Visit the WW2 Gun Emplacements
Distance: 2.75 km (1.72 without beach detour).
Terrain: Mostly tarmac to guns but beach path varied .
Duration: 1 hour approx.
Views: From guns,views of Lefkas.
Points of interest: German command house, guns and ammunition store.
Other: Detour for swim at Dafnoudi beach.
A walk in history – follow the path and visit the house where the German Commandant lived during the occupation of WW2 and continue to the site of the German gun emplacements and ammunition stores.
This walk can be started from Antipata. If you would like to start from Fiscardo then follow the Deserted Village walk first and then continue with this walk
Start Point: Antipata – coming from Fiscardo by road, take the turning on the right signposted Dafnoudi Beach. There is a souvenir / beach item shop called Rafiki on the corner which is hard to miss. Follow this road and after around ten minutes there is a sharp bend to the right and on your right, a large and dilapidated but magnificent house. To imagine the former glory of this house, take a peek at the walled gardens, vine shaded sun terraces and imposing entrance gates. This was once the largest house in the area and commandeered by the occupying German troops as a command residence.
Continue along this road and you will shortly come to the clearly signposted turning for the beach. You can either take this detour before, or after you have visited the gun emplacements. The track down to the beach is around 800 metres and quite rough in places. There is a slight gradient as you descend through a very beautiful valley
To reach the gun emplacements, either stay on the road or rejoin after your detour and continue downwards until the road ends. On your left will be a wooden gate. Go through the gate and follow the track,looking to your right as you go. After around 5 minutes, on a terrace below the track you should see what appears to be a large circle of concrete. On closer inspection you will notice that threaded studs protrude from the concrete. These were the mountings for the large German cannons that were used to guard the entrance to the busy shipping channel between Lefkas, Ithaca and Kefalonia.
Walk down and take a look around. Behind the mountings, in the rock face you will witness what was, an amazing feat of engineering. There are two steep tunnels carved deep into the rock. These lead to a series of chambers, all man made, that comprised the ammunition stores and billets for the gun crews. It was a considerable achievement if you remember this was constructed by German army engineers using local labour. The locals were paid for their efforts in special issue military currency.
