Telendos South Face · Kalymnos & Telendos · Greece
Read the cautionsBail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
Thin moves over small bulges, stemming and big jugs on 'cauliflower' limestone. The crux is P6, which ends at a hanging belay. Mountain Project gives the pitches in YDS only (5.8–5.10b), so French pitch grades are not listed; the overall grade is 5.10b (6a+), and some listings give 6b. You can link P3–P4 and P5–P6.
Fully bolted with stainless double-bolt belays (2017) and 6a+ maximum, but there is only one detailed source and the descent and approach time are not documented.
The route
A seven-pitch sport route on the south face of Telendos, east of the Crescendo cave and west of the Titan Towers. The pitches are short, between about 15 and 27 m, on grey slabs, small bulges and 'cauliflower' limestone, and the crux sixth pitch climbs through a roof on big sharp jugs above the sea. It was bolted in 2017 with stainless hardware and double-bolt belays. It is far less documented than Wings for Life or Wild Country: the only detailed description is a single Mountain Project page, which gives no approach time and no descent.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5b | 15 m | 4 bolts | Given 5.8. A slippery grey slab with positive horizontal pockets. At the top walk about 10 m left along a big ledge to a two-bolt belay. |
| P2 | 5c | 21 m | 7 bolts | Given 5.9. Short pitch to a good ledge. |
| P3 | 6a | 27 m | 13 bolts | Given 5.10a. Straight up the steepening wall with thin moves over small bulges. |
| P4 | 5c | 24 m | 8 bolts | Given 5.9. Easier broken ground to a ledge with a large boulder on the right, then a brief steep section straight above the boulder. |
| P5 | 6a | 21 m | 8 bolts | Given 5.10a. Past a layback crack to a grassy ledge under the overhang. |
| P6 | 6a+ | 18 m | 10 bolts | Given 5.10b, the crux. An easy slab leads to a steeper roof on sharp holds, with stemming and big jugs in a great position. Ends at the only hanging belay on the route. |
| P7 | 5c | 18 m | 10 bolts | Given 5.9. Up and left from the hanging belay on large jugs to a belay on the summit plateau. |
Getting there
Base yourself in Masouri or Myrties on Kalymnos. Small ferries cross from Myrties to Telendos about every half hour until around midnight (camptocamp). Mountain Project (2013 note) put the first boat at 07:00. You can also arrange a direct boat drop below the south face: Mountain Project quoted about 10 euros a head in 2013, a 2023 camptocamp party paid 20 euros each. Agree the price and the pick-up with the boatman beforehand. The route is named after the owner of the restaurant at the Telendos jetty, where the ferry lands.
No source gives a step-by-step approach or a time for this route. It is on the south face between the Titan Towers / Inspiration (to the east) and the Crescendo cave (to the west), about 80 m left of De Charybde en Scylla. The start is marked with paint. A 2019 camptocamp party describes a higher blue-marked path from the village that passes directly beneath Prometheus, Charybde and Rita Telendos, as opposed to the lower coastal path used for Wild Country; they took 1 h 45 min by it to reach Wild Country further west.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Point from Mountain Project area 107264272 (Multipitch routes)
Contains the route point. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.
Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.
Coordinates: 37.00697, 26.90213 (crag)
Getting down
Not described by any source found. The route finishes on the summit plateau. Mountain Project says only that a 60 m rope is enough to abseil in an emergency. The neighbouring routes on this face walk off north across the plateau, following cairns to the chapel of St Constantine and the coastal path back to the village (1.5 to 2 h), but nobody confirms the line from the top of this particular route. Ask locally before you go.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
Probably yes, as an emergency option only. Mountain Project says a 60 m rope is enough to abseil in an emergency, and the belays are double-bolted stainless anchors on pitches of 15 to 27 m. No one describes an actual retreat, and the route is not known to be rigged as an abseil descent.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
South-facing, so in sun for most of the day. The neighbouring routes further west are reported in shade until about 10:30 to 11:00. Spring and autumn. No route-specific conditions reports were found.
Sun on the wall · S-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Greek time), for the 15th of each month.
Climate figures for Kalymnos & Telendos are not available yet
What to carry
Single 60 m rope and 13 quickdraws, some of them long or extendable. Helmet.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Rita Telendos.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Same area
Greece · Kalymnos & Telendos
The first route on the wall (Odermatt and Keller, 2008), climbing a long, exposed line on sharp, grippy rock right of the huge roof. The lower pitches are easy for the grade. The two 6a cruxes are a short odd corner over a small roof and a traverse high up, and they come with big exposure. Pitches are short, so you can link them with long draws.
6a11 pitches250 m
Greece · Kalymnos & Telendos
A sustained, varied line on sculpted limestone. It starts with an easy slab and builds to slightly overhanging jugs with huge exposure on the top pitch. Mountain Project and camptocamp grade the crux 6a+ (Rockfax says 6a). With a 70 m rope you can link several pairs of pitches.
6a9 pitches265 m
Greece · Kalymnos & Telendos
Kalymnos's best-known introduction to multi-pitch: a series of steps and slabs, always with plenty of holds, finishing on top of the Grande Grotta. The upper pitches feel very exposed. Real pitch lengths are shorter than the guidebook says (20–25 m).
5c+6 pitches175 m
Committing
Greece · Kalymnos & Telendos
A mountain-style outing high above Masouri, with a delicate traversing 6a on P4 and a lovely final corner. Most pitches feel easy for their grade, but the route is loose in places, so wear a helmet.
6a7 pitches170 m
Around 6a+ · about 7 pitches
Italy · Sardinia
An airy, mostly left-rising traverse that spirals round the Pedra Longa sea stack to its summit, on water-runnelled grey walls and pocketed white rock right above the sea. It has become one of the most popular routes in Sardinia, so expect queues.
6a+7 pitches190 m
Committing
Spain · Riglos & Agüero (Mallos)
A good first route at Riglos: seven sustained 6a pitches on the spur of the Frechín, with a grandstand view of the Visera. Manage rope drag on the wandering first pitch.
6a+7 pitches180 m
Greece · Leonidio & Kyparissi
A newer pillar line with a pretty 45 m slab to start, a single interesting 6a+ crux on P4, and a final orange corner. It makes a good step up from Mignonette.
6a+7 pitches180 m
Greece · Crete
An accessible gorge multi-pitch with views over the canyon, the sea and the little Orthodox chapel. It has steep juggy walls, a short traverse onto an arête and a corner with a jammed block (take care). The rock is less sticky higher up.
6a+7 pitches200 m
Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.
