Since I was the last time in Kalymnos 8 years ago (during the Petzl Roctrip held here) the place has gotten even more popular. The whole village of Massouri is surronded by the climbing tourism and it’s easy to understand why; a beatiful setting, well protected routes in the 5-6 grade but also loads of routes in the 7th and easier 8th grade. You’re never far from the beach and a big selection of restaurants, bars and hotels. And it’s not too expensive either. You can walk to most sectors, sometimes a scooter is in order unless you really like walking. It’s the perfect setup for the vacation climber which I don’t mind from time to time! I met many people here; several old friends but of course also some new ones. We would all meet around 9 at one of the cafés and then the group would split up to different sectors.
the charming ”climbers” village of Massouri on Kalymnos just opposite the island of Telendos.
one of the ”climbers cafés”: the perfect meetingpoint before heading out to climb, sometimes to the sectors just above the village. and when I’d arrive at the café there would always be the classic discussions about routes and moves, someone demonstrating the crux moves on his/her project.
The climbing on Kalymnos is fun, often 3 dimensional and friendly. I climbed at several sectors that were new since my latset visit and you can easily see that there is potential for unlimited development of climbing on this rocky island.
warming up at the classic ”Grande Grotta” sector, the most photographed piece of rock in the world after El Cap? photo: Anna Gatta
the obligatory knee bar before attacking the next crux.
it’s such a privilege to come to a new sector and just climb on-sight the whole day. here at ”Secret Garden”. photo: Luke Humphrey
Some people don’t enjoy restdays -I love them. Especially in a place where you can be on the beach, read a good book and go for a swim. We still hade nice swimming temps in the water -in the beginning of november! Kalymnos is obviously a place to come back to later in life; here you can bring your parents, kids, wife or whoever to just enjoy even if they don’t climb. I felt as the climbers impact on the place hadn’t got out of hand yet, exept some polished routes. May it stay like this for many years to come.
