Mount Chortiatis with maximum altitude 1,201 metres, lies in the Eastern part of the city of Thessaloniki and offers an amazing natural scenery to those who wish to explore its trails and hike up to the top “Keraies” (means antenas), to enjoy the panoramic view of Thermaikos gulf, Chalkidiki, Soho, Nigrita and the lakes of Agios Vasilios and Volvi!
With marked trails, easy routes (level B) and within a short distance from the city centre, it is the ideal destination for families with children, hikers and downhill enthusiasts (marked trails for bikers are available). Τhe Refuge of Chortiatis is open mainly on weekends and it’s usually the final stop of most hikers. However, it is strongly recommended that you hike to the top, even if it’s a bit challenging for a beginner, since it’s the most beautiful part of the entire route. The vegetation becomes thicker and the trails more uphill; for those who wish to challenge their limits, nature offers its beauty to the maximum! In the end, you will be able to enjoy the amazing view from the highest spot in the whole region.
Let’s start from scratch. Although it was a weekday, we decided to go hike the mount. In this way we would have the whole place to ourselves, skipping the numerous visitors during the weekends. During the week, even the refuge is closed, so if you are planning to explore the area then, keep in mind that you will probably be on your own! In this case, it is wise that you invite a friend or two, especially if you don’t know the area very well and always have a GPS app downloaded on your cellphone. Even though the trails of the mount are not on the map, the application will help you calculate the distance from the highway around Chortiatis or at least through the village itself.
The route is a bit challenging from the beginning, with small and big rocks on your way, so you should wear non-slip shoes. After a short uphill hike, you will find the first trail of the mountain, which is full of evergreen bushes, like kermes oaks, creating an impenetrable vegetation around the trail. At 700m. height you also meet oak trees and cedar trees.
Spring season, before June is ideal for excursions in nature, since even in midday, the temperature is mild and the sun gives a pleasant warm feeling to the hikers. Although Chortiatis Mount offers a variety of marked routes, you should be careful which trail you choose, because some are quite challenging and longer and some easier and shorter. Unfortunately there are no signs whatsoever, so as a beginner, you will simply choose a route by chance and the more you hike the area, the more routes you will discover. Good news though, no matter which trail you choose, they all end up in valleys and small “oasis”, ideal for lunch breaks. This allows all hikers to rest in between, and hike the mountain at their own pace while enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
If you are a more experienced hiker, you can hike non-stop straight to the top, within two hours, but if you are not familiar with the surroundings, it is strongly recommended that you start your excursion early in the morning to have plenty of daylight during your route. Another reason you should start in the morning is that although the uphill route is relatively easy, the downhill route is a bit challenging. If you hike during the weekend, the refuge is always open, so there is always the choice to leave with other hikers or spend the night at one of their cozy rooms.The higher we hike, the thicker the vegetation becomes, with a variety of deciduous trees, like chestnut tree, ash tree, oak tree, as well as clinging plants and spring flowers like geranium, orchid etc.
Even during summer season, it can get quite chilly up there, so I suggest you take a waterproof jacket with you, because as the altitude gets higher, the temperatures drop dramatically.
The trail to the top is reached within a short walking distance from the Refuge and it ends up to the top “Keraies”; the trail is not marked since it is the only one leading to the top.
Tip: When you reach the central road leading to Keraies, you will meet a small crossroad. Go left.
This last part of our route happens to be the most beautiful (850-1200m.). You will meet a fairytale scenery, a forest of beech trees, cyclamen flowers, geraniums, lilies, violas, buttercups… It is worth mentioning that there is a big variety of mushrooms but not all of them are edible so be cautious. After 15-20 mins walking, at the final stage of our hiking, the road is more accessible and flat, the sun is hard and big and the view takes your breath away! The spot is ideal for picnic or sunbathing. If you happen to be a biker than you should know that even up there, you will find marked trails for cyclers.
A little throwback here. Back in the day, the area used to have rich fauna, like wolves and wild boars but to this day, their population has been dramatically reduced due to illegal hunting. If you respect the surrounding area and keep quiet, you might see squirrels, rabbits and plenty of lizards. Hunting is strictly prohibited and there are signs around the area clearly indicating that.
Tip: As I mentioned above, your return may be a bit challenging, so it is strongly recommended that you take a baton with you and as weird as it sounds, don’t forget to cut your toe nails; the continuous downhill route can be quite painful for your feet. Last but not least, always check the weather forecast beforehand.
If you’re keen on exploring this small treasure of Northern Greece and wish to enjoy the beautiful scenery through your own eyes, then follow these tips, grab your backpack and hike the evergreen trails of mount Chortiatis!
Μαρία Ελένη Βασιλειάδη 