The small, blissfully quiet island of Tílos , with an official population of about five hundred (dwindling to eighty in winter), is one of the least frequented and worst connected of the Dodecanese, though it can (in theory) be visited on a day-trip by hydrofoil or catamaran once or twice a week. Why anyone would want to come for just a few hours is unclear: while it's a great place to rest on the beach or go walking, there is nothing very striking at first glance. After a few days, however, you may have stumbled on several of the seven small castles of the Knights of St John which stud the crags, or found some of the inconspicuous medieval chapels clinging to the hillsides.

 

Tílos shares the characteristics of its closest neighbours: limestone mountains resembling those of Hálki, plus volcanic lowlands, pumice beds and red-lava sand as on Níssyros. Though rugged and scrubby on its heights, the island has ample water - from springs or pumped up from the agricultural plains - and clusters of oak and terebinth near the cultivated areas. From many points on the island you've startling views across to Kós, Symi, Turkey, Níssyros, Hálki, Rhodes and even (weather permitting) Kárpathos.

Since the mid-1990s, however, development on Tílos has threatened to reverse the conditions which many visitors have historically come to enjoy; besides the Dodge City atmosphere of Livádhia, a hyperactive bulldozing programme has scarred virtually every mountain in the east of the island. A 1998-vintage road from the telecom-tower hill, heading east along the summit ridge, is intended to facilitate a proposed fish farm at Áyios Séryios, which will finish that cove as a leisure beach.

Tílos's main road, widened and repaved in 1999-2000, runs 7km from Livádhia, the port village, to Megálo Horió, the capital and only other significant habitation. A public minibus links the two, and services are theoretically scheduled to coincide with ferry arrivals; at other times the bus makes up to six runs daily along the Livádhia-Éristos stretch. There are also two taxis , or you can rent a car from two outlets in Livádhia (Stefanakis Travel and Tilos Travel). Stefanakis currently has a monopoly on ferry tickets; Tilos Travel is arguably the more helpful, however (tel & fax 02460/44 294, www.tilostravel.co.uk ), offering a full accommodation booking service, money exchange, boat excursions all season - providing there are sufficient passenger numbers - and scooter rental. The island's single filling station lies between Livádhia and Megálo Horió.

Many visitors come specifically to walk , assisted by the extremely accurate map prepared by Baz "Paris" Ward and sold locally - or by certified walking guides Iain and Lyn Fulton (tel 02460/44 128 or 094/6054593, fulton@otenet.gr ), who may take you on unusual itineraries not described or mapped in existing literature. A half-dozen critical sections of deteriorating trail or kalderími have been surveyed in preparation for cleaning and rebuilding in the near future, so quality walking opportunities may have stabilized and should improve in the future.