Sikati Cave
4c – 6a · 4 routes · limestone · French
- Approach 25 min — long but gentle dirt road from the Pothia side; no scrambling, but very exposed to sun
- Best season October to April. It is one of the few warm winter sectors on the island.
- Published
- Updated
Sikati is the easiest large sector on Kalymnos: a big shaded cave with a floor you can walk around, routes from 4c upwards, and enough space that a group of beginners can spread out without getting in each other's way.
Why it works for beginners
The cave is short enough that you can always see the anchor, and the holds are large and positive. Most of the routes are between 12 and 20 metres and the bolting is generous, which takes the fear out of the first few leads.
The floor is flat and shaded, which means you can leave bags on the ground and belay in comfort even in the middle of the day.
The approach is the crux
Twenty-five minutes of dirt road with no shade. In October this is pleasant; in June it is genuinely draining. Carry water for the walk in and out, and start early if you are visiting in a warm month.
The final section is loose underfoot. Approach shoes rather than sandals are the right call.
When to go
Sikati faces south and is one of the few sectors on the island that works in winter. In December and January it can be climbed in a T-shirt when the north-facing crags are freezing.
Routes · 4
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Hold types jug · slab · mantle
Open beta
Twelve metres of big holds up the left wall. The ideal very first limestone route on the island.
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Hold types pocket · sidepull · slab
Open beta
Vertical pocket wall in the centre. Learn to read which pockets are two-finger and which are one-finger before you pull.
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Hold types traverse · jug · heel-hook
Open beta
A rising traverse across the cave mouth with a bolted anchor at the end. Good for practising clipping from awkward positions.
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Hold types jug · roof · heel-hook
Open beta
Short roof on enormous holds — the first steep route most people do here. A heel hook makes the exit trivial.
Crag ethics
Crag ethics
The cave has formations on the walls away from the routes. Do not touch stalactites that are not part of a line, and do not brush them.
