Distance: 16 km
Time elapsed: 2 hr 40 min + several hours walking
Average speed: 6 km/ hr
Max speed: 38 km/ hr
Temp: 35 C
Completely by accident we ended up hiking a small percentage of the 500 km walking trail called the Lycian Way.
Trailmarker for Lycian Path, we should have known
Only complete insanity or foolishness would cause us to keep going and push through, all the way up to the Gelidonya Feneri (lighthouse), likely a mixture of both. On the up side, once here we got to spend a cool evening high up on the mountain, overlooking the sun set across the water.
Gelidonya Feneri: built in the 20's, now abandoned
To get here, we first enjoyed a wonderful morning passing rocky coves and occasional beach stops. We officially entered Bej Mountains Coastal National Park, with many shady picnic areas and no hotels or shops. Almost all the beaches have a spring nearby, so after swimming we could rinse off, snack on peaches and tomato sandwiches, and then continue winding our way from cove to cove. A few individual fishermen (presumably fisherwomen too) bobbed in their boats, inspiring me to dream of sailing here in my own boat someday... (stay tuned!)
Too tempting... we stopped for a dip
We came to the small village of Karaöz, where we stocked up on fig bran cookies (Greg you know) and picked some enormous nar (pomegranates). As we departed, the road quality sank to a dirt path, completely unpaved. But the road sign pointed here and it did follow the coast, so we figured it would get better.
It did not.
Silly fools. Bikes don't go here.
In fact, the road got much much worse and we knew we made a gabim. Suddenly a car pulled over, the first we'd seen, a family heading to a nearby beach. They showed us a map that indicated we were on the wrong road, going to the lighthouse, but that it continues around the peninsula toward Olympos, our destination.
This is me smiling before we started the Path
Ok so we went for it. Fools that we are. We ended up dragging the bikes 2 km uphill to the lighthouse, where we knew we'd have to turn back but could at least camp for the night. It's actually very nice up here though, I must admit.
Tent platform with a view
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