You don't need GPX to have a good timeGood stuff Alistair! So it is possible to survive without spending your time poring over a garmin and studying hotel websites! I bet you haven’t even got any butter in the fridge
Greek islands and an old XT600
- Thread starter Northern jock
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If I go back next year I’ll spend more time on Evia, as you say, so close to Athens but no tourists, the hill roads are empty at this time of yearThat really is an amazing ride with stunning views, somewhere so close to Athens but with few tourists ! If you travelled round the coast from Kymi you will also have ridden around a mountain that has the longest continuous slope from summit to sea in Europe ( Mt.Dirfi )..on a small Greek island close to Athens !
We stayed at a small guesthouse called ' Platania ' for a couple of nights before riding over to Steni, and spent a lovely day enjoying the sights at the unofficial nudist beach of Paralia Chiliadou.
Evia is a hidden gem, Thasos is another
Thanks for sharing that very beautiful and calming trip, inspirational for sure.
Like Aidan said… 2wks has flown by and I totally enjoyed being a passenger on your dream trip. ThanksThose two weeks seemed to go in very quick Alastair. Even more so for you I'd say. Thanks for the report.
Fantastic write up of the trip. Very useful for me as we’re going to Greece in the Motorhome next spring. Probably mid April to late May. A slow meander down through France and Italy to get the ferry from Brindisi. We will be staying on the mainland this time though as we have not been yet. Just great to see you had decent weather.
I think it's the most chilled out trip I've read on here, which proves it's not all about munching miles and endless time in the saddle. It's given time to immerse oneself in the country and all it has to offer. 'Making progress' along fast twisty roads etc isn't the be all and end all (not slagging that off, each to their own if you're limited on time etc.).
Great trip, reports and photos Alistair .
Great trip, reports and photos Alistair .
Agree with all above, a most enjoyable read with great photos.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for the superb write up, it’s now only 9 days until we leave from Greece… but who’s counting?
Me!
Me!
You have a plan or making it up as you go along?Thank you for the superb write up, it’s now only 9 days until we leave from Greece… but who’s counting?
Me!
ThanksI think it's the most chilled out trip I've read on here, which proves it's not all about munching miles and endless time in the saddle. It's given time to immerse oneself in the country and all it has to offer. 'Making progress' along fast twisty roads etc isn't the be all and end all (not slagging that off, each to their own if you're limited on time etc.).
Great trip, reports and photos Alistair .
This trip was never about the number of miles, my trips never are really. The bike enabled me to visit corners of islands I wouldn’t otherwise get to, I also just enjoy travelling by bike, especially meandering without too rigid a plan, always have done. That’s something about bikes, I wouldn’t do the same trip in a car. And often, when you stop, the bike is a thing of interest to folk so locals come and chat.
You could say, as some have, that the trip didn’t justify taking the bike all that way. I disagree with that, I think it was all great and worthwhile.
You can rent a bike on some islands but that doesn’t let you island hop.
So if your objective is laid back travel on your bike, exploring some fairly remote corners and some busier bits, the Greek islands are well worth it.
If you’re measure of a good bike trip is daily mileage, don’t go island hopping. And if you don’t like ferries, definitely don’t go island hopping.
Agree. I always immerse myself in the country.I think it's the most chilled out trip I've read on here, which proves it's not all about munching miles and endless time in the saddle. It's given time to immerse oneself in the country and all it has to offer. 'Making progress' along fast twisty roads etc isn't the be all and end all (not slagging that off, each to their own if you're limited on time etc.).
Great trip, reports and photos Alistair .
Good to hear Naxos is still a nice place, l visited in 86 and hired a Suzuki 185. Lovely place I thought.
Belt driven too. 
It is, varied as well with the main town and the outlying areas, well worth a visit by whatever means but best to have or rent transport to make the most of it
What an excellent trip - and very nicely written up.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing
I enjoyed reading about your trip
Overlanders have a great setup, I've used them a few times.
Overlanders have a great setup, I've used them a few times.
Just to add the final bit, I went across to Gorey on Monday, had a pint or two in French’s, a grand pub and they even still have daily papers for you to read with your peaceful pint. Then off to Overlanders in the morning. They were there early, my bike and bag of gear waiting for me so off I went to the Belfast - Cairnryan ferry.
I put about 12 litres of fuel in in Gorey and the bike didn’t like it, coughed, banged and backfired on the overrun, must have been crap fuel.
Got to Portpatrick where I’d booked the Waterfront hotel, £69 which was good value and they have a good area round the back for parking bikes and a beer garden at the front.
Off this morning and dropped in to scrounge a brew from Boatman on the way by then up the road and home.
Hopefully I’ll get to do it again next year.
I put about 12 litres of fuel in in Gorey and the bike didn’t like it, coughed, banged and backfired on the overrun, must have been crap fuel.
Got to Portpatrick where I’d booked the Waterfront hotel, £69 which was good value and they have a good area round the back for parking bikes and a beer garden at the front.
Off this morning and dropped in to scrounge a brew from Boatman on the way by then up the road and home.
Hopefully I’ll get to do it again next year.
We book ahead, having specified times/dates that we must adhere to for ferry bookings.
However, for this trip it’s a bit of a moot point as a worrying blood test for my wife 3 days before our departure date has resulted in the need to cancel our plans, leaving us free for her urgent tests and scans which so far have been clear, but have provided more questions than answers.
We’ve re-booked for three weeks around France and Italy in September
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I’d that a pint of Beavertown?!
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