Trip to Mount Athos May 2008





The boat for the Eastern monasteries at Ierissos
The mobile office of the Holy Executive of the Holy Mountain. They issue your Diammoniterion (pernut to stay) if you are on the list.
	The long "thumb" of the Holy Mountain, the northward peninsular which is almost uninhabited
	The tip of the peninsular
	Looking back to the tip


Shore-side buildings of Hilandari monastery
An ancient arsenal
	First view of Esfigmenou Monastery



	Coming in to Vatopedi Monastery
	Panorama from the jetty



	The central cross-roads of the monastery - treasury and office building
with the main church (Katholikon)l to the right	Our bedroom with four beds
..........and an amazing ceiling	starting off to walk, unsuccessfully, to Zografou Monastery

	beehives and distant view of Vatopedi



	Sloping courtyard in Vatopedi
The mosaic underside of the dome	Dinner (vegetarian; always very fresh and very good) on our first day
Visiting Roumanian bishop with his entourage
Wall plaque of great antiquity Staircase to the Guest House (right)
Vatopedi, and many other monasteries, have a large current programme of building and restoration work
Second day - Walk to Pantocrator Monastery
The community shop in a recently restored building

Pause by a dry fountain (right)

	Pantocrator appears in view


	Signposting on the Holy Mountain is a bit erratic, though the British Friends of Mount Athos are making efforts to improve it (as here) and also to keep the footpaths clear
A ruined aqueduct	View of Mount Athos from the belvedere at Pantocrator
Entrance with very ancient door	Interesting roof and balcony

Starting back by the forest path alongside the coast	.... with more views of Mount Athos

Vatopedi comes in sight	Icons in the outer narthex at Vatopedi
We were kindly shown the Monastery treasures (which are not allowed to be photographed)	but we could photograph their magnificent collection of clocks
	Antique lock for the door Stunning floor tiles and carpets
The mechanism for the Monastery clock, made in London in 1595. The clocks are set to "Mount Athos time" where sunset is 12 o'clock; they are reset when the time of sunset is more than an hour away from 12.	The present mechanism was made in Vienna
Third day - Walk to Esfigmenou Monastery
Setting out from Vatopedi	The first 200 metres is along the sea wall, followed by this ascent.
A dry fountain - you need to carry water on Mount Athos!
	Spring honeysuckle and stunning coastal views
with occasional reminders of the outside world......


The path turns inland up a dry river bed	Many flowers, shrubs and small trees on this route

One of the kalderimi - paths for mules and people made from carefully-laid stones
	The boundary marker for Vatopedi
	Good signposts today
	First view of the schismatic monastery of Esfigmenou




Vine-covered arbours in th monastery	The monastery walls fall almost sheer into the sea

8/td>

	Back at Vatopedi, after seven hours hard walking
The hideous fate which awaits the unrighteous.....	to be half-eaten by ravening beasts
Fourth day - Visit to Iviron and to Koutloumousiou Monasteries
	View of Pantocrator from seaward, with the Skiti of Profitis Iias in the far distance.

	View of Stavronikita Monastery (which we did not visit)

Iviron appears, after a bumpy passage


Lovely pattern of balconies The church (Katholikon) (right) . This monastery does not allow non-orthodox visitors into its church
	Careful conservation of rainwater
.... for the monastic fields
	Wayside chapel

	A friendly irridescent green beetle
	Another dry fountain

Another view of Mount Athos
The courtyard of Koutloumousiou monastery	Wall painting in the narthex
Floor panel with 3 deer

The offices of the Holy Executive of the Holy Mountain in Karyes	Main street of Karyes - no madding crowd here
	(left) the bell tower of the Protaton in Karyes - the church is again undergoing restoration (above) we returned by taxi, and stopped for this distant view of Pantocrator
Mount Athos with broom	Ruins of the 18th century Athonite Academy and aqueduct above Vatopedi
Vatopedi again
	(left) the very striking angel in the refectory, surmounted by an angel, all wings and mind
Fifth day - Leaving the Holy Mountain
Waiting for the boat - we took the slow ferry in order to call at all the monasteries along the northern section of the western shore	Main street of the port of Dafni, very little changed from 2001
	Views from the immense height of the top deck of the ferry
First port of call - the Russian monastery of Pandeleimonos

Xenofondos Monastery	The arsenal
The arsenal of Dochiariou Monastery
The arsenal of Konstamonitou Monastery	The arsenal of Zografos Monastery (the one we never got to on the first day)
A group of enthusiatic Bulgarians singing	The ecological impact of monastic management - Mount Athos covered with trees; the brick building marks the border between the self-governing community of the Holy Mountain and the Greek state.
Immediately to the left of this, the countryside is less treed	and to the left again, there is extensive development and even fewer trees
ending up with Ouranopolis and its distinctive tower	and the pligrims and monks (all male) streaming off the boat