The Lycian Way // day 6 // Pydnai - Xanthos

The Lycian Way day 6.
Distance: 14.1km (92.5km), time spent: 7:22 (39:59).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 11m / 37m / 37m.
Weather: Clear in the morning, more cloudy througout the day, thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

The chill air in the room during the night has made wonders and I have slept well, though I did wake up from time to time. When I arise, I feel less of the stomach problems, but they are not entirely gone. There are no additional points added for guessing what is prepared for breakfast, but I have begun to ask not to get tomatoes and olives for it. I do not like throwing away food.

Approaching Pydnai, in the morning after leaving Özlen's Restaurant & Pansiyon.

The Lycian Way is on course straight through Pydnai and with my backpack on, I have to almost crawl through the opening where the path goes. Where the trail leaves the ruins lies the remains of a church, the only building that is somewhat intact. From Pydnai, the trail is fitting enough just as ruined, the waymarks has passed into history and I walk back and forth before deciding to just go in the direction of Patara. Yet another of the bridges that looks quite provisional carries me across the river again near the mouth towards the sea.

The entrance to Pydnai, the trail went through the hole in the wall.

At the beach lies Patara Green Park, here I meet Simon-Pieter, Nils and Quintin again. Since I have not seen them in the last days, I had not expected to meet them again. They had stayed the night in a bungalow here and had a good night. I stay for a while talking with them. They had got sick in Gey and had in the end got down from Bel by car.

After Pydnai, the trail goes on a long section through an area of dunes by the Patara beach; the area could be flooded in the winter. Barely a waymark to be seen.

From here on most of the walk is about tomatoes and greenhouses, when I looked out over the area that reaches inwards from the beach yesterday, there were almost nothing else to see. Another blog that I have read called the area Tomatostan. And the trail is straying into all of these greenhouses with the waymarking getting lost. After Patara, there is a long, hot and mercilessly walk through the plain next to the beach, before the monotonous road changes to monotonous greenhouses.

It is quite obvious what is for sale here, at a local seller just before Letoon. I bought myself something to drink and were invited to sit down in the backyard. Almost everyone in the house came and sat down together with me and an eager discussion ensued, including the neighbours. Of what I cannot tell, I do not know Turkish.

Where the trail actually was going were also difficult to find, I did not see a single waymark before long after having left the beach, and then almost barely visible on a rock. Before that, I had walked several times back and forth on the roads leading away from Patara and Pydnai. I had to just make a decision to take a road and looked at the map for where I could be back on the trail again, the road I choose was accidentally the path.

Letoon. The goddess Leto apparently turned three shepherds into frogs here after they had chased her away from a spring. The temples were then built here at the spring with the frogs.

Then, in the middle of all the tomatoes, an area that looks like a construction site for huge lego-bricks appears. Spread around the area there are big rocks, both square and round. Some of them are stacked on top of each other and creates pillars and foundations for buildings. The area is the temple to the goddess Leto, Letoon, and the ruins are a precious break from the greenhouses. The remains of the buildings that are lying in the water is what draws the biggest attention for my part. In the background, there are now dark clouds.

Dark clouds above the amphitheatre at Letoon.

After having left Letoon, I have to smile, or laugh, when I see Chris beyond of where I am having a food break. Though I cannot remember seeing them passing me by. This time, it is they that has walked the wrong way, and has spent most of their walk between the greenhouses. Not that I can blame them, I was on my way there myself. We keep company ahead, where a local market in Kumluova creates chaos in the traffic and is the only exciting thing on the trail. Apparently, it got quite rowdy during the evening at Özlens. There was some bickering between some other guests and a smartphone was thrown into the river, with a consequent bath.

On the way to Kinik on a less exciting part of the trail. Over the mountains in the horizon there is little getting through the dark and heavy layer of clouds.

In Kinik, we go our separate ways, I continue to Xanthos while Craig, Mike and Chris has had enough of ruins and stays in Kinik. The location of what is left of the political capital of Lycia is the reason why I enjoy these ruins better than Letoon, which is accounted as has been the religious capital. Goats also likes Xanthos better and has made a home out of the upper rows of the amphitheatre. Past the ruins, you can look out over Kinik and the area down towards Patara. I consider walking further to Çavdir, but changes my mind and draw a finishing line at the buildings from the past.

Out from Kinik up towards Xanthos.

