Self-driven tour into the Thripti mountains, with an excursion on foot to the stunningly located Minoan ruins at Kastro, overlooking the Mirabello Gulf, and taking in the Monumental Olive Tree of Kavousi, estimated to be 3,250 years old.
View of Mirabello Gulf, from the road as it winds along the side of the mountain above the Ierapetra isthmus
Thripti village, where the surfaced road gives way to dirt track
Abandoned village just outside of Thripti
The dirt track between Kavousi and Thripti is suitable only for 4x4, and not for the faint-hearted
Car parked in the shadow of Afendis Stavromenos, the highest peak in the Thripti mountains
A view from the footpath to Kastro
At Kastro, looking north-west
Goats are a lot more sure-footed than humans
View down into the valley, on the footpath to Kastro
The footpath to Kastro is very precarious in places
Most of the journey is on dirt tracks - 4x4 definitely required
Minoan terracing below Kastro
Looking down the valley to Mirabello Gulf, with the route appearing it the base of the slope to the right
Abandoned village
Estimated to be around 3250 years old, this olive tree would have been witness to the Minoan civilisation