Thankfully we have the Thassos VI ferry (the only covered ferry boat), which can come and go in up to gale force 7 Beaufort winds, and it is very rare indeed to find oneself stranded on either side of the small strait which separates Thassos island from the mainland at Keramoti. However, it does happen periodically, especially when it is very windy. When it happens and you only have three ferries running that day, the only thing you can do is settle down with a coffee and brandy as well as a good paperback and wait for the Thassos VI to arrive.

This happened last week, when we had two days of winter, gale force winds, and downpours which seemed to grind Thassos to a halt. The coffee bars at Keramoti are modern, comfortable, warm, very well stocked, have very affordable prices, and are never very busy at this time of year; so it is quite a pleasure to sit there for an hour or so to watch people come and go...

Wow! Spring time on Thassos seems to be almost upon us. It is the middle of February and the sun is shining with an unbelievable temperature of near 20 degrees centigrade. “A few hours in the mountains is the order of the day.”, we thought.

So we set off with two of our friends and headed for Kallirachi village. Knowing that mountain tracks can be quite an ordeal for a normal car, our friends followed us on their motorcycle which can easily navigate Thassos' lovely mountainous terrain...