The French boys arrives; it is also the last day for them as well. Back in Kinik, I go looking for the Englishmen, but cannot find them, cannot find a lot else either. They had planned to travel to Kaş and in the lack of something here in Kinik, perhaps a lack of everything, they are probably on their way there now. I decide to catch a dolmuş back to the Patara beach and stay in one of the bungalows there. At the otogar (bus-station), I point at Patara and where I want to go on the map and is sent away on the wrong bus, in the direction of the opposite side of the beach.

Typical Lycian tombs in Xanthos. Closes is a pillar tomb with a frieze (the frieze is a reproduction) and behind a saddle-back tomb.

The dark clouds has made the threat seriously and rain is pummelling down when I go to find where the bus to Pydnai is leaving from. There, I have to wait for a long time while there is lightning and thunder all around me, uncertain of when the bus will come. I arrive at Patara Green Park when it has become dark, it should have felt like a small adventure, but it does not. I get a bungalow. The shower here is of the kind you find on beaches.

Xanthos. The Lycian Way is continuing on the road in the background.

Hungry and with a stomachache, I order dinner. Fried fish, with a large plate of chips and a just as large plate with salad. The food tastes good, but I am unable to eat everything, my stomach is protesting and I have to capitulate. I climb into my bungalow to sleep; it feels chilly enough inside it. The hosts invited me to sit down with them and some guests, but I was too tired to take up on the offer. Things does not feel so good; with the exception of the ruins, this day has had little to offer.

<- PydnaiÜzümlü ->

The Lycian Way // day 5 // Bel - Pydnai

The Lycian Way day 5.
Distance: 15.0km (78.4km), time spent: 5:51 (32:37).
Distance (start / end / highest): 703m / 11m / 711m.
Weather: Sunny and nice, hot, some clouds in the middle of the day.

It is almost beginning to become a routine, and a routine that I do not like as well, to sleep bad during the nights. Before I leave, I get a freshly baked bread with me. Therefore, despite that I was not all too much satisfied with the food (and has not slept that well), I have had a nice stay here in Bel. On the way out of the village, I pass by the other guesthouse, where Craig, Mike and Chris is about to eat breakfast.

Kiliç Pansiyon in Bel, my room was in second floor of the building.

I do not know where the trail will take me today; given the number of days that I have walked, I should arrive at the Patara beach according to my devious plan that I made back home. Things has as usual not gone entirely as planned, though there is nothing wrong with that. From Bel, the day starts on a gravel track, which does not feel that bad, it has a nice view towards the Karadere valley below.

View of the Karadere valley.

Speaking about plans for the trail, my original idea was to go to a place where I could get some food and eat there, for then to walk on further a bit and find myself a place to camp. The heat has effectively put an end to that thought; it gets too hot in my tent. At Belceğiz the trail leaves the track, I would not have had any trouble getting here yesterday before dark, but the quality of the water here is somewhat uncertain (at the pansiyon they told me that I should not drink from it). There are people in some of the houses here, which apparently should be abandoned. A signpost indicates that it is 7km to Gavurağılı.

Looking back towards Bel and the path I came down to the village from. The trail has followed the road here from Bel.

My stomach does not have a very pleasant walk today, it is still continuing aching. It looks like the trail has understood that it goes slower with me today, a signpost inside the woods said it was 8km to Gavurağılı. 1km longer than it was for 1km ago. The path goes through a peaceful and in opposition to my body pleasant, wooden section before the trees makes way for air and views.

Belceğiz.

The view down towards the sea and steeply down to it, where the trail goes, is however nice. Still, I cannot completely enjoy it, it goes slow downwards, and my body feels heavy like I am walking in a slog. I pass by an unmoving snake, indifferent to me passing it by. The path is not good to walk on, demanding with many loose rocks that rolls underneath my shoes. The Brits are catching up with me when I am having a break and I hang onto them down to Gavurağılı. Which is quite an odd place, there is a large hotel here, some scattered houses here and there, a guesthouse with some dogs that does not looks happy to see visitors and little else.

A signpost in the forest, 8km to Gavurağılı, 1km longer than it was 1km ago. The additional kilometre through the forest was pleasant.

Craig, Mike and Chris are going down to the beach to swim, I choose to pass the opportunity and continues further, forgetting filling up water doing so. The heat is on and the walk up from Gavurağılı on a gravel track is boring. At a time disappears the waymarks into the periphery and I end up walking a detour before I finds back to the trail. That is, what route of the route? I find three different paths all marked with the red and white blazes that The Lycian Way is using. In the end, I find the correct marking well hidden on the least visible of the trails.

