New Years Eve in Katafyki Gorge

The final sunrise of the year was another extraordinary light show. I set my camera up to make a time-lapse film, but it must have fallen over just after it started so my film was only one second long! Ha ha! Never mind, I did get one nice photo out of it. What a bedroom balcony view! I still can't quite believe how lucky we've been staying here.

Once the sun was fully up in the sky, we walked down to the waters edge to find more dreamy conditions. Some ripples from a boat way out to sea eventually reached the shore as we were getting in. This time, I took a diving mask and we spent twenty minutes snorkelling around the bay looking at the fish and corals, before retreating back into the house for hot showers while shivering uncontrollably!



It was after lunch by the time we set out for some climbing in Katafyki Gorge. We are still yet to see another person, let alone another climber at any of the venues we've been to on this trip. 



We chose some routes at the far end of the cliff, which each had some good climbing on them.





We did four routes in all, before the light started to fade. The final route gave us both a good buzz as there were some tricky moves to puzzle though and some neat ropework required to prevent any crippling rope drag on the 29m climb. Once all back on the deck, we packed up happy with our efforts and set off to find a beach.



The roads were the busiest we've seen them so far as we drove off through the olive groves.



We had toyed with the idea of a final swim of the year, but having already had one brilliant swim in the morning, and with the sun gone, we changed our minds and headed into the town of Ermioni for a drink instead.



We sat outside a cafe in the main part of the marina and watched the world go by. The local brass band also came past again!



This is traditional Greek coffee. The little pan was warmed up over a special stove and it's served with tonnes of sugar. I politely declined and stuck with what I know, with the recommendation of some of the locals.



It was late by the time we got home and we just had time for a shower and a small bite to eat before heading over to our neighbour, who owns the villa and has been staying for a few days to do some jobs. Tomorrow he leaves for Athens, but invited us over for a quick drink at 21:00.

Firstly, he was very keen that we try Greek Ouzo, which is, as far as I could tell, an aniseed tasting version of pure alcohol. After pouring us a very generous measure, water was added and the clear liquid, which suddenly becomes milky or cloudy, depending on how much you add. One glass was enough for me, but I was assured that through the summer, the Greeks drink it like water as a very refreshing drink! Our host, turned out to be married into a Greek family and was originally from Luxembourg. To this end, he then produced some fine bottles of Luxembourg's finest Champagne that he had stored in the fridge for such occasions! It was certainly more palatable that the ouzo! A spread of Greek food, known as mezze, was laid out and grazed as we were entertained with stories and more fine wines. 

Having popped in for an hour, Clare had to pretty much carry me off to bed around 1am on New Years Day, after we'd seen off several bottles of the fine champagne while eating and laughing our way through the night. A fine way to finish of the year and typical of the random things that seem to happen to us! Happy New Year indeed!

The Caves of Fragthi Bay

I couldn't help but get myself up and out of bed to witness another stunner sunrise. This time I went out onto the roof top balcony to get fully bathed in the morning glow.

A spooky layer of cloud drifted over while we were having breakfast in the summer house, but it gave some spectacular light. Despite it looking so good, be decided to save our daily swim until a bit later. I wasn't sure about this at first, but we certainly have some good swim times later on!



It was hard to leave the idyllic garden, but the exploratory curiosity of what adventures might await saw us setting off after a long breakfast.



It was just a short drive to the turn off to Fragthi Bay. Here the tarmac turned to dirt and we dropped our speed to follow around the coastline to a small parking area at the end of the track. 



From here we set out on foot along the rocky coast. Just off shore is the most fantastic looking island. It's privately owned by a very wealthy family and had a super yacht parked up outside the enormous front gates! The main house is hidden in the centre of the island, but google maps gave a sneaky look around the manicured grounds, private beach, pool and tennis courts and staff houses! Wow!



In (many!) years gone by, the before a rise in sea level, the island was connected to the mainland where the enormous Fragthi caves housed various cave dwellers. Not that long ago, a complete human skeleton was excavated here and dated as being 8500 years old!



We walked through the main chambers but didn't delve too deep down any side passages.



Instead, we turned our attention to the nearby beach, just outside, there the inviting turquoise waters attracted our attentions.



There was a jetty at the end of the deserted bay, where we psyched up for a dive off the end.



The whole bay was incredibly calm, clear and peaceful. You can just make out the cave entrance on the right of the cliffs.

Clare was first to take the leap! It was actually much better than back at our beach, where you have to wade in. One quick jump and you're in! No procrastinating or turning back - the shock is short lived and from then on you're good to go! And as the water temperature is around 17 degreed Celsius, it's much less of a shock that jumping into a lake in Wales! 



We were in the water for nearly half an hour, goofing around, spotting fish and swimming laps of the secluded bay. Bliss!



Rather handily, just above the bay is a cliff with a few bolted climbs on, so wrapped up in fleeces and jacket, with teeth chattering an involuntary shivering from staying too long in the water, so carried our packs up the the base of the rocks.



A few climbs later and we were back down to t-shirts and soaking up the suns rays like a pair of lizards.



The rock was pretty good even if the bolts looked a bit odd. It got us warmed up and gave us even better views from the top of the cliff.



The sun was beginning to set and the rock glowed orange as we made our way back down to the beach.



