Evia Ultra Trail EN

The length of the route is 108.5 km with a maximum elevation gain of 5,478 m. The start and finish of the race take place at the Steni Elementary School. The race begins at Steni Elementary School at an altitude of 400 m. The route follows an asphalt road for 1.5 km until the Steni football field, where runners turn left to enter the trail (S1). The trail is uphill on accessible terrain for 1.5 km and ends at a forest dirt road. The route continues on the “Elatias” trail, a beautiful part of the race where athletes move through a dense forest of wild chestnut trees, plane trees, and Cephalonian firs, up to the “Mich. Nikolaou” mountain shelter of EOS Chalkidas at an altitude of 1117 m. From the shelter, the route descends on a forest dirt road with two small technical sections for 2.5 km until Rachi Syka, where runners enter another dense forest trail (Xirovouni Trail – X1). The route continues eastward on a trail with accessible terrain and some rocky sections, with gentle ascents and descents, passing to the right of the Xirovouni ridge, known for its popular climbing routes. Along the course, there are two springs with clean drinking water: Templa Spring at 10 km and Konisma Spring at 13 km.

From this point onward, a steep and demanding ascent begins, with +200 m of elevation gain over 1 km on a rocky trail, traversing below the Portaris peak, until reaching a paved road where the 1st aid station is located at the 15 km mark – altitude 1138 m. (From 15 km to 85 km, the route passes through Kotylaia, Kymi, Ortari, and the beaches of Tsilaros and Thapsa.) Specifically, from the 1st aid station, the route continues along dirt roads, reaching the foothills of Skotini Mountain. It passes by Setta Lake and the Setta Sinkhole on a plateau at 990 m elevation, which absorbs all the water from the surrounding area. Next, a strenuous ascent begins with +500 m of elevation gain, leading us past the southernmost and highest peak of Skotini, which stands at 1,362 m, offering vast panoramic views of Xirovouni, the village of Metochi, and the stunning Aegean Sea coastline.

The route then descends for 5 km to the imposing Vromonera Plateau, through a majestic fir forest, crossing impressive high-altitude dolines—natural sinkholes that create an eerie, otherworldly landscape. At Vromonera, there is a ✔ checkpoint and water station, and we continue toward the village of Andronianoi, where the 2nd aid station is located. We’ll cover 10 km on dirt roads and technical natural trails—a beautiful segment that passes through the Militsa area, a fir-covered forest in a place one would hardly believe exists in Greece, let alone on Evia. The Vromonera Plateau area is often referred to as the “Euboean Alps.” We are now in the Kotylaia Mountains at 850 m altitude, reaching the old Skalistiri quarry, where we’ll see remnants of bauxite rock, once mined here. From this point begins a long descent toward Andronianoi, with 600 m of negative elevation gain over 4 km, following the ancient Kalderimi/Skala until we reach the first dirt road. This road takes us through the village for 2 km, where we admire the two-story stone houses, built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries—houses, bridges, and churches constructed by Epirote craftsmen who had come to the region specifically for this purpose, just like in the nearby villages of Pyrgos and the upper settlement of Grammatikianoi. After a stop for refueling, we continue on a paved road toward “Santás Mill”, a location of exceptional natural beauty. Here, two rivers—Andronianiko and Vitaliótiko—meet and form the Melanas River, which flows down to Platana.

The landscape is idyllic. At Santas Mill, the two rivers are divided by the mill itself and connected by two stone bridges. One of them is arched and will be used to cross onto a rural road and paved road, alternating for 4 km, until the start of a downhill dirt road leading to the Central Station in Kymi. At the 39 km mark, we pass through the village of Pyrgos, a beautiful settlement on top of a lush green hill. There, you can admire many traditional houses, especially the Chrysanthopoulos mansion, which hosts a branch of the Folklore Museum of Kymi. We then find ourselves on the Taxiarches–Kymi main road, south of Pyrgos, where runners from the race “Sacrifice Road – Kakolyri 1944” also compete. At the 40 km mark, we leave the main road to the left, heading uphill on a dirt road to pass through the settlement of Grammatikianoi, where the greenery and charm of the village stimulate both historical and nature-loving interest. At 42 km, we leave the asphalt road again and turn left at the Agia Paraskevi chapel. A steep traverse leads us to the entrance of a dirt road after a short section on asphalt at the 43 km mark. A 3 km downhill dirt road brings us to the entrance of Kymi, and then we run for 1 km through the town itself. There, the city welcomes us with the famous Folklore Museum of Kymi, the central square named after the globally renowned Kymian doctor Georgios Papanikolaou, and the Metropolitan Church of Agios Athanasios. This is where the Central Station, drop bag, and relay exchange point are located. Departing from beautiful Kymi, we begin the ascent from Choneftiko toward Ortari, a peak near Kymi, Evia, with an elevation of 870 m. It is said to be one of the tallest vertical cliff in Europe rising directly from sea level. The route passes just below the peak after covering 5 km of demanding uphill terrain. Leaving the main station, we travel a short distance on asphalt before entering a dirt road. Shortly after, we turn left onto a trail that begins next to a small bridge. We then cross a distinctive rocky section that is not technically difficult. The route continues through the Koumataria stream with continuous ascents, eventually leading to a dirt road that we follow for about 1 km before re-entering the trail. From here, the Ortari peak gradually comes into view. We continue downhill on an old dirt road and trails until we reach the chapel of Agios Panteleimonas.

