NEW TRICKS AT TRIKALA: climbing in Central Greece by Dave Cross

“So where are you going next week?”
“Greece,” I reply.
“Kalymnos?”
“No, Northern Greece”.
“Northern Greece?”
“Yeah, around Trikala”.
“...Where?”
“Near Meterora? You know, huge towers, monasteries, the James Bond Film?”
“Er……no”.
“Oh…..so where are you off to then?”
“The Costa Blanca again!”
“Oh...”



Prior to our trips to Northern Greece this is how nearly every conversation begins. I am still amazed that more people don’t visit this fantastic area. Why visit the over-crowded, over-popular Kalymnos to queue for routes that are good but spoiled by the heaving mass of humanity beneath them? The Trikala area has rock, routes and great bolting to leave the majority of Kalymnos’ crags in the shade.

We first discovered the Trikala area in an old edition of Grimper magazine. However the real push came when the Hellas guidebook by Karsten Oelze and Barbara Hertner was published in 2004. Although the English translation sometimes leaves a bit to be desired, it really is a comprehensive climbing guide to virtually all of Greece with lots of information to help you with your trip. It is also easily available in most climbing shops so buy it!

Our first trip to the area in October 2004 provided a steep learning curve to say the least. After whizzing through the new international airport in Athens and gliding along the new three-lane motorway heading for Lamia, we then hit the old two-lane and then the even older one-lane ‘motorway’ (as the map describes it). It was then that we realised that Greece was going to be a little different and would at first clash with our Northern European sensibilities.

It became immediately obvious that driving in Greece is seen as a form of sport with both defensive and attacking techniques being used indiscriminately. As you drive down the new ‘Olympic’ motorway you realise something isn’t quite right because the drivers seem ‘indecisive’ as they straddle the white line taking up two lanes or blithely undertake fellow competitors. However they are just demonstrating some of the techniques you will be using on your four hour drive to Trikala. So take note, there is 'method in their madness'.

As the number of lanes decreases so the main event roars into life. Imagine you are driving down a main A road (with potholes) with a single carriageway and hard shoulder in either direction and double white lines down the middle. So no overtaking, right? Wrong! Now listen carefully; this is where the previous techniques come in use. If you are driving slowly (pre-80s car or pre-60s truck) you drive mostly on the hard shoulder but straddle the white line a little. Someone moving faster than you drives in the ‘main’ lane and as they catch you up you, you move over a bit and let them pass. Simple so far, eh? However, on really busy days with lots of people trying to get by, the hard shoulder becomes an unofficial ‘slow’ lane. Now this makes things pretty tight but, to make matters worse, when you go over a bridge there are crash barriers on the side of the road that effectively narrow the hard shoulder further so that all cars, and especially huge juggernauts, swerve into the main lane and then the main lane swerves into the oncoming traffic. As you can understand, some people get impatient with all this near-death action and decide they are going to cross the double white lane and use the other carriageway to overtake the two lanes of traffic in front of them. At times people get this idea on both sides of the road simultaneously and at these times, on a road designed as a single carriageway, you get six-lanes of screaming metal hammering towards each other in a high speed game of chicken.

Now you know why Greece has the highest mortality rate on its roads compared to the rest of Europe. You have to expect the unexpected more so than in any other country I’ve driven in. At least in Italy and France you expect everyone to be driving at 150km/h. In Greece though, some people are driving at 150km/h whilst at the same time on the same road others are driving at 20km/h. Cyclists ride down the road towards you on the wrong side of the road, usually appearing out of the dark without lights. In amongst all this, no-one walks on pavements but down the middle of the road and they see no reason why they should end their conversation to let the cars by. Ah, Greece, the land of honey and ‘nuts’.


Once you make it unscathed to the halfway point of Lamia, it slows down a little as you turn off the motorway and head north-west over the hills to Karditsa and finally Trikala sat in the middle of a flat agricultural plain. On our first trip we spent our first few nights in the provincial capital of Trikala at the Hotel Panellinio. This restored hostelry dating from 1914 is right at the heart of the town and gives you an ideal base to sample the area's climbing and its lively night-life. Remember, though, this is Northern Greece (and off the tourist routes) so most people don’t speak English unless you head off up to Meteora. So go armed with a phrasebook and a smile. Go on, enjoy the challenge, the locals will love you for it.

Trikala could never be described as pretty but then very few of the towns in Greece are. Again our Northern European sensibilities were upset by the apparent lack of urban planning or order. Things seemed ’unfinished’. Pot-holed roads, waste ground, cars parked in crazy places and litter (...don’t mention the Greek’s attitude to litter!) all lead to a general feeling of shabbiness. But on the plus side is the lack of ‘chain stores’ that seem to create the homogenous nothingness that is British town centres. All the shops seem to be privately owned, to have been there since time began and to have no notion of branding or logos to increase sales. Now this does make a refreshing change. Combine all this with the Greek alphabet and you struggle to work out what some of these shops actually sell. By the end of the holiday though you realise that it is just different and you cannot attach a value judgement to any of it. It’s just a mixture of their laid-back attitude and an underlying lack of local cash once you get away from the cosmopolitan capital city. So spend freely.

