Bouldering in the Latmos Mountains (Turkish: Beşparmak), in the rocky hinterland below an ancient Byzantine castle.
The Latmos has been a sacred mountain in Anatolia since prehistoric times, with Neolithic rock paintings, Byzantine monasteries, and weathered gneiss formations scattered throughout the landscape. The area is in the process of becoming a national park, and the paintings, walls, and ruins are irreplaceable. Please tread lightly, take all your rubbish home, and don't touch or disturb anything you come across, even if it looks like just another pile of stones.
The bouldering itself is a mixed bag. The potential feels endless, but the rock is fragile, and good lines are surprisingly hard to come by, especially after rain when holds become much more prone to snapping. That said, we think many of the problems here are well worth the trip, and one or two could be world-class. We've done our best to clean loose rock from the established lines, but expect breakages if you stray off the intended sequence, and double-check holds on anything highball.
There's huge scope for new lines if you're willing to put in the legwork to find and clean them. Before you brush or chalk anything, always check the underside of any roof, cave, or steep feature for cave paintings. They're often in exactly the kind of sheltered, overhanging spots that make for good climbing, and once they're damaged they're gone. If you're planning to explore, we're keen to collaborate. Get in touch and we can share where we've already been so you don't double up on ground we've covered.
