Kalymnos Rockclimbing
After Rovinj, I returned to Mumbai to try to earn some money to fund the girl's travel. Kate, Lucy and Ada continues onto Italy, which is detailed in other posts. Our plan was to meet again on the Greek Island of Kalymnos for a week of beach and rock climbing.
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| Arriving in Porthia the main town in Kalymnos |
We picked Kalymnos because of the world class rock climbing, great beaches, good weather, great available accommodation and wonderful Greek food and hospitality. Prior to meeting the girls in Kalymnos, I had a work conference in Dublin and then traveled via Bodrum, in Turkey, to Kos, neighbouring Greek Island where we all met before traveling on to Kalymnos. Dublin and Bodrum/Kos are covered in separate posts.
We met in Mastichari, the site of the ferry to Kos and enjoys a sunny but slightly bumpy crossing to Kalymnos. We disembarked at the main town, Porthia, which was quaint but left Lucy asking why we had not gone to Santorini or Mykonas. We met the agent for the holiday rental and picked up a rental car, a somewhat rickety Fiat Panda, before traveling to our house at Kastelli Blu (www.kastelliblu.com).
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| Mousouri from the house |
Our opinion of Kalymnos changed dramatically as we commenced the descent into Mousouri on the western coast. We had climbed slowly from Porthia but the island dropped away sharply to the seato reveal layers of cliff lines and a series of villages perched on the coast with spectacular views across a narrow channel to the island of Talendos.
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| The house from Oddessy including the trusty Fiat Panda |
Our house was typically Greek, with a flat roof, white washed walls and blue shutters on a terrace above a section of rocky coastline. It was small but very stylishly decorated.
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| Dining room and Lucy's day bed |
There was basically three rooms, a kitchen and dining room with a large daybed with dining area and day bed on a sunken floor below the kitchen.
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| The lounge and Ada's day bed |
The second room was a double bed on a raised curtained off platform leading down to a daybed lovely sitting area. The third room was a large bathroom which was accessible from both rooms.
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| The queen of the kitchen from the verandah |
Both rooms had double doors with shutters which opened onto the balcony which had uninterrupted view to the very blue Aegean Sea. The girls slept on the day beds effectively giving each of us a separate sleeping area. Best of all, the apartment was directly below spectacular cliff lines offering world class climbing within walking distance.
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| The main street in Mousouri |
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| The Aegean. Would you buy a used fish from this man? |
After exploring town we drove to Arginonta at the head of a fjord like waterway for a swim on a practically deserted shingle beach albeit with resident Donkey! Dinner that night was at the highly recommended The Aegean Restaurant for a wonderful sunset, flaming saganki, greek salad and octopus. Our waiter, like many people from Kalymnos, had family in Australia and was planning a visit to Melbourne.
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| Sunset from the Aegean |
I was able to pick up the local guide book, an excellent publication, with photos and clear route descriptions. This, combined with the names painted on the rock at the bottom of routes and crag markers on the main roads, made route finding exceptionally easy. In term of gear, I had 14 quick draws which was not enough for routes close to 35 metres but, as the bolts were closely spaced, I was happy to avoid clipping a bolt or two.
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| Kastelli, a great place to find your feet |
The next day we ventured out to Kastelli, a rocky promontory visible from the house with the ruins of a Byzantine castle on the slopes. In what was to become a standard daily pattern, Kate and I were away by 0715hrs with the girls still asleep and within 15 minutes were are the bottom of the crag. I wanted to warm up and get the feel for the area and selected my climbs accordingly. Seven on sights later on predominantly face routes with some sharp limestone features, we were packing up at 1030 and on our way back to the house to prepare a late breakfast for the girls who were just waking up!
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| The sheltered bay at Emborios. It has a great selection of Tavernas and is a must visit |
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| A harder route at Oddessy |
The climbing session the next day saw us venture to Oddessy, the most popular crag at Kalymnos. It was steeper and more on the popular routes than Kastelli and gave me a few interesting moments.
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| Oddessy with the southern tip of Talendos |
My fingers were still sore from the previous day as I grunted and groaned my way up some steep routes while a slim German girl danced her way up far harder routes next to me. Nothing like a lesson in humility and the advantages of a vegan diet.
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| The best place on the Island for lunch and a swim |
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| Throw another octopus on the barbie? |
It is nestled in a small harbour surrounded by steep cliffs. At the end of the wharf was a swimming platform where you could enjoy the crystal clear water whilst watching the local boys high diving from the cliffs. I headed out for a swim out of the mouth of the harbour and back, enjoying watching the rock formations and sea life pass beneath me, it certainly beats following a black line on the bottom of the pool for 40 minutes.
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| Running into John and Nors. It is a very, very small world |
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| Talendos from Ilia |
On Wednesday we decided to try a new location, Ilia, a crag at the same level but about a 15 minute walk further on from Oddessy. It has plenty of longish single pitch routes in the 6a-6b range which was perfect. It seemed that the wind was getting stronger each day and added a feeling of exposure to the routes. After climbing we decided to explore Porthia a little before retiring to the beach at Platys Gialos. The beach was black sand and the wind blown chop was breaking on the shore due to the steep beach. Ada loved getting out in the waves and being knocked over moving in and out of the small surf zone while Kate and I looked on from the shade of a taverna.
