Mount Oxa, Elounda, Crete, Greece - 5 July 2024

A hot and sweaty hike up to the top of Mount Oxa (540m) starting at the Olive Garden Apartments in Elounda, Crete.
Its the first time ever I've hiked and not come across anyone else, so its very nice from that perspective, but also keep that in mind from a safety point of view. Remember, when its hot take plenty of water with out as well as a few snacks. We had 6 litres between us and drank every drop!
*For anyone hiking up this route, don't attempt to follow the blue/white markings a few km's in when the steep tarmac road splits unless you want a very steep loose rocky scramble. Instead continue straight and follow the rocky road right and just keep going the longer (and safer) route along the road. You can't really get lost as there are no turn offs. Eventually as per the video, both paths meet up (and the path markings continue) just before the lonesome villa at the top of the road before turning up the mountain path. A 3D route is shown at the end of this video, also showing where we went wrong and simply turned around and continued along the safer path.*