Palamidas, Hydra Island Greece
Hydra's Boat Yard & Most Productive Olive Grove
Palamida harbour and hamlet on Hydra Island Greece is a super walking destination from Hydra harbour walking west along the coast road. It takes the average person, walking at a normal pace, about 1 hour to walk unless like me, you stop to take lots of photos along the way!
Palamida is the furthest you can walk along the coast road from Hydra town before you have to turn inland as the coast road stops there.
In days gone by when one of the main residential areas was in the centre of the island at Episkopi, Palamida was the nearest and easiest point to access the sea from all of the homes and farms inland at Episkopi. In those days, Palamida was a much busier place. These days, though less busy, there is a large thriving boatyard where local keep and repair their boats during the winter.
Palamida nestles in a fairly large valley with a 'flat bottom' protected on all sides by gentle rocky hillsides. Palamida is the 'gateway' to the much greener west end of Hydra Island.
To the east side of the boatyard, there is a massive farmhouse that has been in the Voulgaris family for many generations. Much of the flat valley area to the back of the boatyard is operated by the family with a massive 'working' olive grove. The olives are generally picked during October/November, bagged and shipped to Ermioni for pressing and then returned to the island where the oil is distributed to the contributors and some is sold at a few Hydra shops.
Follow the road, as it goes behind the beach, to the west side of the valley walking inland you can admire the olive grove. It's a great place to paint especially in the spring and autumn when it's a little cooler. In the summer, grain crops are grown under the trees which gently wave in the summer heat.
When you reach the back of the valley where the road turns sharp left over a small bridge you will start to head up to Episkopi. It's another hour of walking inland along the same level road (often shaded by pine trees) to reach Episkopi. So if you've had enough walking for the day, stop here and trace your steps back to Hydra town along the same coast road.
TAKE CARE - While in my opinion, walking to Palamida is a gentle walk, some parts of the route are unmade tracks. I advise everyone to add the volunteer emergency service number to their phone contacts before they leave town. The number is 199. So if you twist your ankle and can't walk, phone 199 and not only will help be sent but they will be able to pinpoint exactly where you are by GPS.
Also note that once you pass Vlychos Plakes, there is nowhere to buy water or refreshments. So please, at least make sure you have a flask of water in your rucksacks for everyone in your party. A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are also sensible if you go in the summer.
Swimming in the harbour is safer on the larger west side of the beach. It's where Harriet of Harriet's Hydra Horses, takes her horses for a swim and she has cleared this part of the sea of any sharp objects. But beware of sea urchins if you use the rocky sides or jetty to get in and out of the water. The spines break off easily and it takes ages soaking in olive oil to get them out! You might find it better to walk back to Plakes for a swim.
Images
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