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| Tio and a very happy little girl |
We had to interrupt her fun to take her on trail ride through the local hills with Theo, a local fisherman who also ran a stables. This enabled Ada to use her horse riding skills that she had developed recently in Tuscany. Kate and I went the nearby sponge diving centre of Vlichadi which, due to its position on the Island was totally protected from the wind and had some dolmades and a beer overlooking a small bay. Ninety minutes later we met Ada, who had a grin from ear to ear and a very sore bottom. Her rides in Tuscany were never longer than 40 minutes at a time.
Thursday saw stronger winds and we decided to return to Ilia; however, we moved further around the cliff line and found some shelter from the driving wind. Once again, enjoyable face climbing interspersed with small overhangs. In the afternoon we returned to Platy Gialos where, much to Ada's disappointment, the wave had all but disappeared; however, I was able to head out around the point for a long swim.
After our meal that evening, I purchase a new pair of La Sportiva Miura climbing shoes. My old 5.10 Hueco's had seen better days. The inner was starting to corrugate, the outer had developed holes and the sharp limestone at Kalymnos had punched a hole in the thinning rubber under the ball of the foot. I was in two minds as I never like to make rushed purchases; however, John, who is much more in touch with gear prices said they were a good buy. The tipping point was the inability to get this kind of gear in India and the difficulties that you encounter getting mail order through Mumbai customs
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| The chapel can only cater for a very small wedding party |
The following day we had decided on a change in routine. We swam in the morning below the very small chapel at Kastelli and met John and Nors for a boat trip the the neighbouring island of Talendos for some climbing. As it was the afternoon, Ada was keen to join us for our adventure.
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| Ada and I enjoying the sun after a refreshing swim |
For the princely sum of 5 euro each way we could avoid a 40 minutes walk to the crag and all we needed to do was coordinate a pick up time. John and Kate negotiated with each other, John trying to extend while Kate wanted to get back to Lucy by the agreed time of 6pm. Eventually Kate's maternal instincts won out over John's desire to climb, much to the amusement of Nors and I.
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| Ada felling much better on the ferry ride home |
We met at the pier at Myrties and paid the ferryman, who was from Brunswick in Melbourne as his family had emigrated when he was a child. The ferry did its normal run to Talendos but, after dropping off some passengers, continued to the Northern end of the climbing to Irox. We chugged through a small, rolling swell, with Ada not feeling particularly well until we arrived at a small cove. The front of the ferry was protected with half tyres and rubber bulk heads which enabled the ferryman to nose the boat against a rock and, by maintaining forward power, hold position while we scurried off the boat and onto the rocks.
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| Ada showing John how it is done |
We has a short walk to the crag and Ada was moving slowly, she quietly mentioned that she wasn't well then she bent over, hands on knees and vomited a couple of times. At least she didn't throw up on the deck of the boat!
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| John and Nors racking up |
We had to wait for the crag to fall into the shade so we had some lunch and enjoyed the spectacular view. It wasn't long before we headed out onto some easy routes, with me lead climbing and setting the routes for Ada to top rope. She was enjoying getting out and challenging herself while we were playing a game of "touch the bolts". While I put up the next route she took photographs of John and Nors. It was good to see that her skills had improved since Rovinj and, in the main, she was now getting all the subjects body in the frame.
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| The view for sunset drinks as I sink into the chair |
At 5pm the ferry returned nosing into the rocks as we jumped on, and we enjoyed a more comfortable ride back to Kalymnos, smoothed out by a following sea. Nors and John joined us at our little house for nibbles and drinks before we had a lovely traditionally Greek meal of calamari, moussaka and dolmades at Stellios and Maria's with there their two 13 and 15 year old boys providing excellent table service.
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| Old goat in the background goats in the foreground |
The change in routine continued on Saturday, the girls were booked in to a 10am horse ride and Ada was keen for a long swim at the "wave beach". Kate and I snuck out for an afternoon climb to Summertime, a crag just after Kastelli but before Arginonta A couple of very nice 6a to 6a+ in the warm dry afternoon air and we were driving back to Kastelli Blu for a shower and change before meeting John and Nors at their guest house for drink and nibbles. After dropping the girls at home, Kate and I had time for one last meal at the Aegean.
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| Nors on lead above Arginonta |
Sunday was our last day but we could not resist a last climb. We had organised to meet John and Nors at Pocket Wall for one last fix of clean compact limestone. A quick pack and we were on the ferry to Kos and then a flight to Athens.
In terms of family friendly climbing, nothing I know compares to Kalymnos. The combination of a massive number of climber friendly routes, tremendous food, great swimming, interesting culture and a laid back lifestyle make Kalymnos a real gem. Kate and I will definitely be back!
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| The Course Photo |