An indifferent snake on the trail.

I would have difficulty denying the fact that I have not had a great experience today, but the view over the Patara beach and Pydnai from the hill above are undeniable worth something of the toil. I went out of water on the walk over the hill and as a result, my mouth is now really dry. At Pydnai, I can choose between walking a little longer than one kilometre to the Patara beach where I can get something to drink, or walk 400 metres north to Özlen's Restaurant & Pansiyon.

The descent towards Gavurağılı, a nice view, but the path down was hard and cumbersome to walk on.

Walking north turned out to be the best decision so far in the day. A weird bridge that looks somewhat ramshackle and unsteady carries me over a river to a place that looks like an oasis in the outskirts of the tomato greenhouses here. It is way too early to stop for the day, but the walking has not been very rewarding as mentioned and this is the best place of accommodation I have been at so far, so I decide to call it a day and stay here. Moreover, the best thing of it all almost, they got air condition here. Craig, Mike and Chris are turning up here as well later on.

View over the Patara beach with Pydnai in the foreground, in a few days the trail will come down to the other side of the beach.

There are geese, fish and small sea turtles swimming in the river and another guest claims to have seen a snake there as well. And a tired Norwegian hiker. There is powerful current in the river and the temperature is really fresh, I have to make an effort not to disappear all the way down to Patara and having to walk back up again barefooted. I choose to go down to Pydnai instead to take a look at the ruins before dinner, something not so well thought through when I starts to become sweat again. These ruins are not as well kept as those I have visited earlier, I neglect by will to look at the area that the trail passes through.

Özlen's Pansiyon & Restaurant. Swimming in the river was a fresh experience.

We eat dinner at one of the tables standing next to the river. While we are eating one of the turtles are sticking its head out of the water and is looking at us. The evening does get young however for my part; I am dead tired after the lack of sleep the last nights. In my room, I turn on the air condition and can finally feel some cold on my body again; I think I fall straight to sleep. I was glad that I came to this place after such a little rewarding walk.

Pydnai, a small navy and military base from old days. Inside the walls, which are the best-preserved parts of the ruins, there were little left of any buildings.

<- BelXanthos ->

The Lycian Way // day 4 // Alınca - Bel

The Lycian Way day 4.
Distance: 20.0km (63.4km), time spent: 8:38 (26:46).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 754m / 703m / 838m.
Weather: Hot, clear blue sky, sunny.

The night in the tent was a hot affair with subsequent poor sleep. The heat is what causing me the biggest problem on the walk so far. I do get some sleep though, because I wake up in the morning to the now familiar sound of bees humming outside. For a while, I fear that I have to take down the tent in the middle of a swarm of them, but my fear is unfounded. I am earlier up than the Englishmen, when I leave they are sitting down for breakfast.

Craig, Mike and Chris at the breakfast table in Manzanar Pansiyon, the hostess standing behind. At the table, you can see a typical Turkish breakfast.

From Alınca the Lycian Way traverses an amazing section above the ocean. The sea is blue and beckoning, but it is a long and steep way down to it and the trail does not go that far down either. Instead, it is keeping a good distance to the Mediterranean winding itself around the rocky cliffs above Yedi Burun, though at times going downwards on steep and challenging surfaces. Red and white blazes escorts me safely onwards for the moment. As I loose elevation, Alınca is visible higher and higher above.

View over Yedi Burun (Seven Headlands) from the trail below Alınca.

Below Uçkeci Tepesi (which means something as Three Goats hill), I come to what is according to the guidebook an ideal campsite and the place I had in mind to walk to yesterday. It is good space for a tent here, a nice shade from a huge holly oak and water nearby. There are also extremely many bees here and in addition, there is a large hole in the ground (a well of some kind) with only some makeshift branches as protection towards falling down. Not a good place to stay if you sleepwalk in other words.

Between Alınca and Bel there are two routes to choose from, you can either follow a coastal path that passes through the village of Gey or follow an inland path that takes you past the ruins of Sidyma. In the guidebook, none of the alternatives is described as the main trail, though most of the people that hikes the Lycian Way usually takes the coastal path through Gey. I have chosen to go by Sidyma and it seems that both the guidebook, the map, the waymarks and the signposts disagree about where the trail goes.

The trail that winds away above the cliffs after Alınca.

