We spent the last 18 days climbing at Geyikbayiri in Turkey and the place ROCKS! (Pun intended.) In fact, we liked it so much we want to go back there again later this year. Initially we wanted to go to Kalymnos, Greece first but after checking weather forecasts it just looked better in Turkey this time of the year. Kalymnos will be happening in March now.

Turkey is a third world country. The driving can be very challenging so we were glad to have arranged an airport pickup with the JoSiTo campground. It would have been pretty much impossible to find our way through Antalya to get there! The camp is situated in the Taurus mountains an hour's drive from the airport. They rent huts; there's a climbers' bar and shower facilities. You don't need to hire a car to climb here. It's very easy to hitch a ride down to Çakirlar to the store and the dodgy internet "café" run by teenagers, and there's a market also once a week.

The climbing is mostly steep limestone with tufas, pockets, and crimps, and everything is very well-bolted. The best part is that most routes are fairly new; the oldest routes were bolted in 2001 so nothing is polished! (On the downside, your fingertips will be aching after 3 days...) Ratings are mostly right-on and there are no giveaways; none of that grade overinflation that's going on in Spain.

Turkey is still affordable as it is not part of the European Union. As of now there are no routes 8c+ or higher, so that keeps the "elite" away from this place--and the crowds of climbers that flock around them. I'm sure there is potential for super hard climbing but it hasn't yet been realized. Fortunately there are plenty of 8a and 8b routes for hobby-climbers like us so we'll be coming back for more!

Having said that, we met the seven-time British champion Lucy Creamer and her friends, and they invited us to England this summer. Marietta Uhden of Germany also climbed here during our stay. So there was plenty of inspiring hard climbing around!

The Turks were really friendly, open and welcoming which unfortunately I can't say of the Spaniards (that's a story in itself). I hope the Turkish hospitality will stay that way!

◊ Climbing in Turkey slideshow