Panachaiko
1,926 m
Greece
Also known as Παναχαϊκό όρος, Pyrgos tou Palavou; Voidias (historical), +4Also known as
Παναχαϊκό όρος · Pyrgos tou Palavou; Voidias (historical) · Panachaïkó · Πύργος Παλαβού · Панахаикон · Panakhaïkón Óros
- Elevation
- 1,926 m
- Prominence
- 1,090 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The classic Patras ascent: a waymarked path from the village of Pournarokastro (about 700 m) climbs to the historic Psarthi refuge (about 1,450 m), continues on rough ground to the Prasoudi basin and its refuge (1,760 m) between the two highest tops, then follows red marks up the last kilometre to Pyrgos tou Palavou (1,926 m). About 5 hours and 1,200 m of ascent.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 10.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,287 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,926 m
- Time Up
- 5h 40m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 4h
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Pournarokastro lies on the north-western slopes of Panachaiko, about 13 km by road from the centre of Patras. From the village the path to the Psarthi refuge, the one well-graded, waymarked trail on the mountain, climbs through scrub and patchy fir forest to the Psarthi plateau and the EOS Patras refuge 'Sotiris Gerokostopoulos' (about 1,450 m), built in 1932. From Psarthi the way to the Prasoudi basin follows an old track that is now largely impassable to vehicles, and the path is rough for much of its length, partly waymarked with a yellow square. It reaches the 'Ioannis Diakidis' refuge (1,760 m) on the western rim of Prasoudi, the high basin between Vodias (1,836 m) and Pyrgos tou Palavou. From the refuge the route to the summit, about 1 km, is clear and marked with red paint on the rocks. The whole ascent takes about 5 hours (about 6 hours if you include Vodias). Descend the same way. The upper mountain is open and windy; the summit name is said to come from a man thought mad ('palavos') for trying to live on a top where the wind blows even in August.
Start
Pournarokastro652 m
- No public transport to Pournarokastro was confirmed; a taxi from Patras (about 13 km) is the practical option.
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Pournarokastro652 m
- Hut: Psarthi refuge1,379 m
- Hut: Prasoudi refuge1,753 m
- Summit: Pyrgos tou Palavou1,926 m
Key Passages
- Rough old track between the Psarthi and Prasoudi refuges
- Final kilometre from Prasoudi to the summit (red marks on rock)
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 60%Overview
Panachaiko is the home mountain of Patras, rising to 1,926 m at Pyrgos tou Palavou only a few kilometres from the city. A long, steady climb from Pournarokastro passes two historic EOS Patras refuges to a windy summit above the Gulf of Patras.
Panachaiko is a large, complex massif rising directly south-east of Patras, entirely within Achaea, hence its name. With Barbas (1,613 m), effectively an offshoot, it fills the ground between the Selinountas and Glafkos rivers. The highest point is Pyrgos tou Palavou ('Palavos's tower', 1,926 m); to the west rises Vodias (1,836 m), and between them lies the high basin of Prasoudi (about 1,750 m). North of Prasoudi the long ridge of Vouno Giorgi now carries a large wind farm.
The mountain is rugged rather than graceful: the upper zone is eroded, with slipping slopes and stony plateaus and little tall vegetation, while scrub covers much of the lower slopes, with patches of fir and pine. A dense network of dirt roads has destroyed many of the old paths, so walking options are limited; the waymarked path from Pournarokastro to the Psarthi refuge is the main exception. Much of the mountain (about 120 km²) is in the Natura 2000 network.
For walkers it is a big day out straight from Patras, with about 1,200 m of ascent and wide views over the Gulf of Patras, the Ionian islands and the other northern Peloponnese mountains. Its two refuges, run by EOS Patras, are among the oldest in Greece.
Climbing Notes
Fitness for a 5-hour ascent with about 1,200 m of height gain is the main requirement; the return makes it an 8–9 hour day. Above Psarthi the path is rough and only partly waymarked, and dirt roads and goat tracks branch everywhere, so carry a map or GPS track. Bring all your water above Psarthi, as the Prasoudi refuge has none, and windproof layers for the summit.
Both refuges belong to EOS Patras; the Prasoudi refuge is keyed and opens only by prior arrangement, and a night at Psarthi (about 50 places) should also be arranged with the club in advance. In winter the upper mountain is snow-covered and the route needs crampons and an ice axe.
History
From the Middle Ages to the early 20th century the mountain was known as Voidias. Its foothills hold the ruins of the 14th-century Frankish tower at Pournarokastro, a Roman aqueduct of the 2nd century AD that brought water from Romanos to Patras, and the Zastova sanatorium, built in 1937–1940 but never used. The Psarthi refuge, built in 1932 and extended in 1935, is regarded with that on Parnitha as one of the two oldest mountain refuges in Greece; the Prasoudi refuge followed in 1938 as a one-room emergency shelter and was rebuilt in stone in 2013–2014.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Good
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snow on the upper mountain; winter equipment
- Feb
- Snow on the upper mountain; winter equipment
- Mar
- Late snow above Psarthi
- Apr
- Spring snow patches high up
- May
- Good conditions
- Jun
- Good conditions; start early
- Jul
- Hot on the open lower slopes; start early
- Aug
- Hot lower down; strong wind on top
- Sep
- Good conditions
- Oct
- Good conditions
- Nov
- Shorter days; first snow possible
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Both refuges belong to EOS Patras. The Prasoudi refuge is keyed and opens only by prior arrangement; contact the club (eospatras.gr, +30 2610 273912) for either refuge.
- Rules
- Most of the mountain is a Natura 2000 site; the 'Aesthetic Forest of Charadros–Selemnos' and the Ano Kastritsi–Souli wildlife refuge lie on its margins
- Getting There
Patras (about 13 km from Pournarokastro)
Araxos (GPA), seasonal; Athens International (ATH)
- Drive or take a taxi from Patras to Pournarokastro (about 13 km)
- Patras is reached by bus from Athens and by ferry from Italy
Hazards
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
2- 1,450 m
Psarthi refugeRefuge
50 beds · Contact EOS Patras
- 1,760 m
Prasoudi refugeRefugeUnstaffedBooking required
25 beds · Keyed; opens by prior arrangement with EOS Patras