Penultimate Climb and Grind

Lycian Way, Turkey. Goynuk to Hudacili Ridge. A kind word to describe Turkish utility services such as water and electricity might be ‘intermittent’. Waking to no electricity means no WiFi or internet so for once a rest day means exactly that, no concerns about how far we are behind with the blog. On learning we intend…

Beardyman Does His Civic Duty

Lycian Way, Turkey.   Goynuk Yaylasi to Goynuk. Knowledge of the long steep double dipper downhill to come has us up well before our new Kiwi friends. We have finished breakfast and are hitching up our packs by the time they stumble up tussle haired for breakfast and we swap best wishes for the trail…

The Best 60 Turkish Lira

Lycian Way, Turkey.   Kemer to Goynuk Yaylasi  Our low cost accommodation in Kemer does not include breakfast and thinking we will make a quick getaway from this town we leave the hotel early before making our way across the square and crossing the road to await a dolmus back to Kuzdere to recommence our…

It’s a Long and Winding Road

Lycian Way, Turkey.   Tekirova to Kemer. Dogs that met us growling at the entrance to the foyer spend the night in barking concert answering canine conversation from all around. A rooster that mistakenly believes 2am indicates impending sunrise gives it his all for hours only to fall strangely silent as the sun breaks the…

Phantom Markers

Lycian Way, Turkey.   Olympos to Tekirova. Day 1 Hobo Sandy greets us with tail wagging beside the junction of creek and Mediterranean in the early morning. He appears to have slept on the same spot in the sand where we last saw him yesterday. Having woken early in preparation for the long walk to…

I Run Out Of Steam

Lycian Way, Turkey.   Adrasan to Olympos Gentle rain continues intermittently as I type away in the comfort of the Arikanda restaurant watching time poor hikers heading for the wet slippery slopes of Eren T trudge disconsolately along the creekside road. Heavy rain whipped by strong winds greets us the next morning however Pam and…

The World gets much Smaller

Lycian Way, Turkey.  Karaoz to Adrasan. Turkish custom is to enter a dwelling without wearing shoes. Having left our stinky boots on the rack downstairs our landlady Birsen has supplied Pam with slippers and when I arise the next morning for our early breakfast she does her best to get my gargantuan feet into some…

Hidirellez

Lycian Way, Turkey.  Finike to Karaoz.  Beholden to no one and nothing other than each other and the next red and white marker of the Lycian Way, we spend several days resting in Finike after our mountain adventures. Pam does a couple of day runs into Finike for supplies while I knock out as many…

With our Feet on the Ground and our Heads in the Clouds

Lycian Way, Turkey.  Demre – Finike Day One. A conscience comes with wearisome burdens. Despite her vigorous claims to the contrary I clearly see the spark of regret that we did not complete our intended route down the hills to Myra in the back of Pam’s eyes. M’Lady doth protest too much. My suspicions are…

Sweet Surrender

Lycian Way, Turkey. Cayagiz to Myra / Demre. Pam wakes early and has already filled her head with schemes for the coming day by the time I awaken. ‘We are returning to Cayagiz to walk the long steep goat track route back to the Myra ruins and Demre’ she tells me with great delight as…