Kalymnos Secret Garden

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. 

Region
Greece - Kalymnos
Rock Type
Limestone
Altitude
200m
Number of routes
50
Faces
North
Climbing Area
Kalymnos
Directions

Follow the road North out of Masouri and drive towards Emporios to reach Skalia village. At the far end of the village is a right turn that climbs steeply up through several hairpins to a col, from where there is a descent towards Palionisos. Park shortly after the 5th and last hairpin, where a track coming up from a long valley (which goes to the Beach crag) meets the road. Descend 50 metres to a clearing and follow the cairned track from its north side over a col, and then contouring round and down to the Secret Garden. About 15 to 20 minutes from the parking

Sport and bolted routes

Topo Ref Route Sport Grade Length Quality Description Tick
04 Kalolimnos 6b 20m **

Slippy at the start, then find the holds through the roof
15 Margarita 6c 20m ***
16 Dirlanda 7b+ 25m ***

A steep start, then hard bouldery moves, and a pumpy final wall
22 Pomponidoux 7a+ 30m ***
24 Melodrama 7a 25m ***
25 Frapogalo 6c 25m ***
29 Ricounet 6c+ 25m ***
30 Crisis 7a 25m ***

Technical clmbing up the right hand side of the tufa
47 Mayumba 7a 25m ***

A hard boulder problem start followed by more delicate climbing

Crags in this region: