The donkey of Pachia Ammos Beach
Donkeys have been, since ancient times, the faithful beast of burden of the farmer, builder and the locals as a means of transport. Each family living in rural areas owned a donkey which was mainly used for moving and agricultural activities. Before roads were paved, it provided the only safe means of negotiating narrow and winding paths where no car would fit. Also, traditionally, brides would ride on a donkey’s back to the church and back.Today they are still used by villagers but have mainly gained popularity as a tourist attraction.
Today the situation of the donkeys is not good. The population of donkeys in Greece showed a remarkable decrease over the last decades. From 508,000 in 1955, there were only 15'570 2008 and today even much less. The existing donkeys are characterised by a large diversity in phenotypes. The lack of any breeding programme for donkeys, the importation of jacks from foreign breeds, the loss of interest and under-appreciation, together with the ignorance of health and welfare needs of such animals were the main reasons that shaped the current status. The health and welfare status of donkeys differed enormously across different areas of Greece, reflecting differences in the cultural, economical and “emotional” importance of individual animals. It is revealed that many problems were associated with diseases originating in malnutrition, parasites and bad husbandry management. Today different private organisations are helping to give these interesting animals a better live.
The beach of Pahia Ammos is located on the west side of Paleochora and is the main beach of the village. The beach is almost 500m long, which makes it always seem empty. It has fine soft sand and shallow water, ideal for children. However, when westerly or southerly winds blow, the waves are quite big and need attention for kids.
Now look for the donkey of Ammos Beach, find the cache and admire the wonderfull scenery.
Happy Caching chfalke.✌️