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For 2008, ExploreMore offers you two separate set walking weeks in the Spring and two in the Autumn.

Jenny who leads the ExploreMore walking tours – has been visiting, exploring and enjoying the Cretan culture, lifestyle and landscape for over nine years. As well as having extensive experience of walking and trekking in western Crete, she is a qualified Mountain Leader and a member of the British Mountaineering Council, The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, Mountain Leader Training Association and the Hania Mountain Club.

All walking tours are designated by one, two or three kri-kri, according to their difficulty and the level of fitness required. It is important to be realistic about personal fitness, for your own enjoyment and that of the rest of the group. Our Guided Walking Tours are carefully planned to avoid the hottest months but some of the routes are through the maquis-type terrain in the foot-hills of the White Mountains and along old paths and mule tracks, which are not always well-maintained. Advice on fitness will be given and reiterated in the booking confirmation.

Accommodation for these tours will be in hotels or apartments in Hania or the area of Apokoronas, depending on factors such as the type of walking holiday, the number of people in the group and the time of year - trekking, for example, will include nights in suitable accommodation elsewhere.

The programme for 2008 is as shown below. A more detailed itinerary will be sent with confirmation of booking, though this may be subject to modification at the time, according to such factors as the weather or the abilities of members of the group.

Exploring the Hillsides, Villages and Coastal Areas of Western Crete

May 13th-20th and September 16th-23rd 2008

These tours are suitable for occasional walkers as well as those wishing to combine some not-too-strenuous walking with a mix of other leisure activities, such as an evening of Cretan dancing at a local taverna, painting or yoga. There will be about three to four hours of walking on four days, with painting and yoga or relaxing on the other two days.

Apokoronas is ideal for walking, with an intricate network of ancient paths and tracks linking its unspoilt villages; each with a welcoming taverna. The whole area is an enticing mix of fertile plains and hillsides covered in olive groves, wild flowers and aromatic herbs.

We shall be exploring ancient sites and the bustling city of Hania as well as the small town of Fres, where we can watch weaving on looms that have been used for generations. A day will be spent amidst the contrasting and dramatic scenery of the south coast, where we shall be able to walk to a hill-top Turkish fort with time to swim and relax beside the Libyan sea.

Price: £ 650 - with no single supplement. This price includes all transport, Hania airport transfers, accommodation and breakfasts, taverna lunches or picnics, some evening meals and the services of a qualified Mountain Leader. Flights excluded.

Walk on the Wild Side in Western Crete

May 27th-June 3rd and September 30th-October 7th 2008

These tours are intended for more experienced and energetic walkers. The walks may cover rough terrain and include some scrambling. There will normally be five to six hours of walking a day, with ascents of up to around 700 metres.

We shall be exploring the lesser-known reaches of the foothills of the White Mountains as well as the rugged interior; sometimes escorted by soaring raptors but rarely encountering other walkers.

We'll walk to remote churches, old, stone-built, shepherds' dwellings and caves which have provided refuge against oppressors for hundreds of years. The names of villages such as Vaphes and Vrisses will be familiar to readers of the Cretan Runner and other books of the period. Paths lead to the south coast, with its stunningly beautiful beaches, dramatic gorges and fishing villages only accessible by ferry or on foot.

Price: £ 685 - with no single supplement. This price includes all transport, Hania airport transfers, accommodation and breakfasts, taverna lunches or picnics, some evening meals and the services of a qualified Mountain Leader. Flights excluded.

All these itineraries can have days added on to take account of special interests, such as flower identification and photography - particularly in the spring when the meadows are in full bloom - horse-riding, rock-climbing and bird-watching.