The not-so-Secret Garden

This morning N and H realised that the coffee they’d been stoking up on since the beginning of the trip was actually decaff.... “That’s why I’ve been having so many headaches” mused N, the ultimate coffee addict. Fresh (fully caffeinated) coffee was made to see us through the early start and we set off on the scooters to Secret Garden. 

Secret Garden is one of the more recently developed crags on Kalymnos, and though it may have been a secret initially, it is definitely one of the more popular crags we’ve been to. It was described to us as one of the best pieces of rock on Kalymnos, and deservedly so; a tall wall of perfect steep rock, varying between short pocketed walls and long, overhanging, tufa-laden routes. There really is something for everyone - unless you’re purely a slab fiend that is!

Secret Garden

The first challenge in climbing at Secret Garden is tackling the hairpin bends that lead up over the pass from Skalia to Palionisos. It was R’s first time as passenger on my scooter and she was (understandably) rather nervous. This probably wasn’t helped by me overshooting the sharp, hidden turn off the main road and shooting into some gravel by the side of the road...

Turned round and ready to go, we shot off up the hill; heavily laden with two people and bags, the balance between getting up enough speed to get up the steep turns, versus being able to get round the corners was delicate. But, with only a slight wobble or two we made it; though I swear R was holding her breath the whole way up!

Over the worst, we cruised down the bends on the other side – relaxing in the sun and open road. Parking up, a twenty minute gentle walk brought us to Secret Garden. We were first to arrive, but were not on our own for long; a couple of parties of European climbers complete with fluorescent pink and green clothing soon arrived to brighten up the crag; making us feel drab in our subdued, British greens and browns.

We warmed up on the left hand side of the crag; the steep, pocketed routes of Margarita (6b+), Bratsere (6c) and Remetzo (6c) necessitating a ‘race-to-the-top’ approach, to reach the chains before your arms pumped out. The air was hot and humid with no breath of wind, leaving the holds slick and sweaty. Chalking up between moves was essential and we lowered to the ground dripping with sweat.

Taking a break to rest, and without the pressure of the sun coming round (Secret Garden stays in the shade all day), we sat down to admire the view. The aqua sea below, clear and still, was inviting, and if the crag hadn’t been quite so high up the hillside, I may have jumped in to cool off. Sailing boats with brilliant white sails lazily drifted off the coast, and on the hazy horizon, the coast of Turkey could be seen. The peaceful tranquillity was broken only by the calls of other climbers battling with the steep routes behind us.

Looking out to Turkey

Back on the routes, N led off up Ricounet (7a), past an initial steep section and into an impressive groove between two huge tufa flakes. I was up next, and after enjoying the jugs of the tufas lower down, found myself faced with the blanker groove above. Bridging was the way forward here, delicately pasting your feel on the tufas, gradually balancing your way up the tufas, conscious of the air below your feet. I found myself wondering if the ‘musical note’ routes in the guidebook (the presence of a quaver symbol indicating a top quality route) were actually reflective of the worrying singing the hollow tufas made when you touched them rather than the amazing moves...

N and H led up Crisis (7a); another fantastic looking tufa route, but I had set my eyes on some steep, fingery pocket pulling and decided to have a go at Markoutsi (7b). This turned out to be a great varied route, with a hard, boulder crux low down, followed by lovely pocket-pulling, a scary (but actually quite easy) slab, then some more jugs to finish.  Possibly the most un-nerving part was sticking my finger in a mono, only to feel a buzzing and for a hornet to fly out! After putting the clips in I fell on the last move of the crux on a redpoint go; my arms wasted, but resolved to return.

*******************************************************************************

Secret Garden was too good for just one day, and we returned a couple of days later to tick some more routes. The highlight of the day was Frapogelo (6c), a fantastic route leading up on juggy tufas through some impressively steep ground. A huge tufa extending horizontally from the wall gave numerous possibilities for holds and which I used to hang off, lean against, sit on and stand on!

N chilling out on Frapogelo (6c)

 After we'd all had a turn whooping our way up the tufas, thoughts turned to projects, and back to Markoutsi (7b). I put the clips in, falling just one move off the end of the crux section. Feeling positive, I lowered down and pulled through the rope for N, who put in a great effort on a flash attempt, but also got caught out at the crux, where have a good foot sequence wired is the key to success. After a rest, I set off again, up through to the crux, but the holds felt slippy and something was wrong. Frustrated, I came off, trying to figure out why the moves hadn't worked. With a bit of help from my fantastic belayers, I realised my left foot hadn't been high enough. I lowered to the ground, rested for ten minutes then went again; pulling through the crux with the correct sequence then continuing up the jugs to glory! After a couple more attempts, N followed suit.