The first signpost I arrive at gives me the choice between going towards Boğazıçı (according to the guidebook the trail does not pass through Boğazıçı) or towards Gey. I go first in the direction of Boğazıçı before I look at the map and can see that it also disagrees with the signpost, so I turn back and takes the path that goes towards Gey. The path returns me back over the cliffs with views down to the sea and back towards Alınca, which now is barely visible high up behind me.

Steep view down towards the Mediterranean from the trail.

I have not found a single trace of the junction described in the guidebook (and on the map) when I arrive at a road. Despondently, I look at the map and sees that the trail is supposed to cross the road further down, so I choose to follow it downwards. There are no trails crossing the road either, so I walk the road the whole way down to Avlan. Thirsty and out of water I arrive at the village and goes to the mosque to refill, that is when one of those little magic moments that give so much occurs.

Next to the mosque, I try by body language to ask an elderly man in the next house if the water is ok to drink. Instead, I am invited into his home, where he and two old women serves me tea and biscuits (after first having quenched my thirst with a lot of water). We cannot communicate in any other way than body language, they do not speak English and I cannot speak Turkish. The two women are sewing while I am sitting there. The biggest problem I have with these wonderfully hospitable meetings is how to know when it is most polite to leave, when it will be too early to go and when I have been too long and have over spent their hospitality.

I relocate the waymarks just below the mosque. In Boğazıçı, I let myself be guided to the local shop by two boys, at the shop I buy an ice cream to each of the boys. With the job done, they run satisfied back again. I buy myself an ice cream as well, some energy for the ascent that awaits me towards Sidyma. The climb up is steep, but it is a nice path; despite everything, it has been a great walk so far.

On the trail after the signpost with the choice of go towards Gey or Boğazıçı. High up in the background you can see the buildings of Alınca.

The time has rushed ahead; I have spent a lot of it so far. In Sidyma however, the time has stood still for a long time. The view down towards Boğazıçı and the valley below is gone, alongside the path some impressive antique tombs appears. I have moved backwards in time again, but before I explore the age I have stopped in I need food. Even time cannot entirely stop the hunger. In the small village, I find a villager that prepares an exquisite lunch to me. A young boy is running around with a pellet rifle, for then to suddenly disappear hunting for birds before returning.

I could have walked around for a long time in Sidyma; it is like going on a discovery. The ruins are not gathered together, but are lying spread out in the area next to the village. Parts of the tombs and ruins are in (relatively) good shape, others you have to locate in the undergrowth. The livestock of the farmers here are grazing in historical areas.

The road between Avlan and Boğazıçı. This is where the waymarkers says the trail goes, both the guidebook and the map says something else.

Time is relentlessly pushing me onwards, and it is as if it has effaced the waymarking between Sidyma and Bel as well. A man is saving me, pointing me in the right direction and then the trail is again going upwards. The walk over to Bel is pleasant, but the sun is sinking on the sky and where I pass several yayla's (summer pastures), I wonder if I arrive first or the dark does.

Sidyma. The twin tombs dated Antoninus Pius, 138-161 ad.

I arrive with a good margin, whereupon a smiling woman shanghaies me in to the first guesthouse I pass by, Kiliç Pansiyon. The house looks like it is under construction, it smells like a cowshed (the goats are being held in the basement) and I am the only guest. The room looks nice and I have a floor to myself where I can look out over Bel. The village is probably one of these little ones, and for our eyes quirky places you come to. I usually enjoy staying in these tiny places. The hosts here is at least smiling and friendly.

Lycian Way waymark where the path goes through a narrow gap between rocky formations on the way to Bel from Sidyma.

Chris, Craig and Mike is at the other guesthouse (this is not a big place; still there are two guesthouses here). The difference between the guesthouses are as follows, they are at the guesthouse with good food, and I am at the guesthouse that has beer. In the evening, Craig and Mike comes over and keeps me company. In the dark, the contours of the landscape around the village vanish. There is only one streetlamp here, which goes erratically on and off. From the pansiyon, I cannot see any other thing than small lights from windows here and there, otherwise it is completely dark. Voices can be heard from various parts of the village. When Craig and Mike returns to their guesthouse in the evening, I can follow the lights from their headlamps in the dark.

Bel, a small mountain village with a relatively new mosque.

Despite the navigational problems causing me time and effort, this has been a very nice day. The only downside of my joy is that I have begun to feel that my stomach is not entirely good; I can feel a constant small ache. I stay sitting for a while in the light from the terrace and looking out over the darkened landscape and village, below me the hens are rummaging in an eternal round dance.

