So today was the first day of the Lycian Way in southern Turkey.
Having been delayed at Gatwick and not arriving at our destination until past 10 pm it was very difficult to have any concept of our location. The day started with a walk around the ‘Ghost city’ at Kayakov – deserted by the Greeks after a treaty in 1923. Our tour started at 07.00 – well I managed to catch them up at 7.05! Quick hours walk and then breakfast. The buildings looked quite desolate, aided by some Earth tremors and desertion.
Noticeable were the chimneys in the corner of many houses and the water cisterns.
After breakfast and meeting up with the rest of the group – there were 16 of us with our one very young guide Nebil, we set of in a bus to a nearby town to exchange money and buy snacks before we were transported to the start of the Lycian Way. Much dispute as to how to pronounce this – any reader can put on their own interpretation.
Our hike starts from Ovacik village and is marked by a large sign. Several people are gathered near this spot, some I guess taking shorter walks than ourselves. Below we are aware of a beach area and the town of Olyndiz and can even hear loud music which is rather at odds with our locality. We head south and are going up onto the foothills of Baba Dagi (1989m), a large massif.
Our tracks vary between stony and pine forest and is mostly up hill for the first part of this walk. Looking around I can see that I’m probably the shortest and oldest and whilst stamina is useful it doesn’t always compensate for speed up hill. Luckily our guide designated a back marker, so I know I’ll never be left behind! The views are very good and taking photos does give breathing space !
There’s always goats! Even well camouflaged ones!
Before too long it was time to stop for lunch- we had been told that it would be Turkish Pancake. We walked into a veranda area off the road which was a cafe/ restaurant as part of a farm. My first experience of fresh orange and pomegranate juice – very good. I did avoid the yoghurt drink ! We also had tea, brewed in large urns with a tap for tea and one for hot water. This was the method everywhere we went .
The method of making the ‘pancake ‘ was great to watch. A ball of dough that got bigger and bigger, sprinkled with vegetables and cheese. Then folded before being flash fried and served with wonderful tomatoes and honey. A combination that really worked.
After seeing a box of chicks and calves and being very full we set off along a road, having paid about four ponds each for lunch!
A few more pine forests this afternoon and still some good views before we eventually come down through the village of Faralya to a plateau above ‘Butterfly- valley’ where there is a steep sides inlet from the sea.
Poles were very helpful on much of this walk as the rock was quite loose in places. Our resting spot for the night was the Montenegro Motel – accessible by road. Individual chalets with enormous beds! And a swimming pool.
An excellent meal of fresh whole sea bass which was proceeded by various mezze which nearly all put on the edge of our plate thinking something else was coming and then realised we had to eat before the fish! All good as was the beer and the local wine.
Only down side was Nebil’s talk about the fact that it was further and harder tomorrow and that we needed to walk a little faster. Not a possibility!
About 14.8 kilometres today – doesn’t seem far but combined with the height gain of about 600m and the terrain it was a good stretch!
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 