In the glow of the sun set, we spontaneously dived back off the jetty for a final swim. We'd just walked down to pick up our towels that we'd left drying, but as the water just looked so inviting, I felt compelled to jump back in! We walked away buzzing and shivering into the dusk...

Fragthi Beach Sector Climbs:

- Jim 3, 5c*

- Jim 2, 5a

- Hot, 5b+

Climbing on Mt Didyma

Woke up to an eerie red glow in the bedroom, so pulled the curtains back and got greeted with this view! What a stunner start to the day!

When a day starts like that, it seemed remis to not stretch out by the waters edge to digest your breakfast. After warming up like lizards we had another lovely long swim. I forgot to mention but the other morning while swimming mid way to the island, three things whizzed by me. At first I thought they were birds, kingfishers perhaps due to their speed, but then as they closed in on Clare, some 10 metres away, they re-entered the water - they were flying fish! Amazing!



There is a mountain behind where we are staying called Mt Didyma. It's the height of Snowdon, but with a road leading all the way to the summit, built to service to several antennae. It was quite a wild drive as the road, although tarmac, was in a bit of dis-repair and with some very steep drops off the crumbling verge!



After a small goose chase (owing to the fact that the guidebook had the crag marked on a different mountainside!), we eventually reached the top of the correct peak, parked up and found the crag as the cloud blew in from below.



Being over 1000m higher than this mornings swim, it was about 10 degrees cooler and the blowing mist and cloud blocked any feeling of apricity.



Even without the glorious views promised by the guidebook, it was perfectly warm enough for climbing with a jacket on. We chose a few steeper routes to keep warm on too! 



The rock was good quality, but short. we had a list of routes in the guide, but they seemed to be listed in no particular order, so we had to rely on the names of some, which were printed in faded red paint at the base of the climbs here and there. Eventually, the clouds came in even thicker and we decided to loose some altitude and get back into the sunshine below rather than keep climbing in the mist (we are on holiday after all!).



A few switch-backs was all it took to loose enough height for the views to open back up.



Although there were still some misty sections to concentrate through!



And some big rocks to dodge that had fallen onto the road from the crumbling embankments!



Soon enough, all we had to do was coast down hill while enjoying the sunset...

On the way home we stopped briefly at a different beach near a town called Kilada. The view of the bay was beautiful, but spoil by the fact that the coastline was strewn with rubbish.



We left just before last light and made it home before dark...

Didyma Climbs:

- A good Crack, 5a*

- A Funny Turn, 5a*

- J-J, 6a+**

- Powerline, 6b**

Maia, 5c*** Katafyki Gorge

Another stunner sunrise and breakfast on the balcony, but this time, despite the beautiful looking sea, dispensed with the morning swim in favour of setting out on a climbing adventure in Katafyki Gorge.

The 178m route follows the ridgeline that is just visible in the photo below (leaning diagonally upwards above the bridge from left to the right hand high point. It was only first climbed (and bolted) this summer, so we were keen to check it out.



As expected, the newness of the climb (and indeed the whole area in terms of climbing development), there was not a beaten track to the base of the rock. The route has probably only had a handful of ascents so far and we had to do a bit of bush-wacking up some steep ground to reach the base of the climb.



In the dry river bed below, there were some little cairns to follow, but with the ridge in view, you just had to follow your nose! We joked that it was definitely going to be easier to continue upwards than retrace our steps, and that was before we even got on the rock!



Thankfully, the photo of the route from local climbers at Olympus Mountaineering, matched up with the cliff in front of us and we soon located the bolts with marked the start of the climb. The route is very generously bolted, so we didn't need to use any of the extra cams we'd brought along with us. 



At this time of year, the ridge is in the shade, but it's still perfectly warm enough for climbing in a thin fleece. There was a bit of loose rock on the first pitch where the route had been 'cleaned', but as we got higher, the quality of the rock increased, as did the views.





We swung the leads and each belay was equipped with a very reassuring bolted belay station, which gave comfy change overs as well as good ledges to enjoy a snack on and soak up the views. My prototype rucsack which I am testing was performing really well - it was made for long routes like this.



The final pitches had the better sections of rock as the middle bit had a scrambling type pitch.

On the final belay before the summit, the views were amazing with the gorge laid out below us. Until this point we'd barely heard a sound and certainly hadn't seen another human since leaving the main road in the car. Overhead a raven 'calked' and swooped past doing some acrobatics as it passed. Once it passed, the silence returned and we continued upwards towards the sunshine.







We had to strip off layers and pull on sunglasses as we basked in the warmth of the cliff top. It was like a different world up there!



Being a new climb on a 'new' cliff (new to climbers - obviously, the cliff has been here for a very long time!), there was no path down from the summit. Or even a cairn to start us off. After soaking up some sun and enjoying a huge picnic of falafel and humus pittas, we pulled out the compass to follow the directions of 'East for a bit, then South, then descend South East'. 



Picking our way through the bushes, rocks and trees, we left a trail of cairns until we arrived in an old olive grove. 



From here, easier ground led to the dirt track the led into the Gorge and our lone waiting car.

A celebratory swim in the sea was a fine finish to a fantastic day of (very well bolted) adventure climbing.

- Maia, 5c,5b, 5b, 5b+, 5a*** (178m)