<- AlıncaPydnai ->

The Lycian Way // day 3 // Faralya - Alınca

The Lycian Way day 3.
Distance: 14.0km (43.4km), time spent: 7:35 (18:08).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 257m / 754m / 754m.
Weather: Sunny, clear blue sky, hot.

It has been hot in the night and I have barely got some sleep. However, I must have slept at least a little bit during it, I have a vague memory of a weird dream that I could not sleep. The breakfast at the place is as the dinner a buffet, perfect for a picky walker who then can choose away what he does not like (no tomatoes or olives on my plate this morning).

Cultivated walled terraces above the very small village of Belen, beehives all lined up on the uppermost terrace.

The ascent from Faralya is not as stunning as up from Ovacık and the view after the climb does not carry the same splendour either. It is unfortunately easy to compare what you see with what you have seen on earlier days on hikes like these. The walk is pleasant though, and the scenery is nice. It is easier than yesterday as well (something that would be radically changed later in the day), there is often a conjunction between how easy a walk is and the reward you get from it. The heat has however not changed since yesterday.

Between Faralya and Kabak I walked past this little café shed, I could not resist the temptation of a freshly pressed orange juiced.

The area around Kabak and Faralya is known for its beekeepers, there is a constant hum in the air. Above one of the walled terraces in the landscape, I can see rows upon rows of beehives, and the beekeepers in action between them. Around all the water sources there are hordes of bees; I quickly learn that to drink or fill up my water bottle, I have to move in slow motion.

Overlooking Kabak beach from the hill above.

In the heat, I am an easy target, the temptation of a freshly pressed orange juice are too big. They are peddlers as good as anybody these Turks, above some of the beehives a local villager sells everything from cold drinks and various biscuits and fruits to potholders, lucky charms and paper flowers. The juice is consumed on a couch in the shadow of a huge tree.

The sandy beach at Kabak. Turtles nests here on the beach and it is therefore not allowed to stay on parts of the beach the whole day and night. The area around the beach bore as the Butterfly Valley a mark of a more free-minded clientele, with a relaxed atmosphere.

The descent to Kabak begins from a junction with the world's smallest signpost, so small that I walk straight past it and only become aware of my error a long way down the hill, my backpack weighs a little extra on the way up again. Almost down at the village, I become taken over by a steady stream of words, three hikers who I first assumes to be Americans are catching up with me (I could hear the same voices above me at Kirme yesterday as well). I keep company with them down to the beach.

I passed several signs with 'Reflections' written on them after leaving Kabak beach, whether it was meant for me to reflect over if I really wanted to leave the beach I cannot tell.

Kabak beach is yet another typical retreat, and has the same laidback hippie mood as at Butterfly valley. The three hikers are Craig, Mike and Craig's father, Chris; their passports are British and not American as first assumed. In the heat and after the stiff descent there is no quarter, we all jump out into the water. An idea we must have been sharing with the local bees, which for them is not the brightest of ideas, the water is full of dead bees. I eat a Turkish pizza, pide, for lunch at one of the restaurants down at the beach.

At Delikkaya, the trail stays close to a steep mountainside with some though escarpments above me.

I decide to continue walking in my swimming shorts. It is now the genuine climb of the day begins, of which I got a good indication of on the way down. I pass several signs with 'Reflections' written on them; whether these are warnings that I really should consider it well before I begin the climb up is unknown to me. One would almost think so; I struggle my way up, the gravitational forces keeps trying to pull me down again. The sweat is running, the view down towards Kabak through the trees gets better and better.

View up towards the mountain from Kuyu Zeytinlik, olive trees in the foreground.

All the toil is quickly forgotten when the mountain above reveals itself in all its glory, and without the struggle the view may not have appeared so satisfying. The worst of the climb ended at Delikkaya (rock with a hole), where a precipitous cliff next to the path guided me to where I now stand and gapes at the mountain. The Lycian Way continues up short hairpins on a stonewall. I come up to Kuyu Zeytinlik, where a local farmer has chiselled out a small and hidden farm. From a rocky outcrop next to it, there is an impressive view down towards Kabak beach.

I arrive at Alınca, where the first thing that happens is that I are being waved in to a farm. Here they serve me tea and polite questions in Turkish that I cannot answer. I sit in a chair in my drenched swimming shorts, this time wet from sweat and not seawater. They want 6 lira for the tea, I had overseen a small sign advertising another private house operating as a café. You could also camp at the place, for a price.

