The oncologist didn't want to see Elaine for almost 2 months, which gave us a window of 6 weeks until her next scans. So, we decided to go somewhere further away than usual. Initially, it was going to be Granada, but the torrential rain made it necessary to head in the opposite direction. We decided it was about time we went to Manikia, on the island of Evia, in Greece, about 2 hours drive north of Athens. 

It's a long and tiring journey, which includes a 22-hour ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa (or Patras), which takes us 4 days. It's well worth the effort though. 

We established ourselves at Dragonera Cliffs Camping in Vrysi, which is definitely the best place to stay in a van, as the Manikia Project discourages wild camping. The campsite is basic but is great value at 12€ a night for 2 people + van, and Maria is the friendliest host you could possibly imagine. We were very touched by her generous gifts of eggs, cakes, and fruit every few days. The campsite has toilets, showers, drinking water and a kitchen area. 

It's worth mentioning that you can walk to the closest crags, which are located above the campsite in a beautiful valley called Mpougazi. However, it's much nicer to drive up the hill and save yourself 20 minutes, and save your energy for climbing. At peak holiday times, I can imagine the car park gets full quickly, so be aware that walking might be the only option. You'll need a car to get to all the other crags, which are located in the valley between Vrysi and Manikia. 

Another point worth mentioning is that Manikia is nothing like Kalymnos or Leonidio. It's very quiet and peaceful; I would say that it definitely feels off the beaten track, it's wild and unspoilt. It's also pretty clean, you don't see the litter and plastic bottles that you find in other parts of Greece. The place has a rural feel and there are plenty of goats and sheep about. 

There is an excellent shop in Vrysi where you can buy most things, including fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, beer and homemade cakes and savouries, and the topo. There are also 2 excellent places to eat out: The Tavern (below the shop) and the River Café (below the Tavern). Both provide excellent value for money food with great friendly service. There is a supermarket in nearby Konistres, where there is also a climbing shop and a Sunday market. 

When we arrived in early March, it was a bit too hot for climbing but perfect for living in the van. Then it got really cold at night with frost in the mornings (it even snowed), which was perfect for climbing but unpleasant for living in the van, so we moved into a caravan on the campsite. It got way too cold at night in the caravan, so we rented an apartment (The House on the Mountain, in nearby Gaia, opposite the lower valley crags). A constant feature of the weather was the strong wind. The last couple of weeks were a bit unsettled, but the crags stayed dry. However, it was raining and a miserable 7C when we left in early April just before the Easter holidays. 

I like steep climbing on good holds and tufas, so climbed mostly at Dragonera, in Mpougazi and Les larmes de Sisyphe, in the Lower Valley. Other notable crags were Rolling Stone, Ilona Cave, Rainbow, Manikia Kentro and Manikia Paralia. Nick Weicht has equipped Sisyphe Right single handedly, which will become a very popular spot, once it cleans up. 

Amazingly, most of the time we had the crags to ourselves. Most of the crags face south, which means climbing in the afternoon/early evening after a leisurely start to the day. Unfortunately, the north facing crags are banned until the end of June due to nesting birds, so we didn't climb there but, to be honest, it looks like a faff getting there with lots of handlines. Daxi Daxi looks really good for next time. 

Many of the routes at Sisyphe start above an awkward slab accessible by handlines, roughly 10 metres above the ground. I was able to do all of them, belayed by Elaine on the ground, and using long slings on the first few bolts. An 80m rope was long enough to lower back down to the handlines. Ok, there was some rope drag up high, but it was worth it to avoid faffing about, and an uncomfortable hanging belay for her.  Definite to guarantee a full workout for me though. 

In summary: a great adventure, somewhere new, remote, quiet, slower pace of life, excellent climbing, friendly locals, beautiful scenery.

For further information, read Dominic Oughton's excellent 3 part blog:

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2024/03/02/manikia-mpougazi/

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2024/02/28/manikia-lower-valley-crags/

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2024/03/03/manikia-upper-valley/

The Lower Valley crags 

Still half a Greek salad left!

Vegetarian pizza at the River Café

Manikia Paralia 

Marx Attack, 7c, Sisyphe 

Mummy break time, 8a, Ilona Cave (photo by Iris Straatsma)

Iris on Mummy break time 

Iris trying Breaking Dad, 8a+

Get off my cloud, 8a, Rolling Stone (photo by Simon/Louise Nadin)

Ethelontis, 7c, Dragonera (photo by Simon Nadin)

View from Rolling Stone 

View from Rolling Stone 

Looking up the valley towards Manikia 

Rainbow/Ilona carpark 

Team Nadin Owen 

Mpougazi from Dragonera Cliffs Camping 

Buy the topo 

Mortal Kombat

I've not felt like writing much for well over a year. Mostly it's because there has been a major change in our lives. 

