We are very excited and immensely proud to introduce two new climbing sectors in Zobolo: Lykógremo and Kotróni. Located at the southeast tip of the Peloponnese peninsula and commonly known as Cavo Maléas, Zobolo is, as per our friend Carl, “a strange end-of-the-world landscape; a very wild place, lots of ocean, plus a petrified forest!” The climbing area faces the gorgeous blue waters of the Myrtoan Sea (the part of the Aegean Sea between the Cyclades islands and the Peloponnese). Cape Maleas—Cavomaliás to most Greeks—is a steep promontory with an iconic lighthouse dating back to the late 19th century and fully restored in 2010. The area is windswept and dramatic, and its waters notoriously rough. More info here and here.
Climbing
Development of the new sectors was completed in November 2021. It was made possible through an EU Leader program—a European Union initiative for rural development which supports both private enterprise and community groups in delivering projects aimed at improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging the diversification of economic activity in rural areas. Our hope is that this will help jumpstart a future of sustainable, low-impact development in what is one of the most beautiful parts of Greece.
Funding through this program was granted to the Agios Nikolaos Cultural Association. (Agios Nikolaos is the tranquil small village closest to the cliffs.) In charge of the development guidelines and drilling was our own Aris Theodoropoulos, who worked alongside the following highly experienced Climb Greece team: Dimitris Titopoulos (both Aris and Dimitris are Greek mountain guides), George Aliferis, Dimitra Klaoudatou, and Yiannis Delakovias. When it came time to climb and grade the new routes, Kostas Grafanakis, Tiia Porri, and Maciej Zapecki joined the team.
The two new sectors, Lykógremo and Kotróni, sit atop the rocky spine of the promontory. Views are beautiful and panoramic. The sectors face each other, so you can climb in the shade or sun all day by selecting the appropriate sector for the weather and time of day. Furthermore, the fact that the cliffs face in several different directions may offer some protected areas on days with strong winds, which are not infrequent. Both sectors are excellent for climbing in the summer, even on very hot days.
In total, 81 new routes were bolted with grades across the spectrum:
Routes up to 5c+: 10
Routes 6a to 6b+: 24
Routes 6c to 7a+: 21
Routes 7b and up: 26
Most routes are relatively densely bolted with glue-in bolts using hilti epoxy resin. The lower-offs are clippable with two stainless steel carabiners. Route names are fixed at the base of each route on small discreet stainless steel plaquettes.
Approach
From Athens you will have to drive 354km to Neapoli, the town closest to the cliffs. (The crags are then a further 15km away.) A significant portion of the drive is non-motorway, so allow a minimum of five hours from Athens.
From Athens, the route is as follows:
Korinthos > Tripoli > Sparti > Molai > Neapoli. When you arrive at the beach of Neapoli, follow the signs to Agios Nikolaos (8km further). After 8km, you will come to the village of Agios Nikolaos and a fork in the road. Turn right and continue following the signs to Profitis Ilias. After 5.3km, turn off left onto a dirt road following the sign to Agia Marina, Fossil Forest, Kavo Maleas Monastery, Climbing Park. A freshly paved road starts here. After 1.8km, turn left towards an obvious clearing. Park there. In total, the crag/parking area is 6.2km from Agios Nikolaos.
With the co-financing of Greece and the European Union