Here the road ends, and the Kryfi Panagia trail begins — a 2.3 km out-and-back hike (so 4.6 km total). The trail starts uphill and continues through forest, ending with a short scree slope that leads to the chapel of Kryfi Panagia, along a not-so-easy path, but with a breathtaking view. The chapel of Kryfi Panagia — where, each year on August 18, during the Dormition three-day observances, a Divine Liturgy is held — is built within the rocks, making one wonder how it was ever constructed in such a location. On the horizon, Skyropoula and Skyros islands can be seen. At the chapel, you must pick up the number associated with your name, which you will present at the finish line. We return along the same trail, then turn right for a steep descent of 6 km with 500 m negative elevation on a technical path and dirt road, heading toward Tsilaros Beach (those who are too warm can take a detour down to the beach for a dip). Leaving the beach behind, a steep uphill climb takes us to the “Elos ton Thapson” (Thapsa Wetland) — a vibrant wetland home to water turtles, frogs, and various birds. At the 63rd kilometer of the race, we turn right to circle the wetland. Then comes an uphill trail with traverses, and to our left appears Thapsa Beach, known as the “Blue Lagoon,” with magical views of the towering cliffs of Itamos — dizzying and inaccessible, fir-covered and rocky — plunging with ferocity from 850 meters straight into the sea. These are thought to be some of the highest cliffs in Greece that descend directly into the sea. We remind everyone that Thapsa and Tsilaros beaches are near the village of Vitalo. The route then descends along a trail until we reach Thapsa Beach, where there is an aid station and checkpoint.
We continue with 10 km of climbs on a dirt road up to the next aid station at the 74 km mark, located in Vitalo. There, athletes will have the chance to meet and join their Pacers for the remainder of the race. Leaving the Vitalo aid station, we proceed on a 1.5 km downhill section of the Kymi–Metochi asphalt road, and then turn left onto a dirt road toward Karya Stream – Eftaos – (Vromonera checkpoint). After 1.5 km on the dirt road, the trail begins from the Karya stream, climbing to the Vromonera plateau — from the Ancient Greek vromos (thunderous) + nero (water), hence “Vromonera” meaning “thunderous water.” This plateau is the heart of the fir forest, which we had also encountered during the early kilometers of the race. We now find ourselves within a fir forest, with trees over 35 meters tall, mostly Cephalonian fir, along with oaks, arbutus, and wildflowers, all accompanied by breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea and the Sporades islands, as we climb once again toward Skotini. It’s worth noting that the Kotylaia–Skotini mountains have the highest cave density in Greece, with over 200 identified cave entrances, studied by expert speleologists. Particularly in the Eftaos and Vromonera areas, there are remarkable cave systems with impressive landforms and distinctive rock formations. Over millions of years, these rocks have developed complex cave structures and underground water tunnel networks. For all these reasons, there is potential for the area to be designated as a Speleological Park.

We are now at the 80th kilometer of the race. Here we have a ✔ checkpoint and water station. From this point, we must climb 8 km up to the Skotini summit. Following that, a technical downhill trail stretches for 2 km, until we reach a dirt road that leads us to the Setta 2 aid station, located at the 92nd kilometer.
We continue for 1 km on asphalt road and then turn right to enter the alpine sections of the route. The terrain now alternates between forested dirt roads and rocky, technical trails. At a fork in the dirt road, take the right path, heading west. After 3 km, you will find a spring with potable water, and after another 1 km,n you’ll arrive at the beautiful chapel of Agios Panteleimonas. Throughout this section, we are moving along the southeastern slopes of Xirovouni, essentially circling the mountain and taking in the wild beauty of the region. Next comes 3.5 km of technical scree terrain, after which we re-enter the forested Xirovouni trail. The route then continues along the S3 trail, descending sharply for 3.5 km. This section requires special attention due to its steep gradients and challenging footing. Afterward, we have an easy river crossing. The final 1.9 km take us through the village streets, leading us to the finish line at the Primary School of Steni. A total of 107 demanding yet breathtaking kilometers through the stunning landscapes of Xirovouni, Skotini, the Kotylaia mountains, Andronianoi, Kymi, Vitalo, Choneftiko, Ortari, Kryfi Panagia, Tsilaros, and Thapsa.