Meanwhile, H was intent on finding the most greasy-looking, slippy slabs on the crag, and put in a great onsight effort on Apocalypse (6c), working her way up a groove on tiny holds and slapping for a crucial hold on the wall above. 

H on Apocalypse (6c)

Tired but satisfied, we headed back to our scooters and over the hill back to civilisation, leaving the not-so-Secret Garden behind. Contender for the best crag on Kalymnos? In my opinion, definitely yes, and I can't wait to go back!

Rita

She works the room, knowing all eyes are on her. Everyone wants a bit of her, and everyone will get a bit – for a price. She has to survive after all, and it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.

Pressing her slim body up against you, she meets your gaze with her large, green, black-lined eyes. Whether you are male or female, she is not particular; dealing out her affections where they are likely to have the desired effect. She acts young and innocent, as if she is just there for the pleasure of your company; but beneath that sweet demeanour lurks sharp claws, that she is ready to use. You may be taken in and give her what she wants, at which point she stretches and walks away; off to find someone else to satisfy her needs.

But as soon as you take your attention away from her, she is there; careful to make sure your glance doesn’t stray to others, that she is the only one you pay attention to. Sunlight glints off the auburn in her hair as she stretches, playing on her beauty as she tiptoes across the room.

Though you know in your heart she’s only doing it for the sardines; as she curls up, purring in your lap, it’s hard not to fall just a little bit in love with her.   

Rita, our adopted holiday cat

Fighting ghosts at Ghost Kitchen

Third day on and we headed for the crimpy walls and tufa pillars of Ghost Kitchen. R had decided to take a rest day (or perhaps she just didn’t trust my driving quite yet...) so I had a chance to get used to the scooter on my own. We set off relatively early, but not early enough; it appeared everyone else had also decided to go to Ghost Kitchen for the day!

We warmed up on Pic Pic (6b), a beautiful slab route with good holds and nice moves. Next up, Resista; a 6c which takes an improbable line up a steep, imposing red wall. H went first, gleefully pocket-pulling her way up the route and lowering off with a huge smile on her face. I set off and immediately saw why; an easy slab led to the steep wall, where good pockets arrived just where you needed them, and move followed beautiful move. Clipping the chains, Resista immediately shot into my Top 10 all time favourite routes.

N eying up the headwall of Resista (6c)

Two other routes go up this fantastic red wall, Le Mythe de la Caverne (7a), to the left of Resista, and Globus (6c+) to the right. N and H had already done Mythe, but we figured it would be rude not to complete the trio. H cruised up it, putting the clips in, then it was my turn. This was my first 6c+ onsight attempt, and there were a couple of gripping moments; particularly when balanced on the blank looking wall figuring out the technical crux moves, trying to forget the fact that my last bolt was below my feet. But the climbing was so good and involved, that I found myself focusing purely on each move, totally absorbed in the climbing; working out how to use the small sidepulls and crimps and where I needed to place my feet to be able to reach, in balance, up to the next hold. Before I knew it, I was through the crux and onto the juggy pockets which led – with some interesting moves – to the chain. Tick!

N7 (7a) had been recommended by a friend of ours as a possible onsight proposition so, despite N’s hatred of spikey grey slabs, we went over to have a look. H led the way once again, with smooth climbing up the initial bulge, through the slab in the middle and onto the crux wall near the top of the route; overbalancing slightly on the crux, but a great onsight effort. 

I nervously tied in, checking and rechecking my knot, making sure my shoes were clean and I had plenty of chalk. Resolving to take it one clip at a time, I set off. The climbing suited me; small, positive holds for both hands and feet with lovely, delicate, crimpy climbing. Worried about getting calf pump and the dreaded jelly-leg (I have pathetically weak legs) I climbed quickly through the initial bulge and slab, up to the crux wall. The bolts were close together here, giving me the confidence to make the slightly off-balance moves on small crimps and sidepulls. Then it was just a case of keeping going, fighting the pump to get through to a rest before the final few moves to the chains. 

Struggling with my head and the fear of falling has often put a shadow over my climbing and held me back from pushing myself on harder routes. Particularly this year, I found it affecting my enjoyment of climbing, found myself thinking more about how far I had to climb to my next bolt or piece of gear, than the moves; unable to let go of the fear and allow myself to relax and enjoy the climbing. Whether it was the friendly bolting, the style of the routes that suited me, or simply that I was totally psyched, I finally felt able to carry on climbing; to focus on the moves and not the bolts and to accept that I might fall, and that that would be ok. 

