Leonidio Christmas Climbing 2018

Hi All,

Yes I know, we are very late with this blog but we will not bother you with our excuses.

This year we decided to go to another location during the Christmas time than our regular spot in Spain. So this time no multiple styles of climbing, no trad, no multi pitches but just "safe" sport climbing this end of the year. That saved a lot of weight in our bags for traveling.

Our condition was not optimal.

San had become better in shape after her neck hernia surgery but I still suffered from my shoulder injury between our holidays which is still far from cured so for both of us we had very limited performance goals.

On our car journey from airport to our house in Leonidio we had to survive the weather conditions and the slippery roads. Regretfully we run over quit some frogs during the dark and heavy raining night.

Next morning, the sky was open and blue, our holiday could start.

Just some pictures of our Holiday.

Sport Climbing in Kalymnos 2017

Yes we went back!

After last year’s very nice climbing holiday in Kalymnos we decided to go back again.

We always enjoy the Greek sun and warm conditions in October. The only drawback are the huge climbing crowds during this period and it looked that it has become worse. Nevertheless we found ourselves again in less popular places where the rock is almost still unspoiled and sometimes we even find remarkable nice routes at extraordinary places.

We had to start easy this year as San is still suffering from a neck hernia and did not have much climbing training this year. She said that she would do only top-roping this vacation. We started at Poets and Zeus with some easy 5’^s and 6’^es where she quickly started flashing the routes. She even on-sighted some routes.

Next days we drove with our tiny scooter to a lot of places like Summertime, Rockland, Palionisos Redwall, The beach, Saint Potis, Prophitis Andreas and again we went also to Telendos.

One of the highlights of this vacation were our meetings with the “Famous” ladies from 365roadtrip! https://365roadtrip.blogspot.nl/

We saw their Van just standing outside Masouri in which they travel around the south of Europe for one year. We decided to do some climbing days together and we had great fun and enjoyed each other company. The ladies where well trained now and were aiming for higher rates routes, colognette and tufa overhang climbing. We helped them getting some more experience in this during the following days, it was great fun.

We will come back again.



Leaving Rockland with our Scooter



Putting in quick draws 7a at Sea Breeze



Not that easy

San in action

Maybe too early for this kind of work

Jan in Aboneros el Chilli 7B at Pescatore Telendos

Happy People back from Telendos



Sport climbing in Kalymnos 2016

It has been 5 years ago that we visited Kalymnos.

We bought the new 2016 topo and went off, time to catch up with the new crags! 14 days of climbing in stunning places with great views and beautiful weather. We liked it.

Lots of new routes with sharp holds, tufa’s, colognettes, caves, slabs, huge overhangs, uphill, downhill on sea side or mountain side you name it.

With our tiny scooter we visited new places, like secret garden (not secret since it was overcrowded) great style of climbing but too busy.

But also longsome places like E.T, Arginonta skyline etc.

One visit to Sikaty cave aiming for 45 degrees overhang called Morgan, super steep but well featured to have resting points.

We also tried to push ourselves as much  as possible, with routes like Helios on the North Cape.

In the afternoons we spend our time on the beach or swimming pool and in the evening we had great Greece diners.

We were glad to rediscover Kalymnos on pleasant way again. Definitely coming back.

7a+ Unicorn Arginonta Valley Left Cave

6c+ Frapogalo Secret Garden

Path to Sikati cave

7b+ Morgan Sikati cave (find the belayer)