A deafening roar jolts me out of my sleep. My whole body vibrates - it takes me a while to get my bearings: oh yes, I'm on a sailing boat in the Aegean. Captain Christos has obviously started the ship's engine, which is just a few centimetres from my head, on the other side of the bunk wall. It's only just after six, but I definitely don't want to miss the first harbour exit of our sailing trip.
Two years ago, I was sitting in a bar in Thessaloniki with my Greek friend George and he told me about this idea: you have to hire a sailing boat and simply head for the islands that have particularly great trails. In other words, experience a new spot every day and use the journey to eat, sleep and relax in comfort. You can't get any better than a biking holiday. That's why I already agreed to the first date on which George would be able to organise this trip.
The time has come in May 2021. Our small tour group stands in front of the gleaming white "Cinzia" in the Kos marina. George and his two bike guide colleagues Tasos and Nicolas help us lift our bikes on board and show us our sleeping quarters. It's amazing how much equipment can be stowed in these small bunks. Stowing the ten bikes is the only major challenge - until we simply stack them on top of each other on the bridge. That seems like the best idea at first. We only learnt a few days later just how important bike stowage is on a sailing ship.
The island of Nisyros is our first destination. The small volcanic island lies around three hours south of Kos, and I'm glad that I got out of bed so early, because I can look out over a bright blue sea during the crossing. Apart from us, there is no other ship on the way. At this time of year, the Aegean should be teeming with charter yachts and ferries. Probably the last time there was so little activity here was in Odysseus' time. It's amazing what Corona makes possible. The virus only gets on our nerves again in the harbour of Mandraki, as we are only allowed to enter Nisyros after we have shown a negative rapid test. The island consists of a large volcanic cone and, according to mythology, Poseidon defeated the giant Polybotes by throwing the entire island onto his head. Fortunately, it didn't crumble completely in the process, so after a few hundred metres of ascent we reach the chapel at the highest point and can enjoy a truly divine panoramic view. Almost as if we were looking down from the sky onto the deep blue sea dotted with countless islets. The picture is completed by the sulphur-yellow crater, a kind of savannah landscape whose trails will keep us busy all day.
With the acrid smell of sulphur in our noses, we climb back onto our boat in the evening. Today we're heading back to Kos, where George wants to show us his "home turf" tomorrow. Biking is still in its infancy there, he tells us over dinner. But when we disembark the next morning, a shuttle is already waiting. So that we can concentrate fully on the downhill trails, says George. But we are allowed to warm up, because the trail first runs up and down over a mountain ridge before winding its way down the slope through herb meadows. George and his crew have created a biking paradise with very cleverly designed trails along the entire mountain flank.
Leros impresses us even more. Here, Jorgos and his bike team of ten young people guide us through the trail area they have built themselves.
Through narrow alleyways, we make our way up to the castle, where the infamous Castle Steps begin, a staircase more than a kilometre long with long steps. "Very flowy!" exclaims Jorgos, before hurtling down the stairs at crazy speed. So much for the warm-up. Afterwards, a dumper truck helps us as a shuttle so that we can get to know the whole network of trails that have been laid out here in the coastal landscape. One of these trails spits us out in a bathing bay, where another part of the bike club has already fired up the barbecue. It's hard to tear ourselves away from this island with its thriving bike culture, but we still want to visit Patmos. At the end of the week - we are just setting course for Kos again and sitting cosily with Captain Christos over our morning coffee - it happens: swell! The ship rocks and a few coffee cups bounce onto our laps. We still find that funny. But then the bikes strapped to the upper deck start to move. The three of us try to keep the disintegrating heap of bikes in check. But the swell gets stronger, and every now and then a bike breaks free and slides dangerously towards the railing. Only when the rest of the crew rushes to our aid and everyone throws themselves onto a bike do we get the load secured. While we're still rocking towards Kos, I'm feverishly thinking about what the ideal bike holder for the next trip might look like.
Info Dodecanese Islands
The precinct
The Dodecanese islands are unlikely to be as empty as they were in May 2021, shortly after the coronavirus travel restrictions were lifted. This is because the 160 or so islands (only 25 of which are inhabited) in the south-east Aegean are normally a popular sailing and tourist destination.
In 2017, the "Project Aegean Trails" into being. Swiss bike hotelier Ernesto Hutmacher sent his experienced trail building crew from Tuscany, and the German bike agency organised a crowdfunding campaign and recruited volunteers to help out. The result was a basic framework of trails on several islands, which has since been nurtured, maintained and continuously expanded by Aegean Trails and the local bikers. Information on the current trail construction status and on financial or active support for the international trail construction weeks: www.aegeantrails.com
The Bike Islands
The international trail building weeks have been held in Greece every year since 2017. The trail networks are therefore constantly growing. The best ones can be found on the islands of Kos, Leros, Nisyros and Patmos.
CosIt is the third largest of the Dodecanese islands, highest mountain: Dikaios, 847 metres. The built trails are mainly found in the coastal mountains with ascents of 200-300 metres in altitude and run up and down, sometimes exposed, along the mountain ridges with their great views. In the lower regions, the trails in the centre of the island descend into forests, where the trail builders have also carved out berms and small jumps.
LerosThe small island is only 321 metres high and was heavily contested during the Second World War. Concrete listening posts on the mountain still bear witness to this today. The best trails on the island wind around the mountains on the east coast around the castle at Platanos, which dates back to the 7th century. The Castle Steps descent, which is over a kilometre long, starts here. However, the trails built around the World War II listening post are much more flowy. The trails are built in such a way that you don't have to exert much energy even on the uphill sections. Especially on the additional kilometre-long cross-country trail. There is also a practice course for children, which is also used by the island's own bike club.
NisyrosThe round island has a diameter of eight kilometres and basically consists of a single volcanic cone. Even the harbour town of Mandraki is a picture-postcard idyll. After 250 metres in altitude, you reach the crater rim of the extinct volcano and look down from above into an oversized amphitheatre with a kind of savannah landscape. Here you can now descend to the sulphur rim of the mountain. You then work your way back up to the edge of the crater via paths along typical dry stone walls and wind your way back to the harbour through olive groves on the other side of the mountain.
PatmosThe pilgrimage island, where Hollywood actors also feel at home, consists of a hilly landscape. Longer tours with plenty of sea views are possible here. Highest point: 269 metres.
Island hopping
It is best to combine several islands into a week-long bike trip, as each island has its own character. The best way to travel from Germany is by charter flight to Kos or by scheduled flight to Bodrum in Turkey (also outside the summer season) and from there take the ferry from island to island. The bed & breakfast accommodation on the islands should all be open again in the third year of the pandemic.
The most convenient option, however, is to book a combined boat & bike trip. Simply because the organisers have a direct line to the locals on site and can organise shuttles as well as barbecues on the beach. In addition, unlike the regular ferries, they sometimes head for a particularly beautiful bay. Package bookable with www.outlineadventures.com, www.aegeantrails.com and www.inselhuepfen.com
Best time to travel
There are direct flights to Kos from Germany from the end of April to the middle/end of October. However, the months of July and August are definitely too hot for biking. On the other hand, you can experience perfect temperatures in May and September. This is also when the air is at its clearest.
