Kalymnos Iliada

Iliada is overshadowed by Odyssey, but perhaps should not be. It is less polished, has some excellent routes, and for a few minutes extra walk is a lot less crowded. It gets the sun relatively early, between 11am and 1pm according to the sector, so an early start is recommended in the hotter months. The routes vary from slabs to middle grade walls, steep overhanging walls and tufas, plus a few hard cave routes.

Region
Greece - Kalymnos
Rock Type
Limestone
Altitude
200m
Number of routes
50
Faces
West
Climbing Area
Kalymnos
Directions

Drive from Masouri to the sharp right bend in the road above Kasteli, turn right immediately afterwards on a concrete road, and follow this to it's end next to a huge boulder. Park here and walk up the hillside towards Odyssey, but bear right, continue uphill until at the same level as Odyssey, and then traverse the hillside until you reach the crag. First Climbers Nest, then Dolonas cave, the main crag, Emilio and finally Afghan Corridor. 15 to 25 mins walking depending on the sector.

Kalymnos climbing Iliada topo
Kalymnos climbing Iliada topo
Kalymnos climbing Iliada Emilio Afghan corridor topo

Sport and bolted routes

Topo Ref Route Sport Grade Length Quality Description Tick
A00 SECTOR ILIADA CLIMBERS NEST

The first sector of Iliada, good quality technical slabs
A01 Popi 6a+ 18m *
A02 Thanks to Oswin 6a+ 20m **
A03 Looser baby 6c+ 20m *
A04 Ibiscus market 6b+ 30m **
A05 Crutches 6b 25m *
A06 Another day in paradise 6a+ 30m **
A07 Homer alone 6a 28m **
A08 Strike 5c 25m *
A09 Marianna 5c 25m **
A10 Once more 6a 25m *
A11 5 star 6a+ 22m *
A12 Restaurant Acrogiali 5c 30m *
B00 SECTOR ILIADA MAIN CLIFF

A long sweep of cliff broken by three distinct caves
B01 Ajax 5b 31m ***

The left hand side of the wall left of the cave
B02 Homer vision 5c+ 30m **

sharp
B03 Diomidis 6b+ 30m **
B04 Ira 6c 20m *

just left of the cave
B05 Dromos ton Meteoriton 8b+ 15m ***
B06 Celtic dragon 8c+ 30m ***

A long hard route that takes in all the best and hardest parts of the cave
B07 Demon direct 9a 15m **

A "direct" finish to Demon that finishes at the top of Dromos
B08 Demon 9a 15m **

project
B09 Dolonas 7b 15m ***

The easiest way to the lip of the cave. Big holds with a tricky boulder problem in the middle
B10 Valley of the dolls 8a+ 30m **

Dolonas extension
B11 Iliada 6c 30m ***

Just right of the cave
B12 Athina 6c 30m **

Same lower off as Iliada but starts to the right
B13 Ifigenia 6a+ 25m **

Same start as Athina but moves right
B14 Lampetia 6c 20m **
B15 Tefkros 6a 25m *

Starts right of Lampetia and climbs the groove to finish at the same lower off
B16 Troia 6a+ 35m *
B17 Ulysse 6a 32m **

The obvious groove. Pleasant climbing
B18 Agamemnon 6a+ 32m **

Discipline needed to stay away from Ulysse, and the grade is probably harder if you do
B19 Memories 6c 30m **

A well bolted line that starts above the bushes climbs up and then traverses sharply left before finishing direct.
B20 Mirmidons 6b+ 20m ***

sustained
B21 Patrocle 6b 20m ***
B22 Kalhas 6b 20m **
B23 Priamos 6b+ 33m **
B24 Le grand retour 7c+ 30m ***

Follows the lip of the cave to its highest point and climbs up the tufas from here

B25 Oetida 6c 25m *

Climbs through the cave to finish on tufas.

B26 Oetida extension 7a 35m **

Best combined with Oetida by seconding that route and removing the quick draws to reduce rope drag.
B27 Thetida 7b+ 30m ***

very sustained
B28 Mythologie 7b+ 35m ***

The tufa is followed by a tricky finish
B29 Penelope 6b 20m **

An interesting broccolli slab
B29e Penelope Cruz 7b 35m

Extension to Penelope
B30 Ekavi 6a 25m ***

The black tufa
B30e Ekati 7b+ 35m

Extension to Ekavi, moving right under the tufa
B31 Paris 6c+ 30m ***

Steep sustained climbing
B32 Polipitis 7a+ 25m ***
B33 Zorba le Gros 7b 25m ***

Good holds up a very steep wall - simply superb.
B33A Zorba el Flaco 7b+ 25m

The right hand line to Zorba le Gros finishing at the same lower off
B34 Padroni e Pagliacci 7c 30m ***
B35 Nestoras 7a 30m ***

Big holds on a steep wall lead to a fingery crux
B36 Ektor 6c 30m ***

A nice wall with a very polished ledge in the middle
B37 Beautiful Helen 6a+ 30m ***
B38 Antilohos 5c 25m **
B39 Menelaos 6a 25m **
C00 SECTOR

Emilio. About 50m to the right of the main crag
C01 Glück im Unglück 5c 30m

The slab at the left hand side
C02 Caper 4c 30m
C03 Sage 5a 30m
C04 Thyme 5b 35m
C05 FGB 6a+ 30m
C06 To kati ao 5c 25m
C07 Kapou kapou 5c 25m
C07e Kapou kapou extension 6b 40m
C08 Et hop 5c 25m
C09 Ta leme 5b 25m
C09e Ta leme extension 6a+ 30m

The small roof
C10 Emilio 5c+ 30m

Up to and over the middle of the roof
C11 Marathon 6a+ 30m
C12 Feideippides 6c 30m
C13 Nenikikamen 7b 30m

A bouoldery move to the same finish as Feideippides
C14 Zoei 30m

An aid move over the roof, otherwise 6c
C15 Panda Hilti 6c 30m

The left hand side of the tufa
C16 Glyka maniak 6c 30m

At the right hand side of the crack is a tufa. Climb the right hand side of this with difficulty to a crack.  
D00 SECTOR

Afghan Corridor. Another 100m or so to the right of Emilio
D01 Babatangi 7a 30m

"Easy" climbing then a bouldery crux high up
D02 Oxus 7c 30m

Technical
D03 Anita 7b+ 30m

Excellent climbing with good finishing holds
D04 Kret 7a 25m

The long tufa
D05 Gala-e-vust 6c 30m
D06 Qazi-deh 6b+ 30m
D07 Ishkashim 6b 30m