However, Trikala is just a base for your main activities. To the west, on the other side of the scruffy plain, run the Pindos mountains which are referred to as the backbone of Greece as they run from the north and extend southwards through the Peleponnese. After the boring plain, these mountains really are beautiful and it feels like you’ve entered another world. They reach well over 6000 feet and are covered in mature pine and huge gnarled plane trees. It is within this range that deep gorges have been cut into the limestone and where the majority of the climbing is to be found.

There are five main climbing area around Trikala: Pili, Theopetra, Rizoma (bouldering) and Elati but the first jewel we discovered was Mousaki. With Steep tufa and a lovely rough off-vertical slab this soon became the focus of our first trip.



As you leave Mousaki (coming from Trikala) you enter one of the deep gorges that sever the Koziakas ridge. Approximately 1km from Mousaki there is a right turn to Porti; follow this and park on the first hairpin bend. The crag can be seen from here but the climbing hut can’t. As you hurry to the crag that rears up in front of you, you almost miss the large structure that is the hut. Partly this is because it is covered in WW2 camouflage netting. Yes, the locals love this place so much they built a hut here. Really it’s just a place to doss down and it doesn’t serve meals but it is still a substantial structure to have been built in your spare time.

The main crag is 20-30m high and split into two parts: the big vertical slab and the steep tufa wall. To get started try the classic Baby Blue 6a (***) up the right edge of the slab or the sustained Fig Tree 6a+ (**) or the equally sustained Saltimbagos 6a+ (**). These are all great routes in an impressive position.

If you want to move up a gear, try Happy Ending 6c (*) that has spaced bolts on the first easy section but a really well bolted yet tricky finish. Sindromo Down 6c is equally as good but has one hard section low down that may need working before a successful ascent.

For those wanting to make the transition to the steep stuff, the classic Daktilogdartis 7a (***) follows a snaking line up the border between the slabby and the steep. Totem 7b (***) however is definitely on the steep stuff, fortunately with with big holds. Do it! Mythos 7c (**) is a must for any thug but sadly those big jugs run out just when you’re getting tired and really need them. Athlos 7c+/8a seems to be the area classic and there are numerous variations and link-ups on the hard stuff. All the 7c to 8c routes look very impressive but sadly injuries and general weakness prevented us exploring these further.

As you come to the last of these routes you will notice a set of rungs heading up the 20m wall to your left. This terrifying ascent (well for me anyway) leads you up to another sector with 12 routes ranging from 7b to 8a. I can’t confirm the quality of the routes as the horrifying approach and even worse descent with a hefty rucksack prevented me from doing any of the routes up there. Sorry!

Although it was October and we’d left a cold wet Britain behind, the south-east facing aspect of the crag mixed with clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid-20s left us waiting for the shade late in the day before those crucial redpoints. After a while the heat became very sapping and it felt like we should have left the trip for a little later in the year. However, help was at hand in the form of two local climbers whom we met at Mousaki one day. Thasos and Zuzu suggested trying Pili. Now I’d been to check out Pili and it was ‘okay’ but nowhere near as good as Mousaki. But then they told us about their secret new crag called ‘Little Gorge’ which was much more shaded. They offered to take us the next day and we arranged to meet in a café 1km beyond Pili by the old Roman bridge.

As we made our way up the shaded gully following the black water pipe upwards, Thasos told us a little about the crag and its development. It certainly was not a secret and they would prefer it if more people climbed there so that the routes stayed clean. There were only five climbers in Trikala and they couldn’t keep re-climbing every route there! Access was also a little delicate because, although the crag was on public land, you had to first walk up through some private land. We therefore had to keep a low profile. I noticed as we walked that they had marked the path clearly yet discretely with small paint dots, tape on trees, cairns and even small reflecting discs. We asked about the latter and were informed it was so you could find your way back down in the dark with a head torch. The tape was apparently reflective as well. With this much effort I pondered just what we might find up this gorge that would warrant such dedication. After 15 minutes of uphill walking we realised that this dedication was not misplaced. Emerging up the gully was a major crag and worth the airfare on its own. Golden tufas just dripped down its walls. Pristine faces 25-30m high with perfect bolting and immaculate belays made our jaws drop. With a western orientation and gorgeous plane trees creating a shady base, the crag only received sun from 1pm till 3pm. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. However, we only had one more day of heaven left before we flew home. We climbed till our arms couldn’t be raised above our heads and vowed to return.

It took two years to make that return journey as the next year we got side-tracked to go climbing around Patras, which a certain national magazine was raving about. We were sorely disappointed and cursed our poor decision. In October 2006 we made our return but we were a little concerned that our memory was a little clouded as to how good Little Gorge really was. We’d since had trips to Bruixes, Rodellar, Tres Ponts and other major tufa venues in Spain and France. Could it really be as good as we’d remembered? As we hurried up to the base of the crag we were overjoyed to see we were right. Wow, what a crag!

