Odyssey
5c – 7a · 4 routes · limestone · French
- Approach 8 min — well-made stepped path from the road above Myrties, no scrambling
- Best season April to June and September to November; morning sessions are best in spring and autumn.
- Published
- Updated
Odyssey is the friendliest sector on Kalymnos: vertical to slightly overhanging grey limestone, well bolted, with a ladder of grades from 5c to 7b and a short, safe approach. It is where most people spend their first two days on the island.
What is here
The wall is more vertical than the famous caves, so the climbing is about footwork and reading pockets rather than raw endurance. The holds are small but positive, and the bolting is close enough that falling is not intimidating for a newer leader.
The left-hand side is the easiest section and the right-hand side has the harder, steeper lines. That gradient makes it easy to warm up and then step up through the grades in a single session.
Heat and shade
Odyssey faces west and gets afternoon sun, which makes it a good cold-morning option and a bad summer-afternoon one. In April and October the afternoon sun is pleasant; in July it is unbearable by 14:00.
Winds from the north can make the sector cold enough that a belay jacket is needed even on a sunny day.
Practical
The base is flat and shaded by trees, which makes it comfortable for a group with non-climbers. There is no water on site; the nearest shop is a ten-minute walk down in Myrties.
Routes · 4
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Hold types jug · pocket · slab
Open beta
Fifteen metres of easy pockets on the left end. The standard first route of the trip for most visitors.
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Hold types pocket · crimp · sidepull
Open beta
Twenty-five metres of pocket climbing up the centre of the wall. The crux is a long move between two shallow pockets at two-thirds height.
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Hold types sidepull · pocket · undercling
Open beta
Sustained wall climbing on sidepulls with one genuine rest on a ledge. Footwork decides whether it feels 6b or 6c.
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Hold types pocket · tufa · kneebar
Open beta
Steeper line on the right with a short tufa section. The kneebar at the tufa is worth two grades if you find it.
Crag ethics
Crag ethics
Do not chip or glue holds. Kalymnos routes are maintained by volunteers; report any worn lower-off rather than replacing it yourself.
