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Mid May in Crete tips

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scott:
I'm lucky enough to be heading to Crete next week but will probably be limited to one or two days with a hire car to explore looking for plants. Could anyone offer me some pointers to possible locations to visit so I can make the most of the brief time I have please? I will be staying a little to the west of Heraklion and I suspect most of the orchids etc at lower altitudes will be over but hopefully I can see a few beauties by heading higher!
Thanks

Maggi Young:
I cannot offer you any advice Scott, other than to enjoy yourself!!  Sure you'll have a great time and see some interesting plants!!

TC:
I spent a few holidays in Crete orchid hunting in 25/04/95 -5/05 95 and found a photographed many species of mountain flora. I was based in Georgioupoli, near Rethymno which is really a bit too far from Heraklion.

 I would suggest the Lasithi plain, some 60km south east of Heraklion  From my notes we drove up to the top of the plain some 1500 metres in altitude. I noted, we found an orchid mine -  four spotted, pauciflora, fusca, lutea, woodcock and others.  also cyclamen creticum   Spili and Gerikari were our favourite hunting areas and also the mountain Gingelos away over to the west at 2000 metres.  There we had crocuses and anchusa caespitosa.

 We had a fortnight to travel around and could have done with double that.  Within reason, take the dirt roads and just stop and look for 15 minutes.  Suddenly your eyes will pick out a flower and then they seem to appear in profusion.

If you stay away from the busy areas , it is likely that little will have changed.

scott:
Thank you Maggie and thank you Tom for the useful advice.

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