Second Spring on the Lycian Way
Lycia, known by the Hittites as the Land of Light (Lukka - Lux in Latin)ends it's long hot summer with a spectacular storm, bringing much needed water to the parched soil. The first storm usually comes in October always accompanied by spectacular fork lightening and this year by a few destructive tornadoes! After the rains the seeds germinate and the plants that have braved the summer, dormant under the soil sprout, the red soil becoming a green carpet in a matter of days. The first harbinger of the 'second spring' is the Cyclamen which sprout from the in the rockiest ground.
Today we walked from Bayindir Village, following the Roman road which which followed the least steep route between Andifli (Kaş- Antiphellos) and Phellos, the mountain top city with a fine defensive position. The road is visible from it's large placed foundation stones which would have been covered with soil/sand to make a smooth-ish surface. Along the route are many deep cisterns to provide water for the wayfarers, many of which still are usable today. We followed the long fertile known as Gelibolu, valley passing a lone Lycian Sarcophagus, where the local dogs came to say hello till we came to a saddle overlooking the craggy coastline. Descending to Coban Plajı, the 'Shepherds Beach' we found the remains of more recent travelers, the refugees who hide here before traffickers take them across to Castelorizzo, the Greek Island only 4 kms away. From here, the Lycian Way follows the extremely rocky shore, passing deep ravines where the sound of the waves came from deep below. We were very lucky to spot a Monk Seal frolicking here. These seals are large but very rare, this undeveloped part of the coast providing one of the few refuges to these majestic creatures. We passed inland through an abandoned Pomegranate plantation. It would appear that the wild boar who live in great numbers in this wild area had been chewing through the irrigation pipes, making the scheme unsustainable. We descended to Limanagzi beach where some of our party decided to enjoy a November swim, spending much longer than I would like in the sea! The walk back to Kaş climbs up the natural steps of the cliffs formed by a meteorite impact 50 million years ago, and have have a few house type tombs from 400BC. The route was lined with wonderfully scented Narcissus, Hyacinths and Crocus.
