Volunteer hiking team clears island walking trails

It was late August 2005 when a group of mountaineers based in Vrilissia, northern Athens, arrived on Icaria with the aim of mapping the Aegean island's network of mountain paths, which up until then were mostly uncharted and had in many cases become impassable.

The volunteer mission - their first - was successful, and since then all of Icaria's trails have been mapped. Every summer, some 30 members of the Vrilissos Naturalist Club go island-hopping, mapping scenic walking paths and making them accessible for those who want to follow in their footsteps. This summer they traveled to the group of small islands called Fournoi, which lie between Icaria and Samos, with 900 permanent residents.

Kathimerini caught up with the team the day before they were due to head back to Athens. They were enjoying a meal at a seaside taverna in the town of Kamari, celebrating their...