At Ghost Kitchen I managed for a day, to put aside some of my ghosts, and rediscover what I really love about sport climbing. Of being in a bubble, where there is only you and the rock; where you can challenge yourself and success or failure is down to you alone. Where sequences flow, and you become hypersensitive to the slightest change in your body position. When you know that the holds will be there, and it’s just a matter of working out the puzzle of how to use them; of climbing on and on, until you either reach the top, or you cannot hold on any longer. 

It may be incomprehensible to non-climbers, and even perhaps to some climbers; we all have different reasons for climbing. But for me, this is the very essence of why I climb; the drug that sees me through the bad head days and brings me back again, and again. It’s sometimes easy to forget this, when training is tough and you’re struggling to push yourself mentally or physically. So thank you, Ghost Kitchen, for helping me remember.

View from Ghost Kitchen

Welcome to Kalymnos: a climbing paradise!

Summer finally seemed to have come to an end in England; the balmy sunny weather giving way to chill winds and rain with an ‘unsettled’ forecast for the rest of September. It was a perfect time to escape to an Aegean island for good food, sun and of course, amazing climbing.

Kalymnos is not the most straightforward climbing venue to get to. The most popular route is to get a flight to Kos, a taxi to the harbour and then a ferry over to Kalymnos. This all sounds fine, but you have to take into account that this is Greece, and everything works on GMT (Greek Mean Time), which is....flexible...

The last ferry to Kalymnos is officially 22.30. Our flight was delayed in and faced by a huge queue at the airport for seemingly non-existent taxis, we could do nothing but wait impatiently and hope that the ferry would wait for us. Eventually we made it down to the harbour to find a group of people waiting and a dark, shut-up ferry. Consensus seemed to indicate that the 22.30 ferry hadn‘t departed but no-one seemed to know when, or if a ferry would be leaving.

We waited, resigned to going with the flow, whatever the flow might be. A friendly cat purred round us, angling for some dinner; it was less than impressed by N’s offered of marinated tofu, but more impressed with the chicken R fed it. Eventually some local people turned up and it looked promising that we wouldn’t be abandoned to a night on the pier. Tickets bought and bags loaded, we took some seats on the top deck and waited. And waited some more. Finally, a taxi sped up the pier, depositing a group of laughing climbers clutching kitbags and beer, the ferry engine started and we pulled off into the inky blackness.

Speeding through the night, tasting the salt of the sea spray, it felt like the holiday had really begun. After another wait for a taxi in Pothia, we eventually arrived at our apartment in Armeos at 01.30 – fourteen and a half hours after leaving home! 

After getting to bed at 2am, we decided to have a lie in the next morning, before heading out for a late breakfast. One thing I had forgotten about Kalymnos is just how friendly the local people are. This was N and H’s fourth trip to Kalymnos and they were greeted like long-lost cousins by the restaurant owners and shopkeepers. Sakis, the laid-back owner of the Climber’s Station greeted us with almost genuine amazement.

“You came back?!” he wondered, as if a few trips were enough to fully explore everything that Kalymnos has to offer. Which is far from the truth; new crags are being developed all the time and there are still hundreds of fantastic lines waiting to be bolted.

Decor at the Climber's Bar

Stoked up on coffee and crepes, we headed down to the pier and splashed out on a ferry direct to Irox; a crag on Telendos, an island that nestles close to Kalymnos. This definitely added an extra bit of adventure to the day's climbing; speeding across the blue sea, jumping off at an idyllic, rocky inlet to gaze up at the rock above. Climbing psyche quickly kicked in and we gradually ticked off the 6a-6b+s, with H and N putting in a great effort on an intimidating 6c+. R made friends with the local goat, who appeared to have the art of wheedling food out of soft climbers down to an art. Fingertips and muscles feeling suitably sore; we ambled along the well-marked path back to Telendos village for dinner and beer before getting the ferry back to Kalymnos.

The Irox goat - grateful for water as well as food!

We felt a bit more able to make an early start the next day, so headed up to Odyssey; one of the more popular climbing sectors. Climbing in the sun is strictly for the hardcore / insane at this time of year so early starts are mandatory for most crags to get some decent climbing in before the sun comes round. I had spent a couple of days at Odyssey on my last trip to Kalymnos, and remembered being disappointed that the route grading didn’t feel as soft as I’d been led to believe; this time was no different!

