Vathy

Kalymnos, GR

Vathy, also called Rina, is at the end of a beautiful fjord with limestone walls on the east coast of Kalymnos. Climbing-wise, a lot has happened here since the last edition of the guidebook: Vathy is no longer just a “small Deep Water Solo crag, a few routes, and a fun traverse over the sea.” It now also has two complete great sport crags which, combined, offer more than 50 well-bolted routes. Sector Rina is a vertical wall above the village with moderately graded routes up to 45m long. Little Eden is just what it sounds like: a divine setting above a small beach, with a short cliff full of character and 36 versatile routes. The swimming in the crystal-clear, always-calm waters of Vathy is among the best on Kalymnos. Kayaks, canoes, and boats are available for rent at the pier, not only for going to Little Eden, but even for a simple exploration of the fjord and the hidden beaches outside its walls. Approximately 150m from the harbor, on the left wall above the water, is a cave named Daskalio, where prehistoric artefacts have been found, and which was used as a hideout and a ritual site in the past. Steps carved into the rock lead to entrance of the cave behind a fig tree. A narrow fjord with rock walls on both sides. Great intro to Deep Water Solo (DWS), new sub-sector Rina with 16 grey slab routes, and the dreamy crag Little Eden, above a small beach offering a bit of everything on bulletproof orange and grey rock. __Busy__ 2/3 __Climbing__ Deep Water Solo, vertical wall climbing, red pumpy rock with sharp pockets and some cracks—it’s all here. See each section for details. __Conditions__ Great for summer, and varying cliff orientations make it possible to climb in the shade all day long. __Shade (Exposure: various)__ _Hook, DWS, Puerto Escondido_ Until 10:00 _Rina_ Until 12:30 _Little Eden_ After 11:30–12:00 __Kids__ Ideal. __Manolis Deep Water Solo (DWS)'__ Kalymnos has thousands of very attractive sport climbs, so DWS is not really developed, but instead considered a fun thing to do on a rest day. The DWS routes listed here are anywhere from 8–12m high. __Rina__ is a newer crag above the village of the same name, in the bay of Vathy. It is one of those cliffs on Kalymnos that gives a completely different vantage point. Vathy is very special in that it is unique, it is a little bubble with some of best waters on the island. _Climbing_ Good face climbing on a compact slab and a vertical wall. Routes are well-bolted, with grades that range from 5c–6c. In springtime, flowers may be growing inside the pockets on the rock. Take a pair of gloves and help with some cleaning as you lower! Unless otherwise noted, all routes at Rina were bolted by the indefatigable Claude Idoux in 2021. __Little Eden__ is a dreamy crag. The short photogenic cliff is north of Vathy fjord, just above a beach known locally as Kampí. It is a fabulous setting altogether, and if you’d like to swim in the green-blue waters and catch some sun on the beach, it is worth going before noon, then walking up to crag and climbing until dusk. There is nothing else around, so bring plenty of water and food, and leave no trace behind. _Climbing_ On orange, white, and grey limestone of very good quality. The short cliff is solid and well-featured, with pockets, some natural vertical cracks, and relatively sharp holds. Grades are mostly 6a–7c. The hardest routes (8a–8b?) are short with very tough boulder passages. Little Eden was developed in 2019. Routes were bolted by Hannes Webhofer, with the help of Panormitis Platsis and Niels Abegglen, unless otherwise noted. And even though it is already a popular crag, it still stands to benefit from traffic. _Conditions_ Perfect for afternoon climbing on hot days. Not good on windy days, especially with south or east winds.
CRAG STATISTICS
64
Routes
18326
meters climbed
531
Zlags
6b
average grade

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Family friendly
Very safe
Parking
Vertical
Overhanging
Roof
Exposition
2 m.
10 min.

GALLERY