Kalymnos 2015
Our autumn trip this year was one week in Kalymnos. You'll know all about Kalymnos already, or if you don't, you'll know a climber who does. However, if you're climbing our sort of grades (fives and sixes) (if you read our Spring report you'll see our climbing has improved!) and don't have £38.00 or access to the latest edition of the Kalymnos guide, you'll find information below on some of the crags that have been developed since the previous edition.
We've only included a few pics here but you'll find more on our facebook page.
Accommodation?
We stayed in Myrties this year, having always stayed in Massouri previously. However we ate in the fleshpots of Massouri most often because a cunning route between houses and down steps meant they were only 10 minutes walk away (but 20 mins back!). Melina's Apartments were an excellent find. They were very clean and comfortable, quiet and had all the facilities we needed. There was private parking, and transfers to and from the ferry by Georgios, the genial apartment proprietor, were included in the cost of the accommodation.
When?
Mid-October 2015
Travel?
Jet2 flight from Manchester (dep 09.45) to Kos arrived in time for us to get a taxi across the island (15 euros) to Mastichari, enjoy some refreshments there, and then catch the ferry to Kalymnos where Georgios was waiting at the quayside.
We used a hire car in Kalymnos. The cost is probably not much more expensive than scooters when shared between four and the advantages are obvious.
Return via Jet2 departing Kos 17.00 arriving Manchester 19.30.
Total flight costs approx £230 at the time we booked.
Climbing
We climbed every day. The new developments we enjoyed and would recommend were as follows:
Prophitis Andreas – Elephant Slide
At the summit of the col on the road between Skalia and Palionisos there's a parking area opposite a little chapel. A goat track leads to the crag via a hidden olive tree. From the tree, strike directly up to the crag. The guide time of 20 mins assumes either a) you are a goat or b) you are chased by goats. So it took us longer than that but it isn't an unpleasant walk and only steep after the olive tree. The routes are mostly in the 4a – 5b range, the exceptions being one each of 5c, 6a and 6b. It's a quiet, shady, well-bolted crag with almost no loose rock encountered. We chose it for our first day and it proved to be an excellent acclimatiser. The route of the crag is undoubtedly the eponymous Elephant Slide 4a, one of the best routes of the week, whose quality deserves trumpeting far and wide: once climbed, you'll never forget it!
Gerakios – Trois Ilots (Middle Section)
Not a new crag but the scene of a lot of new routes, many of them nice and long (and sometimes sharp).
We started on the slab section of Trois Ilots which has 3ème Age 5b, Ginette 5b+ and Epidixias 5c, all 3 stars, on its left hand side, eventually moving down and left to the photogenic Pépite Haute 6a, and the razor blades of Trip 5b.
If you are interested in the routes further right on Trois Ilots Right, do NOT try to access them by staying close to the crag-face (especially not if wearing shorts): after 10 -15 mins of scrub-bashing you will be forced to retrace your steps. Instead, descend from the 3ème Age slab a little way and contour around along a thin path.
North Cape and School
One day we split up, two to go to North Cape and the others to walk further to reach the long routes on School. The shortest, shorts-wearing member of the team was longing for long pants (though his breath came in long pants) by the time he reached School. Anyone attracted by the long, quality routes on this crag should approach from Odyssey. The North Cape routes are steep and sharp, often on chickenheads. Highlights here were No Fly Zone 5B, Sposi 6c, To Proto Moro Mou 5c+ and Grazie 6a+.
Miltiadis
Some new 25m routes (5c – 6a+) have been crammed in on the right hand side of the crag (looking in). Stiff starts and sharp rock. Some of the long lower grade routes were delightful – Telendos Star 5a was worth its 3 stars, Epetios tou Okhi 6a and Papy Rebel 6a were good value.
Summertime
A new (2014) and spectacular addition at the right hand end of the main crag on a pinnacle is Leuchtturm 5c, with a steep finish and good views – if you remember to look!
And from a small team’s memories of 2014, The Beach has a number of new routes, and is well worth the walk down, which few seemed to make. Suite at 5c was memorable for its final moves. Palionisos Bay was also visited, with a fairly standard collecion of slab routes on the right, the best being No Spirit, No Station 5c, and some quite unusual harder routes on the left, like Iltis 6a+. Also visited last year was Je T’Aime, where some of the newer routes gave pause for thought – for example Voila 6c and Lanterne 6b+.
Weather
Unusually hot for the time of year. i.e. mid- to high-twenties centigrade. Rain was forecast throughout the week but apart from a bit of murk one morning nothing materialised. The day we came home, however, saw very dark clouds and at least one 20 minute downpour. Two days later it was raining heavily after a stormy night.
Après Climb
Nothing new here! Except that in October for sure its becoming more and more necessary to book a table in a restaurant! The Aegean is still our favourite for the ambience and food, but the tuna at the Smugglers in Myrties was not to be missed. Katerina’s at Arginonta has the best honey to take home, and Emporios is a great place to end a day’s climbing at the west end of the island.
Guidebook
Kalymnos 2015 can be purchased on the island but if you prefer to whet your appetite beforehand it can be obtained from several sources, including:
Copyright 2012 Dave Hume and Mike Blood. If you are affected by any of the issues in this publication, contact your nearest climbing therapist.