Magnificent view down towards the Kabak beach from a rocky outcrop at Kuyu Zeytinlik. It tempts only almost, just almost, to go back down to cool off in the ocean.

Alınca is defined as a village in the guidebook, but here there are so few houses and so spread out that I more would like to describe it as a hamlet. The place is situated high up above steep cliffs with great views over the sea and down towards Yedi Burun (Seven Headlands). In my mind, I had only planned to eat here and then walk on further a little bit to camp. In the end, I decide on something in between.

In Alınca above Manzanar Pansiyon with the view over the ocean and Yedi Burun.

I am allowed to pitch my tent below Manzanar Pansiyon, and can borrow one of the rooms to get a shower (for 5 lira that I gladly pays). The three Brits also arrives at the guesthouse and I spend the evening together with them. Sitting on the terrace with a cold beer each, we can enjoy the beautiful view. The dinner is served on a platform next to the guesthouse and consists of good local vegetarian dishes.

There is almost just the light from my headlamp you can see in the village when I crawl into my tent. After another great day on the walk, I am excited about what the next day will provide.

My campsite below the pansiyon, with the pointed needle of a promontory jutting out into the sea from the seven headlands.

<- FaralyaBel ->

The Lycian Way // day 2 // Ovacık - Faralya

The Lycian Way day 2.
Distance: 13.4km (29.4km), time spent: 5:20 (10:33).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 294m / 257m / 808m.
Weather: Sunny, clear blue sky, hot.

I think I need time to adjust to the breakfasts down here, in the same way that I think I need time to adjust to the heat. A typical Turkish breakfast consists of a big slice of tomatoes (which I do not like), cucumber, lots of olives (which I also dislikes), a lot of white bread, honey, sometimes jam, one hardboiled egg and tea. It is with a huge portion of Turkish breakfast in my stomach that I sit in the taxi back up the start of The Lycian Way again.

At the official start of The Lycian Way at Ovacık.

Even though I began my walk yesterday, it still does feel more officially today when I venture on my way from the yellow wooden banner proclaiming that I am at the start of Likya Yolu. I am already familiar with the first part of the walk from yesterday, which goes on broad gravel track, but beneath the clear blue sky, it is even more beautiful today.

After walking on a gravel track the ascent towards Baba Dağı begins on an old stony road (kaldırım).

After the gravel track, the trail enters an old kaldırım (paved road, but here more of a stony road) that winds itself up the mountainsides below Baba Dağı. The climb up is fantastic, almost magical, even though it goes steeply upwards. Below me, the views towards the ocean and Olüdeniz with the beach and lagoons beyond only gets better and better. Above me, paragliders that are setting out from the Father Mountain are riding the thermals before they land on the beach at Olüdeniz. When the first rays from the sun finds their way over the mountain above, the heat is turned up considerably.

The ascent on the kaldırım offers a spectacular view back towards Olüdeniz and the ocean.

I meet a group of Turks that has been camping at the first water cistern I come to, they had climbed up from Olüdeniz and emphasized how the climb was. I am glad that I chose not to climb down yesterday. At the next water cistern further up, there is a large group on a day walk; most of the group are Germans. The heat is felt on my body, especially since it is a steady ascent. Along the entire climb up, it is only to turn around to admire the next Kodak moment, each step a new photograph. On the way up, the sole on one of the German's boots is loosening.

Great views down towards Olüdeniz with the adjacent sandy beach and lagoons, in addition to the ocean and the scenery around the coast. Each time I turned towards the sea, I was greeted with this splendid view.

I arrive at Kozağaç, a small village struck by an earthquake in 1953. The trail goes alongside several abandoned and empty houses, including a big wooden house that must have been a stately home sometime. A small sign advertising for tea catches my attention and I walk down to a small house where one of the villagers has a small café in her own garden. I order a coke and a tea, taking a breather in the nice weather.

A fence is no obstacle, more of an aid, for a goat on the hunt for a snack. In Kozağaç, where one of the villagers sells cold and hot drinks in her garden.

