridge on the skyline.

After exploring those and enjoying the view take the track up to the right behind the windmills. Follow to a surfaced road. Turn left and follow around a few bends until there is an unsurfaced track going off right. The track has a yellow arrow painted on the road pointing where you need to go. Beware there is a second track a few hundred metres later also with a yellow arrow. Make sure you take the first.

Track off right with yellow arrow marker

The track approaches a vineyard where a monopati branches off left. It skirts around the vineyard and starts to climb the ridge. The monopati now goes up the crest of the ridge to its top. This is a steep climb but you get fantastic views all the way up – a real classic. There isn’t much shade but it is well worth the effort.

At the top of the ridge the monopati becomes a narrow track going past a very small lentil field (make sure you go round not over). The track turns right, to head up to the radio masts on the top of Mnimati, but the A4 monopati actually goes straight on and slightly downwards. Make sure you don’t miss the monopati yellow dots.

The monopati is now much easier following down to a small pass and then gently up the ridge to the top of the peak. Finally you get to the sign indicating the end of the A4 on Katharia Rachi.

Below you is a wonderful view down to Nidri – with all of the Inland Sea and islands behind. If you have eaten at one of the tavernas at Geni and looked up – this is the steep crag fringed peak you will have seen above you. A fantastic place to sit and enjoy the view. Stand where Odysseus did.

The end of the A4 trail. And a great place to sit and take in the view.

For those that can’t face the climb you can drive to the radio masts on Mnimati and walk just the last 1.5km along the ridge. Good on a hot day as the air is usually much fresher up here.

For those going back to Eglouvi head back to the radio masts. Here either go back down the way you came up – or follow the road around to the left a short way to where the Eglouvi to Psili Rachi (A5) trail crosses the road. Go down this to Eglouvi. If you want to get good views to the south use the Mount Elati Five Peak Loop route to take a longer path to the A5 trail.

Eglouvi to Psili Rachi (A5)

A superb climb from the mountain village of Eglouvi up to Mnimati (at 1,157m Lefkada’s second highest peak). Psili Rachi is a viewpoint on one of Mnimati’s ridges. After leaving the area of the village the ascent is on a mixture of unsurfaced tracks and footpaths. The middle part of the route is indistinct at times, so keep a close eye on the GPS or map.

Forms a circular route if combined with Eglouvi to Katharia Rachi (A4). As the A5 route is less steep (mostly) then it is recommended to go up A4 and down A5. Either way, do not miss the excursion out to the end of A4 on Katharia Rachi – as it has fantastic views down to Nidri bay. The two routes are with a few minutes walk as they each near their ends (around the other side of the radio masts).

3.8km.
460m ascent.

Trail on Gaia GPS >
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Infrequent bus to Eglouvi from Lefkada and Karya

Tavernas and accommodation in Eglouvi

Links to trails back down to Eglouvi

3.8km
460m ascent
Moderate Difficulty

Infrequent bus to Eglouvi from Lefkada and Karya

Tavernas and accomodation in Eglouvi

Link to trail returning to Eglouvi

Start in Eglouvi in the main square with the tavernas. You can obtain water at either the tavernas or a tap next to the plane tree. I suggest you take plenty as there is no drinking water on this route beyond this point.

Start of A4 (and A1 and A5) in Eglouvi; even the corrected distances are wrong

Go up and around to the left of the tavernas and down the narrow path off to the right. You will soon see the sign for the start of the three trails. You will follow A5. The trail is marked with red and yellow paint markers and signs along all of its route. Occasionally the red and yellow marks are helped by strings of rocks showing the way.

Walk through the village streets and follow up a steeply climbing narrowing surface road up a very pretty valley. Eventually the road turns to unpaved track as it climbs further up the valley.

After a fair climb the track turns to the right and a monopati branches off sharply to the left. Take this monopati as it traces up out of the valley and onto a ridge. The monopati is a little indistinct at times here so a GPS or good map reading skills is helpful.

As the monopati goes over the ridge and joins a second valley going up it turns back into a track. Follow this up until that track again turns around to the right and a monopati cuts off left.

Follow the monopati up the small valley as it climbs to the top and meets a surfaced road near to the top of Mnimati (and the radio masts). Now you have a choice, as you can follow the road left to pick up Eglouvi to Katharia Rachis (A4), or cross the road and follow the monopati going right across the boulders.

Following the monopati the trail runs a short distance across the high mountain top until it reaches a small peak Psili Rachi.

There are excellent views from here although one can’t help wondering why the path stops here. However you can explore the mountain top as it has many little peaks and tracks with just the goats for company. Or head over to the A4 top with its view down to Nidri.

Cheats can drive up to the radio masts on Mnimati and enjoy high level walks around the radio masts and over to the small peaks for a range of views. It is a pleasant place to escape the heat of the summer.