We've been happily cruising through life, always climbing, taking good health for granted and blissfully unaware of the passage of time. 

Then Elaine was diagnosed with cancer in June 2023. Long story short: surgery, immunotherapy treatment, anti-angiogenic drugs, so many appointments and finally it's looking like she's in the clear. Luckily, living in France, the care she has received has been incredible. We're sincerely grateful to everyone involved. It's obviously been a very difficult time for both of us. But she's one of the lucky ones. Sadly, we've lost a lot of friends recently to cancer. 

So, there haven't been as many trips away or any real "King Lines" ticked for a long time. Never mind, we'll soon get back to normal. 

However I have been thinking a lot about one particular King Line just recently, well since 16 January as it marked the 20th anniversary of me doing a very special climb down here on the Côte d'Azur. 

Pretty soon after moving here in 1999, I remember an Italian climber doing the full version of the 7c+ I was trying at Castillon (Mortal Kombat). I was instantly inspired, the only problem was that it was given 8c (2 grades above my hardest ever) and, therefore, too hard for me. Then Yuji and Christian Brenna both on-sighted it and gave it 8b+. Hmm, maybe it might be possible, I thought to myself. 

During the next couple of years I had an occasional play on the moves, only to find them desperate and give up each time. Then, during the summer and autumn of 2004 I hit a really good period when I was definitely fitter and doing lots of 8as quickly, with a few really good 8a+s too. I decided to commit myself to really trying to do Mortal Kombat, as soon as it got cold enough to go back to Castillon. By that time the strong locals had downgraded it to a mere 8b, immediately after Muriel Sarkany and Leila Hachem became the first women to succeed, which I thought seemed rather unfair. 

Whatever. Regardless of the grade, it's a truly awesome climb up an amazing overhanging wall. It's the most striking feature when you arrive at the crag, I'm sure everyone has looked up and, for a moment at least, been hooked by it's magic spell and imagined themselves up there on such a compelling line. Axel Franco created a masterpiece, truly one of the best. It is both physically and mentally demanding, very steep and being about 45 metres long, it takes a lot of concentration and effort to stay totally focused for a long time. 

The route breaks down into 3 parts. 

Firstly, a hard 15-metre 7c+, that you have to get well dialled so as not to use up too much energy, to a good but awkward rest. 

Secondly, you're straight into the hard climbing, about 20 metres of tricky moves, including a weird shoulder move on a 2 finger pocket, followed by undercuts and big reaches with poor footholds. Then a massive span up left off a small improved hold hopefully gains the poor tufa. A couple of desperate moves right on the limit then, at last, the chance to get a kneebar and the first rest. Lots of shuffling with kneebars leads to the top of the tufa and the last rest before committing to the last of the hardest sequences, moving up and right to the continuation of the tufa and another kneebar (see Phil Maurel's excellent photo of Axel Franco on the first ascent). One more tricky move leads to a reasonable rest at some big enough undercuts, where you can recover. From the top of the 7c+ to there is probably a good 8a+ in itself. 

Thirdly, the top is probably only 7c, but it's another 10 metres of complicated climbing where the pump really kicks in. You really have to make sure to work out the best way. It's technical and fingery, and it's still possible to fall off and blow it (I know at least one strong local who has come to grief there). You have to concentrate all the way to the chain, otherwise you'll be off and have to try again another day, as you'll be finished for that day. 

So, quite early in the Castillon  season, on Sunday 16 January 2005, all the planets aligned, gravity was weak, and I finally realised my dream. I was 46 at the time and definitely the oldest person to have climbed Mortal Kombat. It was even reported on Phil Maurel's "Nice Climbs" website, under the heading "Le promenade de l'Anglais" (despite me being Welsh) with an accompanying photo. 

It was a very special day, not just for me: Boule did La Niaque and Thierry did his first 8a (Trace Direct). Jean was there, too, he'd recently done his first 7c at the tender age of 67!

Happy memories indeed. In fact, at some point during most days, I find myself remembering that day. You'll know when, just look for the dreamy, faraway look and the big smile on my face. 

Where did those 20 years go?

Big thanks to Axel for equipping such a fantastic climb and to Elaine for all the encouragement and patient belays.