After the village, the trail is continuing below the towering wall of Baba Dağı on a gravel track once again. It is a mighty mountainside to walk beneath; I yearn to climb up to the summit, but dismisses the idea from my mind. At Kirme, another small mountain village, there is a small café selling gözleme, Sugar Pancake House & Café. A cute girl makes a delicious pancake with spinach and cheese. Leaving the café, I walk together with a Turkish hiker, who also plans to do the whole trail, he speaks little English and I do not speak Turkish. Kirme marks the beginning of the descent towards Faralya.

The trail where it goes below the mountainsides of Baba Dağı (Father Mountain). The mountain is a popular spot for paragliding.

It has been a wonderful walk from Ovacık when I arrive at Faralya, but I have walked faster than expected and still has good time left of the day. I consider walking further to Kabak and the beach there. Originally, my plan was to go here and then climb down to Kelebelker Vadisi (Butterfly-valley) the morning after, before continuing to Kabak. Instead, I decide to stay here and go down to the butterflies in the afternoon. The Turk I walked with for a while continues onward to Kabak.

Sugar Pancake House & Café in Kirme. A cute girl serves me a freshly made and delicious pancake with spinach and cheese.

In my guidebook, it says that the path down to Kelebelker Vadisi starts at George House, so I go there to check if they got an available bed for the night. I get a room for 60 lira, which includes dinner and breakfast, not the most expensive place I have stayed at. The three French boys that I met yesterday is here as well, Nils, Quintin and Simon-Pieter.

Gazing up towards Baba Dağı and Kirme on the descent to Faralya.

We keep company climbing down to the valley lying steeply below the cliffs at Faralya; the descent requires scrambling and the use of ropes. A volunteer working at the George House keeps us company in the beginning, he is running down, practicing to beat the record for the fastest climb from the beach and up (at the time of writing 11:40). The beach has a kind of laidback hippie feeling about it. The water is too inviting to stay untouched. We share a beer at one of the bars down there before setting course up again for dinner. I did not see a single butterfly down here, but I am told that the numbers of them are dwindling for each year. Scared away by too much noise. I am soaked again when I am back up, so I jump straight into the swimming pool at the place.

The view up from down in Kelebelker Vadisi, the Butterfly Valley.

The dinner is a large buffet with a lot of good food. I eat outside together with many of the other guests at the place, around the table much of the discussion is about the current refugee crisis in Europe. In the evening, we can hear the party music from down at Kelebelker Vadisi, no wonder that the butterflies are disappearing.

It has been a marvellous day. If the rest of The Lycian Way is just as amazing as this day, I am in for a treat of a trail, but that is probably to hope for too much.

Sunset above the sea, Faralya and the Butterfly Valley (Kelebelker Vadisi).

<- OvacıkAlınca ->

The Lycian Way // day 1 // Fethiye - Ovacık

The Lycian Way day 1.
Distance: 16.0km (16.0km), time spent: 5:13 (5:13).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 85m / 339m / 431m.
Weather: Sunny, clear blue sky, hot.

Officially, the start of The Lycian Way is outside of Ovacık, but I have anyway chosen to begin my Lycian walk from Fethiye. From Fethiye, there is a marked trail going to Ovacık, which is actually marked as The Lycian Way on my map. To save time (I have already spent a lot of time locating a gas canister for my stove in the morning) and effort, I chose to take a dolmuş to the start point. Instead of going past my wanted place to start from, the bus goes the long way around to Ovacık and put me off nearby the official start of the trail. I therefore take a taxi back to Fethiye again, which drops me off just above Telmessos, thus wasting away 75 Turkish Lira on an unnecessary roundtrip. It all quite fits in regarding that I have already taken a plane to the wrong airport (I incidentially bought a plane ticket to Alanya instead of Antalya).

In Fethiye, above Telmessos. The unofficial start of The Lycian Way.

My chosen start point is from the ruins of the Telmessos castle in Fethiye. Even though the trail I have planned to walk in the beginning officially is not The Lycian Way, there is a signpost here marked with Likya Yolu (the Turkish name of the trail). From the taxi ride, I could see what was awaiting my, the path goes relatively steep upwards at the beginning; fortunately the path is good to walk on and mostly in the shade. It is hot. The ascent ends at 381m, next to a small cemetery (Küllü Sarnıç) and something that resembles a ramshackle pavilion you can sit in. Here this kind of pavilion is called for a kösk and I take advantage of the opportunity to take a break, while feeling elevated by having begun on a new adventure.

Up from Fethiye, the trail goes both on a path through the woods and on a broader old cart track.

