Its Wednesday morning ( so technically day 3, but I writing retrospectively so the title stands) and I have just had my Turkish breakfast on a balcony overlooking the harbour of Ucagiz (Oo-chay-iz) I particularly enjoyed the marmalade. Here, jam is more like preserved fruit in syrup. The "marmalade" was a dish of little scrolls of peel in orange syrup - very tasty and a textural treat too.
Sorry not to have updated the blog sooner. "Slow" Wi-Fi is partly to blame. Also a certain despondency on my part after a difficult day on Monday.
It started with a disappointment; I was unable to get a boat to from Kaß (Cash) to Limani Agizi (ah-easy), the beach resort across the bay - too early in the season. Instead I took the two-hour walk. This turned out to be very rewarding; only a few minutes out from the town I was trekking across a field of pasture, "improved" by stacking the ubiquitous limestone boulders into cairns. Interesting wild flowers and wildlife began to appear and air brought wave upon wave of scents; flowers, herbs, woodsmoke. The final descent to Limani Agizi along rock ledges beside a cliff required hands as well as feet and a rope had been thoughtfully provided to assist. One of the risks in such terrain is the weight of a backpack (mine is only 7 kilos) that can upset one's normal balance.
I enjoyed a refreshing lemonade under a veranda at the beach and set off again, heading for a village called Bogaszic (Boa-si) After a good start and after about half an hour walking up a sheltered valley in the shade of tall shubbery I reached a point where the path arrived at goat-pens. I circumscribed these but could not see any way-markings. Up to this point he path had been very clear, though way-marks (a pair of bars, one red, on white that appear form time to time, painted on rocks, trees etc.) had not been in evidence.
What I should have done at this point was back track until I found markings and look for a path off to one side. Instead I followed a tractor track; the guide book referred to one and I was hoping this was it.
The track was broad and wound up through tall such and rocky land to a ridge then levelled off, becoming less stony.
But after about an hour with no sightings of way-marks and little resemblance to the guide book description I realised I was off course; rather than following the coast the track was heading inland. After close study of a 1:150,000 map I identified the track. It looped around to head West eventually joining roads that returned to Kaß. I felt I was past a point of no return - at this point I had insufficient daylight to reach Bogaszic even if I backtracked to Limani and found the trail again. I resigned myself to returning to Kaß, albeit by a long detour.
The tractor route , however was not without interest. It climbed through rocky scrub forested hillsides, along a shallow ridge and the rocky terrain gradually grew "tame" with fields and almond orchards to either side. I spotted a number of unfamiliar plants, Pyramid orchids, a dead nettle with interesting "bleached" and pink-fringed leaves.
I also had an interesting wildlife encounter; I was approaching a large circular cistern and noted it had a ramp at one side, presumably to allow livestock to drink. I heard a splash and assuming this to be frog moved closer to see if I could see it swimming, or if there were others. I then saw something amazing; a long (75cm) black snake was "swimming" at high speed, its head held high above the water, around the edge of the cistern. Unable to find a way out it continued around the side opposite where I was standing for some distance. Eventually it arrived at and slithered up the ramp. While it paused I walked quickly around the edge of the pool hoping to get a closest look, maybe a photo, but by the time I arrived it had slithered into long grass and out of sight. I am still curious as to whether it was a snake or an eel. I know that eels are capable of crossing land but think it unlikely in a dry, barren landscape. So now I want to know what kind of snakes are around - this one was totally black.
By about 5pm I finally limped into Kaß and was welcomed into the Meltem pension like a prodigal returned. Though I had missed a stretch of the Lycian Way I had walked a good 15 km and feel it must qualify as an honest attempt. I hope my sponsors will agree..
I'll catch up with yesterday's walk in the next post.
I must be on my Way!
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