Kalymnos - Saint Photis
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Simon Montmory
1 / 6
Chris Boukoros
Saint Photis was first bolted by the Remy brothers in 2001 and still had a huge potential for new lines. In autumn 2012 Simon Montmory equipped 15 new routes and in spring 2013, together with Aris Theodoropoulos, they re-bolted the old routes to make another new and attractive sector on the island. The sector is very quiet and wild, with a fantastic view on the south face of Telendos and the sea. It’s ideal to get away from the crowd and closer to nature! The grades might be a bit harder or easier, since only few climbers repeated the routes. Alexander Megos made the first ascents of all the hardest routes, with really humid conditions and generally one or 2 goes… and of course very easily! Bravo Alex!
The crag is at 40 minutes walk from Kantouni beach. The path is easy and well marked until the small chapel of Saint Photis. There you will find the first lines, all rebolted, that you can find in the guidebook. To reach the cave and the new routes, you will follow the cairns going up on your left for 10 minutes.
PeriodIt is in the shade until 2.30pm in the cave, and 3pm on the right-hand side, so the best period to go there is from April to October.
NotesKalymnos rock climbing in Greece
GETTING TO KALYMNOS
By boat
Kalymnos can be reached by boat from the island Kos. Once you have landed in Kos, take a taxi to the port at Mastichari and catch the next boat to Kalymnos from there. Mastichari is 10 minutes by taxi from Kos airport and the taxi ride costs €12 - €15 euro in total. Regular ferries and smaller speed boats make the Mastichari – Pothia (Kalymnos) route regularly. The ferry ride takes approximately 45 minutes and costs €4; the speedboat takes approximately 25 minutes and costs €6.00. When you arrive at Pothia (the main port in Kalymnos) you will find a number of taxis waiting. A taxi ride to Massouri costs between €10-15, depending on the number of passengers and luggage. Alternatively, you can rent a scooter or car, or inquire about the public bus schedule departing in front of the City Hall. There is a tourist information kiosk at the port exit. To check the Kos – Kalymnos ferry timetable, go to www.danae.gr and enter ‘Mastichari’ and ‘Kalymnos’ in the respective fields. You can also call the Port Authority of Kos for an automated timetable message in English on the following number: +30 22420 26594. In the unlikely event that there is no taxi waiting at Pothia, call the taxi station on the following number: +30 22430 50300.
By plane
In high season Olympic Air flies Athens - Kalymnos regularly and a return ticket costs approximately euro 200.
Further info
Full info on getting to Kalymnos here: www.climbkalymnos.com/?page_id=2628
Kalymnos Rock Climbing Guide – All New 2010 Edition. Aris Theodoropoulos. 360 pages, 1700 routes, 64 sectors, English
See all photos| N° | Name | Height | Beauty | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anarixnissi | |
6c+ | |
| Pleasant slab climbing | ||||
| 2 | Want a beautiful life | |
8a | |
| A perfect wall with superbes holds and moves! Will become a classic. | ||||
| 3 | Les Mains Oranges | |
8b+ | |
| Steep! The best in this grade? Amazing wall and with a great orange final! | ||||
| 4 | Sans le figuier | |
8a+ | |
| Fantastic steep line again, very fun and with an interesting final! | ||||
| 5 | Ruhetag | |
8b+ | |
| Ruhetag = “rest day” in German. because it was a day to relax for Alex Megos... | ||||
| 6 | Bim Bam Boom | |
8a+ | |
| A superbly beautiful boulder move, like the route Gaia but easier! | ||||
| 7 | Howl lala | |
7b | |
| Interesting appetizer | ||||
| 8 | Oups | |
6c+ | |
| Sharp crimps past some interesting moves | ||||
| 9 | Boulderaki | |
7a+ | |
| Nice boulder problem | ||||
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