I emerge from the forest and shade to a view over the area I will be going through, in the background the silhouette of Baba Dağı (the Father-mountain) is towering. The trail goes over a large and flat plain, but it is the empty buildings in the hill above the plains that attracts my attention. The ghost town at Kayaköy.

Küllü Sarnıç, at the highest point after Fethiye, I arrive at a cemetery in the woods and a worn kösk (sitting platform). The kösk reminded me somewhat of the jeongja's in South Korea, but appeared a lot more worn and less remarkable than the more ornamented pavilions over there. Anyway, a nice place for a break in the shade.

On my way up from Fethiye, I met a girl who had been looking for some rock tombs; she had not been able to find them and had to turn back due to lack of water. At Belen, I find the tombs, carved into the rocks next to the path. It is the first ruins I see on my walk (disregarding Telmessos). The sealed walls of the tombs has been broken open and everything inside the graves has been looted a long time ago. As near as every antique graves has suffered a similar fate.

After coming down from the first hill after Fethiye, I come down to a water cistern. The opening is large enough so that nearly everything can get to the water, something that makes me rather sceptic to drink any of the water originating from it.

In Kayaköy, I stop for lunch at a restaurant, but they tell me that I cannot get any food. I have some food in my backpack, so I eat it instead. Shortly after, a large group of tourists arrives, and then suddenly the place can make food. Fair enough, they say I can order food then, but by then I have already eaten some and honestly does not feel to order something. Then I go hunting for ghosts.

Rock tombs at Belen, carved out of the mountain. All the tombs broken open and looted a long time ago.

At Kayaköy lies the ruins of Karmylassos, a village made as a part of the population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1924. The village is originally Lycian, now a ghost town that contains around 3500 almost identical houses of rock. It is a strange feeling walking between the abandoned and empty buildings, deep sighs from the past wafts through the empty streets. At a height above the ruins of the church, I can look out over the place and back across the plain I have walked across. Seeing this place was the greatest reason for why I wanted to begin at Fethiye, it has been a nice beginning of my walk.

The ghost town at Kayaköy, Karmylassos. An abandoned village consisting of near identical and square houses of stone. To the right is the ruins of the church in the village.

After Karmylassos, the trail goes on a pleasant path through the forest in the hillsides below Geymene Dağı. The path is shady, which is welcome. The Lycian Way is however known for being somewhat erratic waymarked and I have the first meeting with that problem on this part. Inside the forest, I suddenly finds myself on a track without any waymarks. After looking around for a bit, I relocate the waymarks in the woods above me, I did not see any place where the markings deviated from the path.

The remains of a water cistern in Karmylassos, the church can be seen in the background. On the way out of the ruins, sighs from the past blows through the open houses.

I arrive at the road below Ovacık where the bus put me off. With good time left of the day I walk to the official start of The Lycian Way. There is apparently a taxi stop right next to it (there are some large hotels close by), so I sit down for a break together with the drivers. They fill up my water bottle before I move on again, my initial idea is to continue walking a bit on the trail and then go down on a track leading to Olüdeniz later. I do not have enough water or food to camp out at the moment, so I have to get down there or go back to Ovacık.

The path and view where the trail goes in the hillside below Geymene Dağı.

The view over Olüdeniz and the sea from the path is fantastic, but it also gives me an apprehension of how steep the path down towards Olüdeniz is. I stop at a rocky outcrop and enjoys the view, and then decides not to go down. I make a complete turn and walk back to the taxi drivers and the sign marking the start of the trail. On the way, I meet three young French boys just starting their walk. I feel a little bit stupid turning back, but does not deviate from taking a taxi down to Olüdeniz.

View over Olüdeniz with adjacent bay and sandy beach.

When I drove through Ovacık this morning the place struck me as extremely touristic, so I would rather try my luck in Olüdeniz. It is no better here, a place completely catered towards tourists. Fortunately, I think I found the only nice place here, Secret Garden Pansiyon. My room has five beds, the only one available. Belonging to the guesthouse (or the other way around) is a pleasant and quiet restaurant. A short walk through the town only confirms my impression of the place, large and noisy stretches of restaurants and shops directed towards tourists that walks en masse here.

I seek shelter in the restaurant and bar at my guesthouse and eat a quite good dinner there. Well satisfied with the first day, which offered a rather pleasant and easy beginning of my hike. It is hot and I am excited about the continuation. Tomorrow I will be officially on my way.

Olüdeniz, bright neon lights in the dark among tourists en masse.

Faralya ->