Mountains of Crete
 Crete is a one of the most mountainous islands of Europe with high mountain ranges crossing the island from West to East. They are composed of limestone. The geological upheavals which created basins and plateaus also formed a large number of impressive caves, many of which were used for religious purposes during antiquity. The mountains of Crete make up a section of the Dinaric -Taurus chain, which starts in the Dinaric Alps and comprises the mountains of Albania, Pindus, the Peloponnese, Kythira - Antikythira, Crete, Karpathos and Rhodos, and ends in Taurus in Asia Minor. |
 View on the White Mountains from Vamos during winter |
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On Crete these massifs form three large mountain complexes and in between some lower mountains and semi-mountainous zones. The biggest mountain range is in Western Crete, the White Mountains or "Lefka Ori” with the Pachnes (2453m) as its highest peak. In the middle of the island Mount Ida, a single elongated mountain mass whose highest peak is Timios Stavros (2456 m.), the highest point in Crete. In eastern Crete there are the Dikti Mountains with the highest peak of 2148m.
The mountains in Crete are the best to explore on foot. You can do beautiful daytrips in these mountains; make long hikes for several days or make a long trekking; for example along the long distance path the E4. If you like to do mountain walks on your own the best guide book is of Loraine Wilson, High Mountains of Crete (see Walking guidebooks of Crete). Many day walks and several suggestions for trekking tours are described in this book. |
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 Gingelos |
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Op Kreta zijn drie grote bergmassieven en daartussen bevinden zich nog lagere bergketens en semibergachtig terrein. De grootste bergketen is de Witte Bergen of "Lefka Ori” en bevindt zich in west Kreta in de provincie Chania. De hoogste berg is de Pachnes met 2453m. In midden het midden van het eiland bevindt zich het Ida-gebergte. Dit massief bestaat eigenlijk uit één bergmassa met de hoogste piek van Kreta, de Timios Stavros (2456m). In oost Kreta ligt het Dikti-gebergte waarbij de hoogste piek tot 2148m reikt. De Bergen van Kreta zijn het best te voet te ontdekken. Je kunt prachtige dagtochten in deze bergen maken; langere wandeltochten van meerder dagen maken of zelfs een lange trektocht, bijvoorbeeld langs het langeafstandspad van De E4. Wanneer je zelfstandig op pad wilt gaan in de bergen dan is de wandelgids van Loraine Wilson, "High Mountains of Crete”( zie Walking guidebooks of Crete) onmisbaar. Vele dagtochten en suggesties voor een aantal trektochten worden in deze gids beschreven. |
The biggest mountain range is in Western Crete, the White Mountains or "Lefka Ori” with the Pachnes (2453m) as its highest peak.