Αρμένοι, Βρύσινας, Φαράγγι Μύλων – Armenoi, Vrisinas, Myli Gorge

English version further below

Τη Κυριακή 03/10/2010 ο Φυσιολατρικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλείου (ΦΥ.Σ.Η.) διοργάνωσε εκδρομή από τους Αρμένους στο ιερό κορυφής Βρύσινας και στο Φαράγγι των Μύλων στο Ρέθυμνο.

Ξεκινήσαμε από τη νεκρόπολη των Αρμένων(360μ.), που απέχει 11 χλμ. από το Ρέθυμνο, και επισκεφθήκαμε τους υστερομινωικούς λαξευτούς τάφους. Στη συνέχεια ξεκινήσαμε την πορεία μας ανατολικά, μέσα από θαμνώδη βλάστηση, ως το Ιερό Κορυφής Βρύσινας(857μ) στο εκκλησάκι του Αγίου Πνεύματος. Από τον οικισμό Καπεδιανά, χωματόδρομος μήκους 2χλμ, μας οδήγησε στην είσοδο του εντυπωσιακού φαραγγιού των Μύλων με τον εγκαταλελειμμένο οικισμό του δίπλα στο χείμαρρο και τους νερόμυλους. Στο Ξηρό Χωριό μας περίμενε το λεωφορείο και μας μετέφερε στο ήσυχο παραθαλάσσιο Πάνορμο.

Ακολουθούν δύο video που επιμελήθηκαν μέλη του ΦΥ.Σ.Η. με στιγμιότυπα από τη πορεία μας.

ΑΡΜΕΝΟΙ-ΒΡΥΣΙΝΑΣ-ΚΑΠΕΔΙΑΝΑ

ΦΑΡΑΓΓΙ ΜΥΛΩΝ

Κορυφή / Top

Ακολουθούν φωτογραφίες από την εκδρομή Αρμένοι – Ιερό Κορυφής Βρύσινας – Φαράγγι Μύλων.

…….. English version ……..

Sunday October 3rd 2010, the Naturalist Club of Heraklio organised a walk from Armenoi, to the top of Vrisinas and then crossing Myli Gorge.
Armenoi are located 11Km South from Rethimno and was first inhabited in 961 AD by Armenoi who served in the army of Nikiforos Fokas when he liberated Crete from the Arabs. Near the position of today’s village, more than 220 tombs carved on a rock were found in a forest of wild oaks.

We visited the archeological site of Armenoi with the tombs and then started our way up to the top of mount Vrisinas with the magnificent view.

Mount. Vrisinas rises up south of Rethymnon (858 m high). Its sides are verdant in the cause of many springs (called vrises in Greek); that is why it is called Vrisinas. From its cone-shaped summit the entire province is visible and the 21 villages around it. Due to its location, it often became battlefield during the liberating struggles of Crete. During the ancient years, it is thought to have been a sacred mountain and on its summit there was a sanctuary consecrated to the female deity Dictyna Artemis (Diana), who was worshipped throughout west Crete, where the church of the Holy Spirit is today. It is believed that in the plateau of Onithe was the ancient city of Osmida.

We took a long rest on the top of the mountain and then we started our way down hill towards Kapediana village and later to the entrance of Myli Gorge that is named after the Myli village that took its name after the water mills that used to function in the area and were built before the Venetian occupation of Crete. The village Mylloi was abandoned by the residents 30 years ago and now solitary and beautiful, the houses and the water mills are a paradise for nature lovers. We were charmed from the magnificence of nature. Tall trees, colourful wild flowers and hearings of melodic birds were accompany us.

At Xyro Chorio our bus was waiting for us and took us to Panormo village by the sea side to enjoy our swimming in the sea and have some lunch.

Here below you can watch two videos of our walk as created by members of the group.