Lovely Ligres

From Kato Zakros in the East to Elafonisi in the West there are plenty of really beautiful places on the South Coast where you can place your feet in the sand, stare out at Africa and leave Europe well behind. For the Bugle team, however, the beach at Ligres is something special.

To get to Ligres from Rethymnon, drive South on the main road to Agia Galini and take the turn off to the right for Kerames a few kilometres past Spili. From Kerames, Ligres is signed (about 4 kilometres). The drive down from the main road is absolutely spectacular. Ligres has a very long stretch of unspoilt beach, so even in the height of the season it is unlikely to be overcrowded. Being unspoilt there are no beach chairs so you will need to bring your own umbrellas etc.

At Ligres you will find a wonderful Taverna with great food (fresh fish from the family’s boat) The Bugle Editorial Team spent the day at Ligres in May and thoroughly recommend the grilled sardines and white wine! The Taverna also has rooms to rent that have all mod cons. Ligres makes a great base not only for those who just want to chill out and relax, but also for those who want to explore the beautiful countryside in the surrounding area. Contact details are: M. Lampis, Kerame Ligres, 74053, Rethymnon, Crete. Phone 6974234509 / 6972524425, www.ligres.gr

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Turtle Awareness

Once again, here is our annual plea for people to keep sea turtles in mind when enjoying the beach this summer.

Between June and August loggerhead sea turtles - caretta caretta - return to the beaches where they were born to lay their eggs, with newborns hatching after about 55 days. The beaches around the Rethymnon area are some of the last remaining nesting sites in the Mediterranean for this critically endangered species. If you come across a protected nest on the beach - generally enclosed by metal frames and clearly marked– please don’t disturb it. It should be obvious to most people in any case, but also dispose of rubbish particularly carefully, plastic bags and bottles are a particular hazard as the sea turtles mistake them for jelly fish. Finally, if you are lucky enough to see a baby turtle making its first journey from the sand into the sea, please don’t touch it.

ARCHELON: The Sea Turtle Protection of Greece, carries out a number of conservation initiatives in the Rethymnon area. You can find out more about their work on the www.archelon.gr website. During the summer, Archelon usually have an information stand on the beach road staffed by volunteers Another organisation working in the same field is MEDASSET (the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles) you can find out more about their work on the www.medasset.org website.

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Swimming Safety

We don’t like to be harbingers of doom, and the Bugle water babes enjoy beach life as much as anyone else. Unfortunately, though, we have to report that every year a number of deaths from drowning occur in the Rethymnon region. Often drowning occurs when people ignore the warning flags that are flying. The beach in Rethymnon has a deceptive undertow, and just because the sea looks calm it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is safe to swim. As always, the messages are clear: If the red flag is flying, don’t even put a toe in the water, pay attention to instructions given by lifeguards and don’t go swimming on a full stomach or when drunk. Stating the obvious, maybe, but it is surprising just how many people ignore these basic safety rules.

Be warned: Despite what certain guide books say (naming no names), swimming at the stretch of beach that runs from the Venetian Harbour to the Marina (Town Beach) is now prohibited. However, there is only one sign on this stretch of beach indicating this and as you can see from our photo, it is not terribly easy to spot in between the parked cars! And whilst we’re on the subject, the promised work to ‘rejuvenate’ this area of town has yet to start as far as we can tell….

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Tourism Fair: Feedback

As we reported in last month’s issue, in May a five day Tourism fiesta was held in the municipal park. Despite rain on a couple of evenings, the event was well attended. There was music and dancing, and of course, food and drink! Representatives from many of the municipalities in the region were present, and promotional booths supplied us with stacks of information about where to go and what to see in the area. It’s going to be a busy summer! Many of the municipalities in the Rethymnon Nomos now have their own websites, a couple you might want to try if you’ re planning an excursion in the area are www.arkadi.gr and www.psilorites.eu — both sites give the visitor a wide range of different ideas for ‘grand days out’.