In september 2015 I went on my 8th trip to Mount Athos together with my good friends Bas Kamps and Jacques Poell.  We came by boat from Ierissos to Vatopedi where we visited the ruins of the old Athonite Academy on the hill just outside the monastery.

Then we walked to the Bulgarian monastery of Sografou passing the Hera crossing on the ridge at 350 meters. We slept outside the monastery in a renovated guesthouse that used to be a small hospital.
            
Passing the monasteries of Chilandariou and Esfigmenou we hiked all the way back to Vatopedi.

We had a night’s rest in Vatopedi. On the photo the courtyard with the main church and in the background the clear shape of the island of Thassos.

The next day Pantokrator and already in the background the small monastery of Stavronikita. But the goal of today was Iviron.

Stavronikita

We spend the 3rd night in Iviron.
            
The 4th day we went by bus to the capital of Karyes and the main harbour of Dafni were we bought tickets for the boat to the arsanas (harbour) of Simonaspetras.
We climbed 300 meters starting at the harbour to Simonaspetras and after visiting this monastery we walked the path to Gregoriou were we slept in the guesthouse on the waterfront.
Gregoriou. Soon more about our adventures.

Text and photo’s Herman Voogd