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Kambos (or Kampos) is on the West Coast of Crete about halfway up, in fact only just about in the South West.
2009 June: When we went we spent 2 hours walking including a small and pretty gorge; 2 hours on the beach and 2 hours walking back in which time we met no-one else.
It's sandy at the water's edge but stony further away. Sfinari is just over the headland but it looks like a hard climb.
21°C
2018 October: Don’t be deceived, as we were, by a well-known guide book which says “there is a steep but driveable track down, asphalted to the last 100m or so”. Yes, from the road heading north from Kampos, at 35°23'50.5"N 23°34'27.2"E, a track branches off to the left. We got about 100m down the track, thought better of it, parked and walked the rest! A wise decision, the track most certainly isn’t asphalt and it was a real struggle to get our small 2WD car back up that first 100m. Beyond half way down even a 4WD might find it hard going! The track meanders 2.8mile (4.5km) down to the beach. First on the northern flank of the Kambos Gorge and then crossing over to the southern flank part way down. Gates across the track keep the sheep and goats in so do tie them back up again once you pass.
It is not a difficult walk but there are very few level sections so is somewhat arduous, particularly on the way back up, so do take plenty of water to drink. Stopping occasionally to rest and take in the views, the walk took us around two hours each way! Very scenic and peaceful. Only the tinkling of goat and sheep bells, birdsong and the occasional call of what looked like eagles soaring high above to be heard. That guide book is equally misleading about the footpath which starts from the village square. Although we didn’t take that footpath it looks to be a similar length, if not longer than the track so unless you are a super fit mountain goat, there is no way it can be done in one hour as the book suggests! The footpath intersects and shortly after merges with the track where it crosses the gorge.
We could see the footpath is now in a very poor state of repair so we decided to stay on the track. The footpath may offer a little more shade so in hot weather it might be a better choice. There is an interesting small building, picnic area and fountain (dried up when we visited) where track and path meet 35°24'27.7"N 23°33'41.9"E.
Other than a farmer in his pick-up truck near the top of the track, we didn’t encounter a soul either on the way down or back up so this may be a suitable route for those who like naked walks. We got very hot and it was tempting but we didn’t try. Be aware that the seemingly disused chapel of Agia Ekaterini and Agia Marina is on the route 35°24'27.6"N 23°33'36.4"E, and being seen naked in its vicinity could cause serious offence.
No sign of sand anywhere on the beach although the pebbles do get smaller closer to the water’s edge. We had the beach to ourselves when we arrived and had a very enjoyable skinny dip that was much needed to cool down after our long walk. Lovely sheltered location and great for swimming but wet shoes are advisable. Shortly after we arrived a couple of kayaks rounded Cape Korakas, the headland separating Sfinari to the north. The kayakers beached on the northern end of Platanakia and also took advantage of the isolated location for a skinny dip.
2020: Commenting on the 2018 post, it's disappointing that access has deteriorated and that the sand at the water edge seems to have disappeared but these things happen. We haven't been to Kambos for years but very heavy rains early in 2019 caused some changes in several places in Western Crete that we saw in July and may also have affected Kambos also. There was also very heavy rainfall in November and December 2019 and January this year.
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