Greece - Kalymnos

The island that is a climbing jewel in the Aegean

 

Crag

A couple of caves with some steep overhanging routes that are always in the shade

Number of routes
20
Range of Routes
6b+ - 8b
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
In the shade all day
Crag

Milianos cave is the prominent small cave visible from the large bend in the road as you descend from Arginonta Pass to Vathy. The climbing is on the walls left of the cave. it is a pleasant crag in a beautiful location with slab and wall climbs on pocketed rock. It gets the shade in the afternoon.

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
5a - 7b
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
The crag is in the shade in the afternoon
Crag

The two large caves just up the road from Summertime have some good and very steep routes. Easy access and shade in the afternoon.

Number of routes
10
Range of Routes
7b+ to 8a+
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
Shade after 11am
Crag

Pleasant climbing, mainly on slabs and steep walls with a couple of caves to test the ambitious climber. Bolting is good and the holds often sharp. Gets the sun between 10.30am on the LHS, and 13.00 on the right hand side cave.

Number of routes
60
Range of Routes
5b - 8b
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

A big crag with 7 distinct sectors. A bit of everything from steep tufa climbs to easy pocketed slabs. Excellent throughout.

Number of routes
50
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
The sectors get the sun generally after 1pm
Crag

Routes for everyone here.From 4b to 9a. Gets the sun after about 2pm on the left hand side, later on the right hand side and in the caves. Getting very pollished.

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
4b - 9a
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
Stays in the shade until about 4pm
Crag

Steep slabs and walls, on the big cra above Odyssey. Rough rock with lots of big tufas and pockets that give excellent climbing. Gets the sun after about 1.30pm

Number of routes
40
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

At the north end of the island is a remote, beautiful bay and beach with a few houses and bars. This is Palionisos. Above the road that leads there are 3 cliffs, Red Wall, Paradise Beach and Palionsis Bay. They contain many excellent mid grade routes on good rock. They get the sun most of the day. On winter days, profit from it, in summer go to the beach!

Number of routes
60
Range of Routes
5c - 7a
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

An excellent and popular crag with tufa climbing on quality rock that is as good as it gets. The tufas can sometimes be greasy on humid windless days. Although not as steep as Grande Grotta, good stamina pays dividends on the long pitches.

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
6b - 8c
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
Gets the sun after about 1.30pm
Crag

A relatively remote crag reached from the top of the Arginonta pass with late afternoon shade. It has several sectors with varying quality of rock, from poor to excellent. Helmets srongly recommended!

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
5b - 8b
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
shade starts from 13.00 to16.00 according to the sector
Crag

The nearest climbing to Masouri, and thus very popular. Lots of excellent routes on superb rock in all grades.

Number of routes
100
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
Gets the sun after 1pm
Crag

High up on the skyline above Skalia, Prophitis Andreas offers beautiful views and lovely climbing on slabs and walls. The rock is mostly good and the routes are long and well equipped. An 80m rope and plenty of quick draws are necessary. The left hand has some hard, and sometimes painful routes with bouldery starts. It is not clear if all bolted lines here have been climbed, but will be 8a or harder. The middle section from the route Prophitis Andreas rightwards contains the best routes.The right hand side has climbs of varying quality.

Number of routes
40
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
In the sun after midday
Crag

A conspicuous crag just a kilometre from Palionisos Bay, the Red Wall has some excellent steep and technical fingery routes on generally good rock. Well worth a visit on a cloudy day, otherwise the sun arrives early and you will cook

Number of routes
25
Range of Routes
6a to 7a+
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
after 11am
Crag

A beautiful walk to a beautiful crag next to the quaint chapel of Saint Photis. The climbing is also interesting and varied;  Chapel View has steep sharp slabs, sector Icare has smooth walls and overhanging cave routes on excellent rock, and to the right of the chapel, Chapel Wall has some nice wall climbing. All in all St Photis is well worth the visit. Beware though of days when the lack of wind brings damp conditions, the rock here can sometimes feel very slippery.

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
5c - 8b
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

An excellent crag for beginners and middle grade climbers with easy access and lovely views over Arginonta bay. The routes are mostly slabs and walls, and many require an 80m rope. Great Canyon has some steeper, harder routes. The sun arrives early, between 10am and midday depending on the sector.

Number of routes
100
Range of Routes
5a - 6c
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
After 11am
Crag

Being one of the few crags that gets the shade all day has meant that the once "Secret" Garden has become a "very well known and popular" garden. The crag is steep and covered with tufas and excellent routes. That said, the once spiky rock is rapidly becoming polished and on humid days the holds can sometimes feel a bit soapy on the tufas. The routes are mostly in the 6b to 8a range, and well bolted, giving the ambitious climber lots to work on. 

Number of routes
50
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

An incredible geological feature on the north side of the island. Sikati Cave is a huge hole in the ground 100m tall and 100m wide situated above a beautiful beach. Most of the climbing is in the upper grades, very steep on tufa formations. Except for a few warm ups, the routes stay in the shade all day. Because the cave is sheltered, the holds can be greasy on warm or humid days when there is no wind, and is best avoided in these conditions. 

Number of routes
30
Range of Routes
7a - 8c
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

Steep overhanging climbing and a few wall climbs north of Sympleglades

Number of routes
20
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
In the morning
Crag

A popular crag, with some excellent long and hard routes. Spartacus is a large cave that does not get the sun until late in the day, hence the popularity. Climbing is on steep overhanging pocketed walls in the centre, and vertical walls slabs at the sides. On humid days the rock can get very soapy.

Number of routes
50
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

The crags left of Grande Grotta are perfect for climbing in the Afternoon, they do not get the sun until about 4pm. At their left hand side is the impressive white Spartan Wall, and lower down nearer Grande Grotta the sector Afternoon. Both have excellent routes, mostly steep walls and lower grade slabs.

Number of routes
30
Range of Routes
4c - 8c
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
Stays in the shade until about 4pm
Crag

The two sectors Stankill and Ivory Tower are probably the quietest in the Poets / Grande Grotta area, the slightly longer walk thinning the crowds a bit. The climbing is mostly on vertical walls and has many worthwhile routes on both sharp grey limestone as well as the more slippy orange.

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
5a - 8a
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
Stankill stays in the shade until about 1pm, Ivory Tower until 3.30pm
Crag

Sheltered and south facing, the main part of Styx is a sun trap and thus a good crag for the winter months. That said the sun does not reach the SW facing walls until 12.30, and here can be pleasant in spring and autumn. It has beautiful views over the bay of Emporios, which offers welcome swimming and lunch in the warmer months. The rock is often sharp. Guillot corner is a classic of the grade.

Number of routes
40
Range of Routes
6a - 7b
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

One of the few sectors at Kalymnos that gets the shade in the afternoon, so popular with those that stay in bed late. Some nice slabs near to the road, and steeper routes a bit further up the hill. 

Number of routes
50
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

A pleasant location high above the southern end of Masouri with climbing in a sort of gorge that has always a sunny and shady side. The walls of the gorge give excellent steep pocketed climbing in the middle grades. The shade moves from the south to the north face between 1pm and 2pm.

Number of routes
50
Range of Routes
5b - 7a
Rock Type
Limestone
Crag

Vathy is a pleasant and pictueresque port on the east side of alymnos. It is best know for its Deep Water Soloing crag, but there are also some long sea traverses and a couple of bolted cliffs. When it is hot and the water is warm, it is a great place to spend a rest day.

Number of routes
20
Range of Routes
5c - 7b
Rock Type
Limestone
Sun
The DWS crag gets the sun after 10am, although the back of the cave stays in the shade much longer