Village Walks in Crete and Local Encounters

On the second day's walk the group were joined by a small dog about 30 minutes from the start as we passed through the village of Kotsiana. It wasn't unusual to see dogs in the villages we walked through, but this one seemed different. More purposeful. Within an hour the dog had been christened 'Betty'!

The naming happened naturally, as these things do. Someone made a comment about our four-legged companion, someone else responded, and suddenly we had Betty. The group shared water and food with Betty for the remainder of the walk. Betty had clearly done this before - she knew exactly how to position herself for maximum sharing potential without being a nuisance.

As our route came back through the village where she had joined us, I imagined she would leave us there. This seemed logical - local dog, local territory, job done. This was not the case and she accompanied us to the end of the walk, 45 minutes further on, before heading back to Kotsiana. Watching her trot confidently back along the trail, we realized Betty probably did this regularly. Different groups, same route, same reliable source of snacks and companionship.

These unexpected companions remind us we're walking through living villages, not just scenic routes. The paths connect communities as they have for generations. We follow trails worn smooth by farmers, shepherds, and yes, their dogs. Betty knew these routes better than any of us, leading confidently over rocky sections we approached with care. She chose the best line through loose stones, avoided the roughest patches, knew where the shade would be.

Throughout our walks, we occasionally would see the Kri Kri wild goats or griffon vultures high above us gliding on the thermals of warm air. The wildlife keeps its distance but makes its presence known. The vultures circle impossibly high, riding invisible columns of heat. Their wingspan is impressive even from far below, and they seem to hang motionless in the air for impossible lengths of time. The wild goats appear briefly on distant crags before vanishing into terrain that would defeat most walkers. They move across near-vertical rock faces with casual ease, reminding us that we're visitors in their domain.

At the end of the second day's walking the group were given a tour and tasting at the Pnevmatikakis winery. It's a family-run establishment. The visit showcases the high quality of Cretan wines which are rarely experienced at home. The family's passion for their craft is evident in every aspect of the operation, from the carefully tended vines to the traditional methods they still employ alongside modern techniques.

After hours on dusty trails, the cool of the winery and the taste of local varieties provide perfect punctuation to the day's efforts. The wines tell their own story of this landscape - the volcanic soil, the mountain breezes, the intense Mediterranean sun all captured in a glass. It's another layer to understanding this place, another way the land provides.

The combination works perfectly: challenging but manageable walks through this textured landscape, followed by authentic local experiences. Whether it's an impromptu canine companion or carefully aged wine, Crete keeps surprising us with its hospitality. Each day brings its own character, its own discoveries, its own satisfaction.

Ready to walk where wild goats scale cliff faces and griffon vultures ride the thermals? Join Betty's route through authentic Cretan villages on our Cretan Trails & Tavernas tour. From mountain paths worn smooth by shepherds to family-run wineries where volcanic soils tell their story in every glass.