Jo-Si-To

If you want to know what it’s like to live in a council estate, then fly Thomas Cook. It’s like being in that dodgy pub down the road, any form of eye contact could result in pain! When the seat belt sign is on they need the toilet, when we’re about to land, they all need the toilet. Might be something to do with the beer.......But, it was uneventful, I managed to not to make contact with the guy with the scary eyes and not mention to the heavily tattooed guy in front that bouncing around in his seat like an excited school boy was really irritating.

Jo-Si-To Campsite
However, we were met by pouring rain, not the winter sun we had been expecting and transported up to the mountains and the campsite which will be our home for the next 24 days. The campsite is nestled between the steep limestone cliffs and the surrounding mountains. http://www.climbingcamp-antalya.com/ Run by three Germans it is the picture of organisation. Breakfast is at 8.00 to 9.00 and dinner is served promptly at 8.00. But! what a dinner, great food, great location, hot showers and so far brilliant climbing! It’s got to be on everyone’s list of places to go at least once.

Steve and I opened up the first day climbing with probably one of the best routes of its grade in the world. Saxafon is a 40 degree limestone cave, dripping with Tufa’s. The climb goes straight through this impressive terrain and features major jug pulling and a beautiful hands of rest at ¾ height as your rest your bank against a gigantic stalactite. The route is then finished off with more jug pulling and the crux in the last moves. The great part of all this is the 15 minutes maximum walk in.

Although we haven’t found another climb to match Saxafon there seem to be plenty of potential candidates waiting for us to have a go.

Katherine Schirrmacher on Geyıbekı Games

Back to the campsite, it’s currently slowly filling up as we approach Easter. From the continent are plenty of Germans, Austrians and a few Slovenians. From the UK are the usual bunch of Sheffield Trad boys and girls getting some winter sun. Katherine Schirrmacher is here with Nic Sellers checking out potential routes for her coaching holiday http://www.lovetoclimb.co.uk/ here in September with Steve McClure to pass on their wealth of information to us mortals. Better get back to the climbing, my lunch time break from the sun has finished and it’s off to find a crag in the shade for the afternoon.

Crag Tortoise