This marvellous gorge brings together a striking variety of climbing styles, all within one mystical canyon. On one side, you’ll find the sunny grey slabs of Grande Cuckoo, the tufa towers and vertical dance moves of Al-Andaluz, and the high-end test pieces of VIP Tree, leading into the majestic overhang of H.A.D.A.. On the opposite side, there’s the bearhug-tufa-wrestling of Pinakothek, and the dense alpine limestone pulling of Bella Vista.
The H.A.D.A. area alone offers everything a climber’s heart could desire. Countless styles, varied angles, and grades ranging from beginner-friendly 5s to advanced 9th grade projects.
And the potential for further development is massive. The rock surrounding this gorge barely hints at what the future holds. Dozens of lines remain untouched and entire sectors are still waiting to be developed. Waiting for the next wave of motivated bolters.
H.A.D.A.:
In 2013, route setters Stamatis Konstatakopoulos, Kostas Roussos, and Spiros Kouthouris—active members of the Athenian Mountain Club AOS—bolted this sector as part of Leonidio’s first official bolting initiative, organized by Parnonas through the LEADER program. A few years later, Mike and I continued the work, focusing on the tufa overhang to the left and eventually adding the massive extensions in the central section. Over time, a handful of other motivated climbers and slackliners contributed, placing hundreds of bolts and transforming this area into a vast outdoor playground.
Grande Cuckoo:
Another AOS-developed sector. As they say, “timing is money” , this was actually the second sector bolted during a single weekend trip by the team from Athens.
Al-Andaluz:
Roberto from Spain initiated the development of this wall during his several-month stay in Leonidio. He got Mike involved, and together they created this unique sector, which still holds great potential for further development.
VIP Tree:
Ever-enthusiastic Mika Schreiber was the first to harness the potential of this stunning piece of rock. Ok, accessing it requires some nerve, regardless of the route you choose and even walking along the narrow belay ledge isn’t for everyone. But the exceptional rock quality and thoughtful bolting easily make up for the effort and exposure.
Pinakothek:
Chris and Alex discovered, cleaned, and bolted this truly special sector during two extended trips to Greece.
Bella Vista:
Kurt Hürlimann from Switzerland, with help from friends, began developing this wall back in 2018. Since then, he’s continued to add, refine, and improve routes whenever he returns to Leonidio.
