Sector: Alpeos
Sector: East
Sector: West
Another ‘place of worship’ for the Patras area climbers, Alepochori is one of the best hardcore sport crags in Greece, loaded with tufa columns and stalactites. Located 40 km south of Patras, the cliffs of Alepochori are situated in the midst of an unspoilt mountain valley close to the tiny hamlet of the same name and the river Tethreas. The overhanging cliffs rise just above the road. Most routes on the main crag are graded between 7a and 8a+ and are particularly steep. There are four sectors: Alepochori West, Spilia, Alpeos, and Alepochori East, with a total of about 85 routes and the potential for many more. It was first developed in the mid-‘90s by Yiannis Torelli and Aristomenis Thanopoulos, who were the main equippers.
400m down the road is Alepochori hamlet. Named after the mythical giant Alpos, the mostly abandoned village lies at an altitude of 570m. There are no shops, restaurants or room rentals in the village, so you will have to shop for food in Patras, and your accommodation options are either free camping (under the plane trees on the river bank across the road) or a hotel in or around Patras. There is a mountain spring for fresh water about 50m past the parking area for the ‘West Wall’.
Climbing: Sector Alepochori West is a tufa-snake paradise, whereas Alepochori East is a technical wall and slab featuring some well-bolted 5a-6b routes. Overall, Alepochori has something for everyone, from the 5th to the 8th grade, though grades tend to be stiff.
Gear: A single 60m rope and 14 QD. All routes have permanent lower-offs, and most bolts (10mm) are in very good condition despite their age. Local climbers have gradually started to rebolt the most popular routes.
Kids: Quite good. Approaches are short, and there are small flat areas beneath the cliffs (but lots of goat poo).
Conditions: Best for climbing from mid-April to mid-December, though year-round climbing is certainly possible depending on season and conditions. After all, there are four sectors to choose from.
