We were delighted to hike the official D1 “Penteli Panorama” route of the Dionysos Trails, part of the Penteli “Regeneration Trails” network. The trail was created by Paths of Greece using part of the support provided by Andriaki Shipping, a Trail Guardian Gold, for the work of Paths of Greece, and the hiking event was a wonderful opportunity to walk it together for the first time.
A Hike with Friends of Penteli
The Mayor of Dionysos, Ms Katerina Maichosoglou, municipal councillors, Andriaki Shipping employees and many friends of hiking, young and old, joined the event. Paths of Greece was represented by Fivos Tsaravopoulos and Nikos Katsaros.
We met at the start of the trail, the Old Train Station, next to the information sign with the route map. From there we set off on a hike through a pine forest, with views, history and plenty of stops along the way.
Trail D1: Penteli Panorama
D1 is a circular route on the slopes of Mount Penteli, suitable for any hiker with a moderate level of fitness. The key facts:
- Length: 5.9 km
- Duration: about 2 hours 30 minutes
- Difficulty: 2 out of 5
- Total ascent: 324 metres
- Starting point: Old Train Station
Along the way the trail passes Agios Georgios, Profitis Ilias, Agios Nikitas and Agios Loukas, and it goes by the Open Museum of Quarrying Art (Aloula), where the Pentelic marble, the same stone used to build the Parthenon, tells the long history of the mountain.
At the trailhead, the signs show the map, the elevation profile and all the practical information, while a QR code leads to the Outdooractive app so hikers can carry the route on their phone. The trail design and signposting were carried out by Paths of Greece. The same trailhead is the start of the D1A variant, “The Marble Trail” (5.2 km, 2 hours, difficulty 1 out of 5), which leads to the Solinari Spring and the Open Museum of Quarrying Art.
Andriaki Shipping: Trail Guardian Gold of Paths of Greece
Andriaki Shipping supports Paths of Greece as a Gold Trail Guardian. The Trail Guardians programme is the corporate sponsorship scheme of Paths of Greece, giving companies with a strong sense of Corporate Social Responsibility the chance to contribute to the upkeep and promotion of trails.
Andriaki Shipping supports the overall work of Paths of Greece. As part of this support, Paths of Greece created Trail D1, using a portion of the funds provided by Andriaki Shipping, and gave the trail the visibility it deserves, with waymarking, information signs and a digital presence that make it safe and welcoming for all hikers.
Seeing Andriaki Shipping’s employees on the hike showed in the best possible way that support does not end with sponsorship: it continues on the trail itself, on foot.
Penteli Regeneration Trails and WWF
Trail D1 belongs to the “Penteli Regeneration Trails” programme, which is also being implemented with funding from WWF. The programme aims to restore, waymark and promote the trails of Penteli, so that the mountain becomes a hiking destination for the residents of Attica and for visitors from around the world, with respect for nature and the local community.
Thank You
Our warmest thanks go to Andriaki Shipping for its trust and its support of our work as Trail Guardian Gold, and to the Municipality of Dionysos, which placed its trust in us for its trails. We also thank the Mayor, Ms Maichosoglou, and the municipal councillors who walked with us, and everyone who took part in the hike.
Penteli now has one more well-marked trail to offer. Come and walk it: download Trail D1 from the Outdooractive app and discover the Penteli Panorama. If you would like to adopt a trail, or organise a hike for your team, get in touch with us.