Black Caves and Cape Merde

by **Feen** » 22 Sep 2007, 18:18

Both these interesting sounding places are marked on the Symi map in my guide book but frustratingly there's NO information on them! Does anyone here know anything about them, and do they get pointed out on round the island boat trips?

by **Adriana** » 22 Sep 2007, 18:40

Which guide book are you using? :?:

by **Feen** » 22 Sep 2007, 18:45

Lonely Planet or Rough Guide (can't remember which) - one of those guide books that doesn't go into a whole lot of detail. Black Caves intrigued me because it has such a wonderfully Enid Blyton ring to it! Are there good guides available locally?

by **Adriana** » 22 Sep 2007, 18:49

Well, we have Lance Chilton's Walks on Symi which is good in that it includes a full fold out map of the island with all the churches, foot paths, roads etc clearly marked.

However he gives the Greek place names so there is nothing that mentions Black caves or Cape Merde... :?:

by **Feen** » 22 Sep 2007, 18:58

The book sounds great and I do hope I'll be able to manage a bit of walking, but I'm recovering from a bad sprain :cry:

so an overland trek to the Black Caves won't be on the cards... just as well he uses the Greek names then in the case of the other place!

by **Allan** » 22 Sep 2007, 19:06

Can't find mention of Black Caves or Cape Merde (or indeed Merde Creek!) in either of those two guidebooks Feen. Are you sure it's Symi you're going to? :?:

"Maps" of the island are available at kiosks in Yialos. Don't touch them - they're drawn by Greek mapmakers with a very odd sense of humour!

Get Lance Chilton book even if you don't intend walking, it's worth the price just for the accurate map that comes with it.

by **Feen** » 22 Sep 2007, 19:13

Yes, definitely Symi! Maybe the Lonely Planet mapmakers have a strange sense of humour too...

by **Kojak** » 22 Sep 2007, 22:41

I'm surprised there isn't any mention of Merde Creek - I've been up it many times.....

by **Adriana** » 23 Sep 2007, 11:25

Definitely not Rough Guides as Marc also gives the place names in Greek... :?:

by **symireps** » 23 Sep 2007, 18:21

Both locations are down near to Panormitis. Mavro spilia( black caves are at the beginning of the bay as you come round from St vasilios. Cape merde is as you come out from panormitis and head towards Sesklia

by **Mille** » 23 Sep 2007, 18:55

Wasnt there a tale about some giant squid living in the Marathounda Bay?
I seem to remember a captain entertaining me on the subject some centuries ago.

by **Jan** » 23 Sep 2007, 20:06

We have an old - 1980s? - map which shows the Mavra Spilia slightly north west of Marathounda (on the west side of the island)ie north of Panormitis and Kavos Merde south of Panormitis Bay. The same map that symireps has, I wonder? Ours says that it was 'issued by Mr Michael Th Skevofilax for the 3rd edition of his book Panormitis' but I've never seen the book itself.

by **maziemoo** » 23 Sep 2007, 20:32

With or without a paddle :?:

[quote="Kojak"]

I'm surprised there isn't any mention of Merde Creek - I've been up it many times.....

[/quote]

by **Kojak** » 24 Sep 2007, 00:00

Invariably without a paddle Mazie...

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