Weird & WONDERFUL 😍 Beaches of West Kefalonia

Day 21. 38km (77968kms 7yrs)

I took a rest day in Argostoli, changing the oil in Gibbo’s Rohloff hub, and otherwise just sitting on couch in a waterfront cafe, before returning to the same basement to sleep. I was very pleased with this camp, particularly as shelter from the storm of the previous night. And to have an actual (clean!) bed on which to sleep is a remarkable result.

The following morning I rushed to to catch the hourly ferry across the bay to Lixouri. Just as in Norway, ferries make such a fun addition to a bike tour, with gorgeous new perspectives.

Twenty minutes later, now on the Paliki Peninsula, I stocked up at a small supermarket ready for a couple of quite remote days amongst the hills and villages and beaches of West Kefalonia. (West kefalonia born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days)

First stop – Xi beach on the south coast – was simultaneously disappointing and intriguing. Described in the guide book as a red sand beach I arrived at high tide when barely a grain of sand was visible. At the same time the headland was very evidently being actively eroded away into the sea. The front of one property was now barely 3 feet from the edge.

Exploring the waterfront I climbed a bizarre lava flow type landscape, except this was composed of grey mud. Fearing a collapse I didn’t dare go close to the edge. Meanwhile inland from me, large fissures in this mud cliff were clearly visible. I wonder how much longer this part of the island will remain. At the top I did spy a section of red sand just briefly as the sea drained out before the next wave replaced it.

Back on the bike I now turned north into the hills. Several drivers waved from their vehicles; folk are so friendly in the islands. I stopped for lunch and basked in Greek village life taking place around me. A few short climbs later I began a 250m descent down to Petani beach. The few buildings were shuttered up, not a vehicle to be seen. Could I be the only person here?! The beach is a gorgeous crescent of white sand and white pebbles, framing brilliant blue water against white and rusty orange cliffs. It’s magnificent. I tentatively stuck my feet in the water, but with only hazy sunlight rejected any notion of a swim just yet.

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Good morning from my creepy basement it’s never nearly so scary uh cup light of day I’m on a little bit of a deadline this morning there’s a hourly ferry across the bay and it leaves in 10 minutes 2 3 km away here’s my fairy coming in now foreign

What a delightful way to start the day on PR reminds me of cycling in Norway or tring okay first some people have observed I’m not eating terribly well which isn’t incorrect but biscuits unnecessary wine um two days of noodles two c some olives and some Hal it’s

€10 it’s pretty expensive on the island so I’m trying to eat local food where I can like the olives and the Hal and there cheese and the church PR but um yeah it’s a tight budget um I think Italy will be cheaper though to be clear I’m not complaining

Nor am I going to bed hungry I still have enough for a cup of wine each night it’s just uh I’m on a fixed budget and some countries like Greece you have to make it stretch a little bit further uh than turkey EX there Mount anos still hidden and the

Bay goes about 11 km in land that way confused again this is he Beach described by the Lonely Planet as a red sand beach there isn’t even a beach it’s obviously high tide but the Headland is disappearing literally into the sea who want to go near the edge I don’t

Know how much this is overhanging It’s just mud a bit of red sand I’m not getting any closer what a bizarre landscape I’ve never seen anything like it this whole area seems deeply unstable it’s not going to last many more decades I don’t suppose right come at me come on

Plate of potato and PE stew red enjoy my stew and three oranges all the drivers are like waving at me from their cars super nice I have to remember to be friendlier in the villages on the islands so many gorgeous wild flowers here I don’t know the name of these

Yellow ones I love these pink ones massive daisies don’t know what these are first of the dandelion gorgeous more wall appreciation this one’s got a mils St in and by the look of it hello don’t be afraid bye like me I hope you can see the color of this water that is

Unreal again I’m about to drop down 250 M to a beach and I’m going to have to come back up the exact same way tomorrow so 2 and a half kmers at 10% but it just looks astonishingly beautiful the color isn’t coming out it looks amazing

This is patani Beach loed as one of Greece’s most Beau and uh no argument from me there’s not a single vehicle here from which I deduce I am the only person down here can’t got the place to myself tonight wow imagine oh no oh I don’t know about that

Oh if the sun comes out maybe