From Karpenissi we headed north, via Mpagasaki mountain passs, towards Krentis, where the asphalt road ends at the entrance of Agrafiotis valley. We continued the dirt road on the river left to reach Varvariada. Then it was maps and GPS time, as the roads and road signs were not as coordinated or helpful.
We finally found the route, crossing Agrafiotis (river left to right) from the bridge near Varvariada (GPS , where an old sign marked the way to Agrafa (while the road river left goes to Marathos) and continue upstream, passing another river bridge access to find a proper take out later, at Karvasaras.
Maps and GPS time
A tributary (Mpreaziotiko) drops in from the right, in a tight 3m waterfall. See Photo
The new concrete bridge, crosses the river to the left and the road continues through the village to the north, reaching Agrafa-Epiniana crossing in 8kms, another bridge, over another tributary, half a km later and a fourth bridge 2.5km further, over Agrafiotis this time, at Epiniana-Tridendro crossing.
This is the second possible put in, in low water cases. The dirt road continues along the river right, passing the beautiful wooden footbridge of Blo and climbs further up to the gorge rim, where we can admire "The Gates" of the second gorge, and then Tridendro-Trovato crossing.
We take the downhill to Trovato and in 2kms another tributary flows in from the right, through a tight canyon, which deserves a scouting on its own. This part of the dirt road is possibly difficult to pass after rain, as the clay soil can become quite muddy.
We decided to leave one of the two jeeps at the beginning of the difficult part, in case more rain would fall during our run (How prophetic! A foul scale storm, following us closely as we paddling the last gorge, caught us just at the take out.)
After the sign marking the crossing to Trovato, the road approaches the river at the exit of a small canyon and an old stone arced bridge stands beside the new one. This is the normal put in of Agrafiotis. Another, more difficult part upstream, the cave section, is waiting for the lacky ones to find higher flows here.
The Blo footbridge
Road Book - GPS Marks
Open Agrafiotis river map
Access to Agrafiotis valley: Karpenissi-Krentis
- 0km. Karpenissi
- 8km. Mpagasaki pass
- Kalesmeno - New Viniani - Kerasochori (30km)
- 34km. Krentis
- 36km. Leave asphalt road. Take the dirt road on the right.
Driving along Agrafiotis - Dirt road:
- 0.0km (=36km) Taking the dirt road down to the river.
- 8.0km. Varvariada bridge. (Possible take out - 21 river kms) Cross the river and take the road to the north (upstream) towards Agrafa.
- Kostantina - 11.5km. Tributary bridge (GPS 39o 04.821N, 21o 35.714E) - Kotsitsa - Monastiraki crossing (GPS 39o 04.951N, 21o 35.795E)
- 13.0km. Karvasaras bridge. (GPS 39o 05.439N, 21o 36.113E) Classic take out. Mpreaziotiko (or Mirisiotiko) tributary. The road climbs up to the river left mountain, over the great gorge.
From Take out to Put in. 17km Dirt road (difficult in certain parts).
- 0.0km. (=13.0km) Karvasaras bridge.
- 4.5km. Profitis Elias crossing. Keep straight.
- 8.0km. Agrafa crossing. (GPS 39o 07.562N, 21o 37.689E) Take the left to Epiniana, Trovato.
- 8.5km. Tributary bridge. (GPS 39o 07.837N, 21o 37.575E) Possible river access.
- 11.0km. Epiniana crossing bridge. (GPS 39o 09.114N, 21o 37.216E) Possible river access.
- 11.4km. Blo footbridge. (GPS 39o 09.263N, 21o 37.337E) E4 european mountain trail.
- 12.7km. Right crossing to the river. Papapostoli.
- 147.5km. Tridendro crossing. (GPS 39o 10.599N, 21o 37.708E) Keep straight towards Trovato.
- 15.5km. Right crossing to the river. Glavana.
- 16.5km. Tributary bridge.
- 17.0km. Trovato crossing. (GPS 39o 11.670N, 21o 37.276E) Keep straight to the put in.
- 17.2km. Put in bridge. (GPS 39o 11.756N, 21o 37.304E) Turkish bridge. Road continues to Vragiana.
More pages about Agrafiotis:
Agrafiotis Road Book
