Hiking in Greece. Mount Olympus Day One

Yesterday we came back from our big adventure in Greece. This was our first real hike abroad - we've gone for walks along hills in Greece, but this was a bona fide mountain hike to the highest peak in Greece and the second highest on the Balkans - mt. Mytikas in Olympus mountain.

Husband, Gaby, her boyfriend and I started with the car early from Sofia and arrived at the parking place Prionia around one o'clock. The weather conditions were simply perfect for a hike, the parking was full and the place was buzzing with people of all nationalities.

The first part of the hike starts from Prionia and ends at Refuge A Spilios Agapitos. Although the trail isn't too long, it is really steep - the elevation gain is one kilometer! 

However, probably because of the horses, which are the only transport allowed / possible along this track, the trail is very well secured and reinforced and I did not feel the climbing as too difficult. The path to the Refuge is entirely through a forest and on such a super hot day it felt very shady and pleasant.

Hike info:

Date: 23 August 2024

Destination: Refuge A on Olympus

Mountain: Olympus

Total length: 8.6 km

Elevation gain: 1000 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours 30 min

Average difficulty: 6 / 10

I'm trying to tempt a finch and a sparrow with crumbs from my banitza :) The finch was very brave, but the sparrow circled me nervously for a couple of minutes, so I pitied it and left the crumbs on the ground :)

 

Having a well deserved rest. The scary Mytikas is at the center background.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxer shorts, Burda red T-shirt, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Burda pink T-shirt (at the beginning of the hike)

Gaby: lingerie, Burda navy-blue T-shirt

We arrived at the refuge in the late afternoon, where we had our diner and shelter for the night.The lodge was full with climbers from all over the world (mostly Europe, of course) and it was actually exciting and fun, despite the spartan conditions. A night view to the Aegean sea from the lodge

Grey Shorts

A small additional project for myself, out of remnants of the grey fabric.

Almost every summer I make a pair of shorts, I've already made three pairs, using Burda pattern 118 06/2021. However this summer even these shorts felt too long and warm for me, so I made a lighter and shorter pair. The pattern is another Burda pattern I've used before, but modified probably beyond recognition.

I made this pair in 2021 for Gaby, using a beautiful scuba fabric. The original features front welt pockets, but I wanted different types of pockets. I drafted the pockets myself and then cut the pattern and added four pleats, to add some volume and interest to the pockets.

As my shorts are made out of knit fabric, I completely skipped the fly front zipper and the back darts - I simply added a wasteband with an inserted elastic and also a tie, mostly to break the grey monotony.

Pattern: Burda #122 02/2011

Size: 36, modified

Fabric: polycotton knit

Time to make: 2 days

I also reduced the size of the shorts from 36 to 34 and shortened the crotch length by 3 cm. If i ever make these again, I should deepen the pockets and reduce the crotch length by 2 cm at the front and at the back, for even better fit.

Anyway, these were a quick and fun project and a practical use of fabric leftovers, so I'm pretty happy with them. I was thinking of adding some embroidery or doing some drawings with a textile marker, but in the end decided not to bother and left them plain.

Grey T-shirt for Husband

One more T-shirt I made for husband, probably the last short-sleeved one I'm making for him this year (for now :).

There isn't much to say about it, I used the same pattern with the same corrections I had made for the previous T-shirt, the only difference is, that I added color elements, utilizing some remnant fabric from his previous red T-shirt.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 50 with with added length

Fabric: polycotton knit

Time to make: 2 days

A curious fact - I paid double the money for this grey fabric, compared to the red fabric. Both fabrics are the same length - about 1 m with 180 cm width. However, the red fabric was 100% cotton knit, while this grey fabric is soft and pleasant to the touch, but the burn test showed, that it had some (probably about 25-30% polyester content). So, higher price is not always an indicator for higher quality, you know :)

On the other hand, the grey fabric was very easy and pleasant to work with and has a really nice touch to the skin, so all in all I am actually happy with it, despite the polyester content.

Red T-shirt for Husband

One more T-shirt for husband. Although he does have plenty of T-shirts, he requested a few new this summer and of course, I was more than happy to oblige.

The pattern is the one and only, that i use for men's short and long sleeve T-shirts - Burda 132 from the December 2020 issue. Despite the fact, that I've already made probably a dozen T-shirts out of this pattern, I'm still perfecting the fit for husband. 

This summer he requested them with a bit looser fit, so I've been cutting the size 50, with added length, but with corrections for the neck opening, which he prefers more close fitting.

Pattern: Burda #132 from 12 / 2020

Size: 50 with with added length

Fabric: cotton knit

Time to make: 2 days

 

As is my habit of late, I added again a pocket for interest, with a small label I've salvaged from something old I've probably thrown away. I like the way these pockets with labels break the monotony of plain color T-shirts. 

I've covered again the back neckline with a strip of fabric, the way men's T-shirts are made industrially. I like the polished look such finishing provides, apart from its utility purpose - to cover the overlocked edge. Funny, that such finishing is rare in women's T-shirts.

Dupevitza in August 2024

Today on Dupevitza. The day was again hot, but there was some wind, especially on the open paths and the hike was easy and pleasant. Still, these low mountains are much better left for spring - autumn - winter hikes, in late summer they are all burnt and flowerless, especially in this year's extremely hot summer. 

Dupevitza, however, has some advantages, which were important for us today - it is near, it is short and most of all - we were able to fill containers with my favourite mineral water, so all in all I am very satisfied with today's hike.

The wild plums were abundant with ripe fruit. Pity, that the taste is sour and unpleasant and all that fruit is more or less inedible.

The peak used to be a counter air strike base in communist times, and there are still abandoned structures on the top, covered now with interesting graffiti.

We had our picnic on the top, enjoying the views to Vitosha and Sofia. The trail was recently enhanced by adding new signs and two tables with benches for a small picnic area at the peak and this makes having our lunches there very nice and comfortable.

Hike info:

Destination: round trail to peak Dupevitza

Mountain: Lulin

Total length: 10 km

Elevation gain: 320 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours 20 min

Average difficulty: 3 / 10 

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxer shorts, Burda red T-shirt

I: lingerie, Love Notions LDT tunic, Love Notions leggings

 

A view the south to Pernik and Radomir

and to the North to Sofia

On Dobrinina skala

All Saints Chapel

St. Cyril and Methodius Monastery