On Monday, May 18, 2026, in Vagionia, the experiential workshop on the topic “Hiking safely” was held at the Vagionia Primary School, in the context of the information and promotion actions of the “Asterousia Trails” hiking trail network.
The event aimed to inform the local community, stakeholders and interested parties about the project of creating the trail network in Asterousia, as well as about issues related to safe hiking.
The president of the Vagionia Municipal Council, Mrs. Maria Chondrozoumaki, welcomed the audience and the speakers, expressing her satisfaction with the implementation of the project and the holding of the event.
The workshop began with the presentation of the General Director of ETAM S.A., Dr. Chryssa Pagalou, who presented the project “Asterousia Trails” and the “Study for the Creation of a Network of Signposted Hiking Trails in the Asterousia Mountains of Crete”. In her presentation, she referred to the natural and cultural wealth of Asterousia, the importance of the Natura 2000 network and the goal of the project, which concerns the creation of a sustainable, integrated and high-quality network of hiking trails. She also presented the 11 routes of the network, with a total length of 40.6 km, as well as the main categories of project actions, such as improving accessibility, signage, small technical works and promotion, information and awareness-raising actions.
This was followed by the presentation of Kostis Kanakis, mountaineer and executive of ETAM S.A., on the topic of “Hiking Equipment and Hiking Preparation”. Mr. Kanakis presented basic principles for responsible and safe hiking, emphasizing the importance of good physical condition and a series of other parameters that the hiker must take into account before starting the hike, while he made extensive reference to the necessary equipment, presenting it to the audience.
Subsequently, Ms. Chara Papailiou, Mountain Guide and General Secretary of the Crete Mountain Guides Association, gave a presentation on the topic “Hiking Safely on the Trail and in the Mountain”. Ms. Papailiou presented the role of the Mountain Guide, the importance of guiding groups in the field, risk management and proper preparation before each hike. At the same time, she analyzed basic safety rules on the route, such as staying on the marked path, avoiding leaving the group, maintaining a steady pace, frequent stops for water and returning to the last known sign in case of losing the path.
The workshop concluded with the presentation of Mr. Dimitris Steiakakis, Rescuer and President of the Humanitarian Crisis Management Team EPIDRASIS, on the topic of “Principles of First Aid in the Wilderness”. Mr. Steiakakis presented practical instructions for dealing with incidents in the mountains until the arrival of specialized assistance, pointing out that the mountainous environment differs significantly from the urban environment, as rescuers’ access may be delayed and weather conditions may worsen the situation. Particular emphasis was placed on the safety of the rescuer, the team and the injured person, on avoiding a second accident, on dealing with bleeding, fractures, sprains, hypothermia and heat exhaustion, as well as on the correct call for help via 112 or 166, with an accurate report of the GPS point, number of injured people, weather conditions and accessibility.
The event concluded with a free discussion, both on the issues of safe hiking and on the importance of implementing the project of Creating a Network of Signposted Hiking Trails and the need for its sustainability.
Source: asterousiatrails.com