Climbing around Athens – the new destination –

I’ve spent in 2013 spring one month climbing around Athens and I can tell you that it will be in the next year (or months) the place in Europe to climb! You can easily spend 2 weeks there for climbing and visiting (archeological sites and seaside). Around Athens there is more than 1100 routes from 5 to 9a? with 33 cliffs at no more than 1h driving from the center town.

Map of Athens

There is a big concentration of cliffs with a lot of choice with the orientation to allow climbing all year around in the shadow or in the sun. But, the most interesting thing is that almost all these cliffs have a very good rock, mostly the same as Kalymnos! By the way, the advantage of climbing around Athens is that these cliffs are recent (less than 20 years and for the most difficult less than 10 years), so the limestone rock is not polished!

Mavrosouvala_Ades_8a

So, I love this place because it is not crowded, the rock is beautiful and not polished and the routes are awesome! Moreover you are close to Athens if you like visiting and Greek history, it is also close to the sea for the resting day  Here I describe my favorite cliffs for sport climbing from 7a to 8b.

view from Vrachokipos

Since March 2014, the locals have published the first complete Athens climbing guidebook (in English only!). It is incredible the job they did, this guidebook is very precise, very looking-good, with nice pictures and has everything. You can purchase it here : http://www.athensclimbing.com/ and get more inspiration here on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/AthensClimbingGuide

Athens climbing guidebook

Special thank to Costas, Argyro, Katerina and Antonis for the guidance and hosting, they are awesome people and very good climbers!

My favorite cliffs around Athens :

• Chaos
  An incredible amphitheater, red rock with good friction. High (30m) crimpy wall, three stars routes! My favorite cliff ! The place and the rock has to be visited ! Shadow in the afternoon. 20 routes from 7a to 8c.
  

  Xaos

• Mavrosouvala ***
  THE cliff to climb ! Awesome routes with many tufas in a big overhanging wall. Very quiet valley. Shadow in the morning. 40 routes from 6a to projects.
  

  Mavrosouvala

• Vrachokipos **
  Very nice rock with very good friction and all kind of holds from slopers, crimps to big tufas and pockets. Beautiful quiet place and view to the Elliniko town and to the sea. Sun all the day. 30 routes (30m) from 6a to 7c.
  

  Vrahokipos

• Lelaki *
  Just in front of Vrachokipos this can be perfect for warm days (shadow in the afternoon). Beautifull long wall with pocekts and tufas ! 15 routes from 6a to 8a.
• Iera Odos, sector amphitheatro *
  Perfect for winter (always in the sun), this sector provide very good slightly overhanging routes. 30 routes from 6a to 8a.
• Kakia Thalassa *
  A very 35m long and steep wall with sustained routes. This cliff has also the advantage to be close to the sea. In the shadow in the morning, beach in the afternoon ! 20 routes from 6a to 7c.
• Spilia Daveli ***
  Up on the Pedeli mountain, one of the three mountain (1000m) around Athens. Marble rock (ancient Acropolis stone-pit), not so slippery due to sand-like surface friction. A lot of difficult craks and technical walls. Shadow in the afternoon. 30 routes (30m) from 5c to 8c.
  

  Spilia Daveli

• Magoula **
  A little cliff for good climbers. In a very beautiful gorge there is a overhanging wall with nice tuffas and holes. From 7c to projects.
  

  Magoula

• Platosi **
  Beatifull routes for the level 6. No sun in the middle of the day. From 6a to 7c.
• 902 **
  Nice overhanging with lots of colonettes ! No sun. 10 routes in the level 7.
• Spilia Rousso **
  A very nice and typical Greek rock. Shadow in the afternoon. Routes from 7a to 8c.

 

More pictures to give the motivation to go to Athens !!

Vrahokipos Gaetan in Afstira 7b+

Katerina at Xouni

Magoula Constantinos in Tap tap 8b+

Mavrosouvala Argyro in super nova 8b

Xaos Katerina in Delice 7a+