Sector: Kleisoura
Kleisoura is located 60km north of Patras. It is very close to Ionia Odos (Greek Motorway A5/European Routes E55 and E951). The A5 runs through the western part of Greece and connects Patras to the city of Ioannina and the port of Igoumenitsa (the alternate port of entry to Greece from the west). Kleisoura, where bolting started in the early 2010s, is one of the newest crags in the Patras area. Located inside the 2-km long Kleisoura Gorge, the crag is easily accessible via the Antirrio- Agrinio road, which runs through the 150m high, gray-and-orange limestone walls. And while rock quality isn’t always great, the good sections of Kleisoura form worldclass, hardcore cliffs. Full of enormous stalactites and tufas, they are on a par with the best of Spain. Their only drawback is the limited number of routes; however, the gorge brims with new routing potential.
Climbing: Kleisoura’s primary attribute is its steepness (≤ 40°) and its impressive tufa pipes; therefore it’s best for those comfortable with 7th and 8th grade routes. Routes were equipped by Aristomenis Thanopoulos, Yiannis Torelli and Peter Lappas.
Gear: 80m rope and 20 QD for the longer routes.
Kids: Not bad, as the approach is short and the terrain under the cliffs is even, but you will have to steer clear of the ledge where most of the routes start. Kids can also play under the trees at the parking area.
Conditions: Ideal for spring and autumn climbing. Kleisoura is one of the best crags in Greece for rainy days thanks to the combination of minimal approach and steep angle. It is also good for winter, when low temperatures create optimal conditions for hard redpoints (unless it rains heavily for days, in which case the tufas will be wet). Climbing is also possible on late summer afternoons, except on extremely hot days.
