Rock Climbing
Garga Suyu
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. Named after the nearby spring ‘Garga Suyu’, the massive rock outcrop on the Kyrenia to Buffavento main road, is the birthplace of rock climbing in North Cyprus.
The climbing area has 15 climbing routes which lead up the rugged cliff, parallel to an impressive cave on the rock face. With a 5-minute easy approach from the main road, this climbing area attracts a small but growing group of rock-climbing enthusiasts.
Getting ready for a climb, Görkem ties a ‘figure 8 knot’ to secure his harness to the climbing rope while Sertunç is watching. Bolt is a point of protection permanently installed in a hole drilled into the rock, to which a metal hanger is attached, having a hole for a carabiner or ring. Görkem is the lead climbing, while Sertunç is belaying on the ground. Görkem is collecting the express sets (carabiner pairs) on his way down the route, after clipping the rope through the top anchor point. Physically connected to each other by the rope, the climber and the belayer connect in mind as well. Communication and trust between them is necessary for a safe and comfortable climb.
Outdoor Artificial Climbing Wall
Members of the Nature Sports Club in the Middle Eastern Technical University can test their skills on a difficult route on the outdoor artificial climbing wall. The 11-meter-high climbing wall offers numerous difficulty levels. Wall climbing is used as training for climbing on natural rock formations with most beginners introduced to climbing via an artificial climbing wall. Learning particular techniques and special moves are necessary to be able to ascend up routes with higher difficulty levels.
Artificial Rock Walls
Rock climbing can also be practiced on artificial rock walls, as well as on natural rock formations. The aim of rock-climbing is to safely reach an endpoint through a pre-defined route using ropes. In top-roping, an anchor is set up at the summit of a route, before the start of a climb. Rope is run through the anchor; one end attaches to the climber and the other to the belayer, who keeps the rope taut during the climb, and prevents long falls. This type of climbing is widely regarded as the safest type of climbing, with the lowest chance of injury
Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport requiring strength, endurance, agility and balance and mental control. It can be a dangerous sport, and knowledge of proper climbing techniques and usage of specialised climbing equipment is crucial for safe completion of routes.
Kyrenia Mountains Rock Climbing
In 2007, the leading rock-climbing enthusiasts of North Cyprus Nazife ‘Nazo’ Canıtez and İnan Taşlı invited the professional rock climbers of Türkiye, Tunç Fındık and Doğan Palut to open the first routes on the Kyrenia Mountains together. This pioneer group designated the Kartal Kayası rock outcrop to be the most suitable and accessible place, and installed climbing bolts to create the first climbing area in Northern Cyprus. Rock type is very important in designating climbing areas, as outcrops must be free of easily crumbled rocks, which may break during a climb. The Kyrenia Mountains are particularly suitable for rock climbing as there are plenty of outcrops of very strong dolomitic limestones, mostly recrystallized and brecciated.
Lead climbing
In lead climbing, one person, called the “leader”, will climb from the ground up, with rope directly attached to their harness (not through a top anchor). The second person, “belays” the leader by feeding out enough rope to allow upward progression without undue slack. As the leader progresses, they clip the rope through intermediate points of protection (bolts,) with quick express carabiners, to limit the length of a potential fall.