On this trip we’d taken the decision to stay in Kalambaka at the foot of the Meteora Towers, about 30 minutes north of Trikala. It is a town which caters well for tourists and is set against the most amazing backdrop of 1000 foot conglomerate towers with monasteries hanging precariously from the top. It truly deserves its status as a World Heritage Site and should not be missed if you are anywhere near the area. There is climbing on these towers and these are covered by guidebooks by Lothar Stutte and by Dietrich Hasse. They have also appeared in numerous magazines over the years. Alternatively, for more information, check out the Vrachos Campsite which seems to be the climber’s campsite. For a little more comfort we stayed at the Alsos House which is recommended by Lonely Planet and provides immaculate rooms and a kitchen, all with amazing views of the towers at €40 per night for a double room.

We now had a 40 minute drive to Pili but the drive was easy as long as you look out for the numerous speed cameras (painted grey) in all the villages between Trikala and Pili. You will get charged on your credit card via the car rental company for any speeding fines.

Back to the crag. It sits high in a gully where the Portaikos River cuts through the high Koziakas ridge just 2km west of Pili. The gully is rocky with the odd loose boulders but it has been stabilised by the locals to give a pleasant base. They have even tried to divert the river (that flows in winter) away from the base of the crag but with only limited success so far.

A good place to start is the jug fest of Road to Hell 6a+ (**) which starts just left of where the topo is attached to the wall. Heading on past the halfway belay gives you a stunning 7b+/c (***) but save that for later. The four routes here, stopping at halfway belays, make for good warm-ups but still have the odd tough move for the grade. Oh, yeah, they look wet don’t they? They’re not. Don’t believe me? Just touch it, go on. See I told you, didn’t I? I don’t know what it is, it’s just not wet.

Now you’ve noticed that tufa pillar to the right haven’t you? Do it, it’s a classic but be prepared to get your arse kicked (and wedged for that matter). Toyland 7a (***) is not a route to be played with. Also down to the right is the very worthwhile Per te JB 7a/+ (**) and apparently the overhanging arête of Aretusa 7a+ is also a classic. Back on the Road to Hell wall is Blade 7b+ (***) which is a fantastic stamina-fest and IRA 7b (***) which has one very reachy move on the head wall.

Upping the ante one more time, Dizzy Dolls 7c (***) and Bushido 7c+ (***) are awesome tufa romps, while Arena 7c (**) is merely brilliant with a great finishing wall. Anaconda 8a (***) looks well named and should be on all 8a climbers' tick list.

What of the future? Any potential for new routes? Just take a hike up the gully for ten minutes and you’ll find two more amazing crags. The higher one looks like it’ll give some good juggy easier routes as well.

There are so many routes I could point you at but just look at the topo, the stars are endless but well deserved. The locals have done an amazing job with this crag so go and enjoy it. Take care on the roads, visit Meteora, walk in the mountains and relax. See you there next October.




The Basics
Where is it?
Trikala is in the Thessaly region of Greece. It is a four hour drive from Athens and half an hour south of Kalambaka (Meteora).


Who’s it good for?
Single pitch sport climbing from French 4 to 8b but you need to be climbing 6a and above to get the most of the area.

When do I go?
Summer is ridiculously hot as you would expect and winter is likely to be cold that far north. Early Spring and especially late autumn would be the best times.

Who flies there?
Easyjet flies to Athens but also check out the German airlines and be prepared to transfer in Germany for cheap deals. Likewise look at Alitalia with connections via Milan. Check out www.opodo.com or other such flight booking sites.

Where do I stay?
We stayed in three places in total:
Alsos House, Kalambaka (Tel: 2432 024 097. Email: alsos-house@kmp.forthnet.gr) English spoken. 40€ for a double room and breakfast with use of immaculate shared kitchen. Right under the Meteora towers and our favourite. Someone has a board just across the street that they use most nights.
Hotel Panellinio (Tel: 2431 073 545/035) on Plateia Riga Fereou 2, approximately 40€ per night. In the centre of Trikala, close to crags, lively night life.
Hotel On the Rocks, Mousaki. No, not a refuge as it sounds but a smallish family-run hotel on the hill above Mousaki. Pleasant enough. Follow the numerous signs in Mousaki up the hill to it.
Vrachos Camping is in Kastraki, the next village to Kalambaka at Meteora. This seems to be the climbers’ campsite and the source of information regarding climbing in Meteora.

Which guide do I buy?
Hellas: Sportklettern in Griechenland by Karsten Oelze and Barbara Hertner (2004) ISBN 3-930650-08-8. A comprehensive climbing guide to virtually all of Greece with lots of information to help you with your trip. Easily available in most climbing shops. Online, check out the topo.

Where do I buy food?
Kalambaka and Trikala all have big supermarkets. Don’t forget the small independent shops, though, they definitely need your money.

Other Attractions
Walking in the Pindos Mountains. We particularly enjoyed our ascent and circumnavigation of Trigia to the west of Kalambaka.
Visit the monastries and walk around the towers of Meteora. You won’t regret it. The ‘James Bond’ monastry is a pleasant walk up from the Alsos House.
Visit the many Ancient Greek sites around the area. Delphi is just a short detour off the motorway when returning to Athens. Also go back a day early and do a whirlwind tour of Athens itself.


Please add to this site: community-based information relies on its contributors.

---

---