The Friends of the Kalderimi of South Pelion
Οι Φίλοι των Καλντεριμιών του Νοτίου Πηλίου
Path Care and Maintenance
With the old kalderimia open and walkable, we try to care for and maintain these paths on a regular basis. However, it is impossible to maintain and keep all the paths open without the active participation of the Municipality and members of local communities. There are simply not enough volunteers available, nor are the funds from membership fees and donations enough to pay for maintenance all the paths of South Pelion that the Friends of the Kalderimi has opened. The association actively seeks cooperation of the Municipality, local entrepreneurs, and members of local communities in this work.
Storms Daniel and Elias in September 2023 caused serious, structural damage to many of the old paths, especially where these cross streams and ravines. Such work is beyond the capacity of the Friends of the Kalderimi. About 8 of our signed routes remain difficult or impossible to follow without diversion.
In 2018 our association provided GPS data on the paths to a researcher who was drawing up plans for the inclusion of the Municipality of South Pelion in the European Union Leader programme. The Friends of the Kalderimi paused its maintenance work on those paths included in the programme (around 42 paths), pending the start of work by the Municipality with secured European funding. The programme finally implemented in 2025/2026 with most of the 42 paths cleared and signed with new orange signs. The programme, however, did not repair damage caused in the storms of 2023, and these routes remain challenging to follow.
The Leader programme has repaired and signed the paths only once – there are no funds included for ongoing maintenance, which will once again fall to our association, and the local communities, if the paths are not to become impassable.
... but we need your help!
Many thanks to the workers and volunteers, including those
from other groups and organisations, who help to keep our
paths open for all to enjoy.
Every time you use a walk, please send an email to pathcare@friendsofthekalderimi.org letting us know whether
the walk is clear, or whether it needs cleaning, clearer
signing or if you encountered any other problems.
If you undertake personal cleaning of walks in your
area, then please email us at
pathcare@friendsofthekalderimi.org to let us know,
so that we can share that information through the website.
We would also like to suggest to local entrepreneurs
or businesses that you sponsor a path in your area.
You could ‘adopt’ a path and take responsibility for
its maintenance, and place a sign at the beginning
and end of the trail, announcing your sponsorship
and advertising your business or products.
Telephone : 6907196052
This mobile telephone is now switched on and available every day if you need any information about walks, events, subscriptions, etc.
If you need to make contact with any member of the committee at any other time, please email them direct (email addresses here)
or email info@friendsofthekalderimi.org and we will get back to you as soon as practicable.
If you take part in a Friends of the Kalderimi walk or event you do so entirely at your own risk and neither the Friends of the Kalderimi
nor the organisers or leaders of the walk or event are in any way responsible for the safety of those taking part.