Route 3: Catholico Beach – Tourkou Ammos – Almyros – 50 minutes
Route 3 is a gentle walking path of around 20 minutes. It runs along the eastern coastline of The Park, from just to the right of the cantina on the main sandy beach known as the Catholic Beach to a smaller stretch of golden sand known as the Turkish Beach and on around the headland behind.
The pathway is marked with yellow ‘3’s in blue circles. It is bordered by small white pebbles to mark its’ route, although as for most of its’ duration, it runs exactly along the seashore, it is next to impossible to lose your way.
To the right of the cantina a sign marked with a big yellow ‘3’ points up a gentle rocky incline and the path heads slightly inland – although a sub-route (marked in red) hugs more tightly to the coastline, passing a small pier from where a water taxi to Naoussa operates during the summer months, and a number of small sheltered coves, any of which it’s perfectly possible to make your own tiny ‘private’ beach.
The red sub-route rejoins the main (blue) path at the small beach of Perikopetras, again a perfect place to enjoy a quiet swim in the shallow turquoise waters of this area of outstanding natural beauty.
After another 5 minutes or so the path passes through an area of extraordinary coloured stone boulders reminiscent of giant abstract paintings. This area is known as Pisses.
300 metres later Route 3 arrives at a longish sandy untouched beach called Turkou Ammos or Turkish Sands which is sheltered from the northern Meltemi winds which often blow during the summer months by the peninsular of Cape Tourkos.
Behind the beach a small, once again, pebble lined walking path snakes across a small strip of land joining the cape to the rest of The Park.
To the right is a rocky bay with long smooth rocks perfect for sunbathing. To the left the path circumnavigates the rest of Cape Turkos passing a number of small white pebble beaches with crystal clear water before a sign points slightly inland to the location of a Russian Naval Base from the Turko- Russian War of 1770-1774.
From here it is a short 5 minute walk around the rest of the headland back to the beach and in summer months, a well deserved swim in some of the cleanest waters of the Aegean.
