Monday 9th May 2011 – Mystras, Greece

We set off this morning to spend a few days in Corinth and ended up in Sparta! And this is how it happened.
We have been to Corinth a number of times but have never visited Acrocorinth set high on a hill south of the famous ancient Corinth. All went well as we crossed the Corinth Canal, stopping for the mandatory viewing. On other trips we considered ourselves lucky if we saw a single ship using the canal but this time there was a trip boat, a tanker and a number of private yachts. As we approached Corinth my Sitnav (Jane) was map reading and informed me that we should be able to approach Acrocorinth from either the Tripoli road or the Patras road. So we followed signs to Tripoli as there were no signs to Ancient Corinth or Acrocorinth and found ourselves on the motorway. This wasn't a problem as the map showed a junction close to Acrocorinth but when we got there, we found that you could leave or join the motorway if you were heading north and you could join the motorway heading south. However heading south as we were, there was no way to leave the motorway. Sitnav informed me that it was “absolutely miles” to the next junction and, as we suspected, we soon came to a toll station. £5 worse off and we were still heading in the wrong direction with no easy way of returning except by leaving at the next junction, rejoining the motorway and paying another £5 going back. This did not appeal and therefore, not for the first time, we adapted the itinerary. We knew that we could visit Corinth later in the trip so we headed for our next intended stop near Sparta.
At some point we knew that we would need to fill up our LPG tank and from the very helpful and interesting MagBaz site (www.magbaztravels.com) we knew that the only LPG supplier in the Peloponnese was based in Tripoli. So after paying another £5 in tolls we got to Tripoli and following the excellent directions provided to MagBaz by Andy, we arrived at the garage and filled up. We only needed 11 litres (approx. half the tank) after 4 weeks of travelling so we will certainly have plenty to see us through the rest of the trip.
On the way to Sparta from Tripoli I spotted a sign to the Sanctuary of Elea Athena. Helpfully, and most unusually, the sign told us the distance, only 1 km, so I followed it. Almost all Greek sites and museums are closed on Mondays but we were pleasantly surprised to find the gate unlocked and n attendant in the office. He waved us through and told us that it was free and it proved to be very interesting. There was a temple here in the 7th century BC (and evidence of two earlier ones) but that was burnt down in 395 BC and a new temple built to replace it. It was one of the most famous temples in Greece and it was here at the fountain (still visible) that legend has it that Heracles met the nymph Auge. She gave birth to Telephus (surely the god of telecommunications – if not, why not?) here at Tegea. Further remains of Tegea are just 2 minutes down the road at Palaia Episkopi. Although the remains are scant, the village is well worth a visit with its large church overlaying part of the ancient theatre and a lovely shaded park with benches. There is also a good taverna here but we chose to have a picnic in the shade. The folk museum based in the park is supposed to be very good but it is only open at weekends at this time of the year.
Making our way without any problems through Sparta, we headed for our campsite Castle View at Mystras where we parked in the shade of two olive trees.
Photos: Glaros campsite at Kineta – the beach bathed in morning sunshine; A tanker is pulled through the Corinth Canal; Statue to the Tegean Mother in the park at Palaia Episkopi.