Back to main pageSaturday May 14th
We set off by bus the following morning for the starting point for our walk and soon found ourselves crossing streams like this one (photo). There was a long ascent to the ridge of Mount Felen with this shapely limestone crest on the way (photo). We continued along the ridge where we found this view (photo) and further on got a glimpse of the sea again (photo) and ultimately reached an old Lycian town and its tombs (photo).
From here we descended to meet our bus once more. The wild flowers here are at their best at this time of year and I couldn't resist this picture of poppies (photo). The bus took us to the bustling seaport of Kaş, pronounced "cash", and our most salubrious hotel yet, relatively speaking. We had walked about 12 miles and ascended around 2000 feet during the day and I was looking forward to a hot shower. I was disappointed. I had yet another cold shower. Apparently the water was hot in some rooms but cold in others. The wonders of Turkish plumbing! I rang the AA whilst I was waiting to go out for dinner to see if they could fit a new battery to my car back in the Manchester airport car park. I had worked out how to key in numbers in reply to their questions by then. There was disappointment here too. My AA membership covers me, not my car, so they were unable to do anything without my presence. The man said to ring the emergency service as soon as I landed to save myself time.
We had dinner in a local restaurant, outdoors by the harbour, and very nice it was too. I had mézé, mushroom casserole and a dessert I can no longer describe. I slept well again.
Sunday May 15th
In the morning of our last full day there was hot water for my shower. The logic for this escapes me. We were driven to our starting point and walked towards Aperlae, an ancient Lycian port. We reached the ruin of a fortress with superb sea view (photo) and later some standard Lycian tombs (photo) (photo).
With our main walk of the day over we boarded a boat (photo) and set off for a quiet cove for some swimming and a barbecue. There is a partially sunken Lycian city, Kekova, which we viewed next from the boat. Kekova was destroyed in antiquity by an earthquake, sinking below the waves but now visible (photo) (photo).
The boat then approached Simena (photo) and landed, where I spent an hour eating home-made ice cream, hazelnut, peach and banaba, and walking up to the castle. There was nor enough time to explore the castle, just to look at the view including this necropolis (photo). There was another necroplis to see on the way by boat back to our bus (photo). Back at the hotel there was a hot shower for me and I started packing for my return to the UK the next day. I was due back in Manchester at 10:05 pm with a sick car to deal with, but I wasn't going to let that spoil my last evening meal in Turkey, or my sleep.
Monday May 16th
I went down for breakfast at ten to eight to find it wasn't being served yet. This gave me the chance to snap a picture from the restaurant balcony (photo). The coffee machine failed and a bowl of instant granules was put out so we could make our own. If there was anything I missed on this trip it was real coffee. I had time to go down into the town before we left and snapped a couple more pictures (photo) (photo).
There were huge queues at Dalaman airport but we got through with time to spare. The plane was only about a third full and we had been allocated seats scattered around. A menacing announcement advised us to keep in our allocated seats for take-off to improve the plane's stability. About three hours into the flight another announcement informed us that someone had been smoking on the flight, they knew who it was and there may be police awaiting our arrival at Gatwick. I didn't see any and we were soon saying our farewells at baggage collection.
We had a delayed landing in Manchester so it was 10:20 pm by the time I got my luggage. I had decided to check my car's situation before ringing the AA. By some miracle it might not be necessary. The man at the car park kiosk knew nothing of the problems with my car but he did confirm that it had been moved. I loaded my luggage into the boot, got into the driving seat, turned the key in the ignition and it burst into life, immediately. I still have no idea who had done what to it but I was very grateful.
My drive back to Kendal was uneventful, there was enough petrol in the tank to get me home, but I had started to wonder if it would start again if I stopped the engine. With this in mind my first stop was at a garage in Kendal only five minutes walk from home where I parked in the forecourt. I could leave it there overnight and get the battery changed the next morning if necessary. It proved unnecessary as the car started perfectly again and I drove home, unpacked the car and settled in to see what had happened whilst I was away. I drove to to a garage the next morning where they confirmed the battery was sick and I had a new one fitted for 63 quid.
I found the trip most enjoyable, both for the countryside and my companions, so I'm seriously considering going back to do some of the later stages of the trail in October.
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Rev. 30 May 2011