I’m not sure I can really blame the steepness of the rock, or the polish on some of the routes, but I think we all found this day pretty tough. After warming up, I had a good go at a great 6c, Lestrygon, but my arms gave out at the crux, proving my lack of fitness! Finished off the day by clipping my way up Lucky Luka (7b); a steep route with a boulder crux low down and some massive tufas near the top. I managed the moves, but got some tufa fear at the top – not sure if I’ll be going back for the redpoint!

Working the moves on Lucky Luka (7b)

Having had a couple of days walking to crags, we thought it was probably time to get scooters, something N and I (the designated drivers) were both slightly apprehensive about; N because he had never driven a scooter before, having only passed his driving test a few months before, and me because I have an inbuilt fear of anything remotely motorbike-like. 

Mike at Mike’s Bikes, looked dubious at N’s less than positive assertion of his ability to drive a scooter, but reluctantly handed over the keys. We decided to pick the scooters up on the way back from dinner, thus avoiding the potential embarrassment of crashing Mike’s scooters in front of Mike.

Fortified by veggie Mousaka, and having googled ‘how to drive a scooter’, we arrived back at the scooters and wobbled off into the night, H and R developing a sudden desire to walk back to the apartment...

Looking back, moving forward

So after you have returned to the real world, unpacked, sorted the pile of dirty laundry and waded through the many photos of your travels (ok, so technically I'm still doing this, but 3000 photos are a lot to get through!), what comes next? Why, planning the next trip of course! My adventures in New Zealand were very much a 'highlights' tour, and there are many places I'd like to go back to, plus visit a few places we missed - and that's just on the South Island! So, here is what I'll be looking to do on my next trip to New Zealand, along with a few tips and recommendations for places to go and things to do...

Marlborough Sounds - like many visitors to the South Island, our experience of the Marlborough Sounds was limited to the ferry ride into Picton and travelling along the Queen Charlotte's Drive. But the glimpses of hidden inlets, golden beaches and lush, forested hills has put it firmly in my top 10 of places to go and explore properly. Our of season, the Queen Charlotte track is open for mountain biking - and with the lack of crowds that flock to Abel Tasman, what are you waiting for?
Nelson Lakes National Park - definitely one of the remoter parts of the South Island - head here for some solitude and a good old tramp!
Golden Bay - a place to relax, take life easy and escape from the world for a few days
Arthur's Pass - the TranzAlpine train journey is supposed to be one of the most spectacular in the world, but sadly we didn't have time to fit it in. Though if the weather was good, I'd also want to take in the views from the summit of Avalanche Peak
The mountains - ok, that's a bit generic, but I'm a mountain girl at heart and boy, did we drive through a lot of mountains... The beautiful drive through Mt Aspiring national park, and our all-too-brief time round Mt Cook reminded me of alpine adventures and the magnificent views you get from mountain summits - I was down in the valleys but longed to be on top of the mountains.

And places not to return to?  Well, we didn't feel our heartstrings tugging when we left behind the grey gloom of Bluff and Invercargil...but perhaps we were just there on a bad day.

Don't miss!

In no particular order, my top 10 Trip highlights:

1. Swimming with dolphins in the Catlins
2. Trekking the Routeburn - great track, fantastic views
3. Floating through pitch-black caves with thousands of glow worms overhead with Underworld adventures
4. Golden Bay - the wild expanse of Wharaiki beach with its nursery pool of baby fur seals, followed by the tranquility of Shambhala and the nearby, lively Mussel Inn
5. Sunrise over Milford Sound
6. Sea kayaking round Abel Tasman National Park
7. Swimming in Scorcher Bay followed by great coffee and lunch at Scorch-O-Rama
8. The West Coast - desolate, beautiful beaches, weird rocks and tongues of ice- trapped between the mountains and the sea, this is one place I would definitely like to explore more
9. Mt Cook National Park and Lake Tekapo - beautiful moutains, stargazing and hot pools - what more could you want?
10. Wine tasting in Marlborough country

Port and Stilton Truffles

Paul A Young is rather a hero of mine, and one of my ultimate indulgences is to treat myself to a few of his chocolates.  After seeing him in action at the Feast of St George yesterday, I felt inspired to dig out the monster bag of chocolate couverture that has been lurking in my cupboard, and get creative.  In homage to the master, I decided to make some port and stilton truffles, which had the added benefit of giving me an excuse to go and buy a bottle of port...  They turned out rather scrummy, even if I do say so myself!