Western Turkey

With daytime temperatures continuously in the mid to high 30's and overnight 'lows' around 20°C the priority of shade and or breeze continued as I headed generally west. Dropping out of the cooler mountains further underlined the need for these basic requirements and a large park near Balikesir provided shade but only a gentle breeze. Families were out with barbecues and picnics and I managed to tuck under a huge tree just down from a line of rather scruffy caravans, mostly unoccupied.

A paid recreation area surrounding a lake provided another shaded night although in the early evening a guy came round on a moped with some sort of concern but I couldn't understand him and he went away saying it didn't matter. As I walked round the lake later I realised that there was a specific area for camping but as I was only staying one night decided not to bother moving. A lovely old guy picnicking with friends came over with some tea for me and once the day visitors had gone it was all very quiet. However the following morning another warden turned up and explained that if I was staying on I would have to move but as I was intending to move on soonish he seemed OK with that

The following day half an hour before Canakkale I turned off the new road and found a loop of the old one just above a reservoir with again a handy huge tree but yet again disappointing amounts of garbage. There is no shortage of bins but people just do not seem to be bothered about just leaving their detritus behind them. Later a shepherd and four large dogs moved through with some very healthy looking sheep but otherwise it was a quiet spot, he had sat for a while just in front of me as his flock nosed amongst the litter and the dogs flopped down in the shade.

In Canakkale I stayed on the same canal side spot I had used last Spring but it was very exposed to the sun and there was little wind. The lower tier of parking was taped off for the regular flea market but there was still plenty of room. In the town I walked along the seafront passing the replica Trojan horse and finding a decent restaurant overlooking the marina and ferry ramps for some fresh fish and a long overdue cold beer. Back at my park up the evening market had begun but it was really just a jumble of bric a brac and piles of cheap clothing and old footwear lying on the ground. It was humbling to see what people were trying to sell but I guess reduced what in our society would go to the tip and I found the whole experience fascinating.

A nearby disco blared loudly until midnight and in the heat I had a rather restless night so was aware of the market vendors arriving around 6am to unwrap their humble offerings.

I was away after breakfast for the ferry across to Eceabat which as it runs hourly you just turn up for and was soon onboard squeezed between two huge tipper trucks.

The half hour crossing of the busy shipping route which links the Med to the Black Sea is fascinating as the ferry has to negotiate the steady stream of merchant ships heading along the Dardanelles. It has to pass behind them so often negotiates a serpentine route to also avoid it's sister vessel heading the other way. Just on the edge of Eceabat P4N listed a park up that may or may not have been a proper caravan park. The dusty patch of land between the sea and road did offer superb views across the water and there were a couple of other vans and caravans parked up so I stopped right on the edge with no shade but a strong breeze. Some of the caravans were unoccupied whilst others seemed more or less permanently lived in and there was a tap and bodged together sink so I set to to do my laundry including the bedding and throws before leaving it all to dry as I walked in to town. It was a lively little place as the ferry brings groups over for tours of the Peninsula that saw bloody conflicts between the Ottoman and Allied Forces that left 60,000 dead on both sides and 300,000 injured. I had toured the famous beaches and memorials last year  so was content to walk through the town, enjoy an icecream and return to the van where everything was bone dry. A couple of other vans pulled in and I enjoyed a few hours with my Marine Traffic App and a pair of binoculars as the steady line of ships slid by. After bedtime at around 11pm there was a gentle knock on the side of the van which I ignored as it seemed a bit late for anyone to be coming around for payment. Friday morning came with the usual blue skies but there was a perfect wind coming in off the sea to keep things comfortable. I walked in to town again and picked up a new gas bottle and dropped that back at the van where two rather showy Polish 4x4s with rooftents had turned up. They had gone to town on accessories and bling but with the strong wind the tents were moving around a fair bit. They were a friendly bunch though and were on a month long tour of Turkey.

In town I found a good place for lunch and then decided to cross back to Canakkale as at 60p for a passenger it was a great experience passing close to the enormous tankers. Later back at the site two young Turkish lads had put up a tent next to me - they were riding Chinese Harley Davidson replicas and were on a tour from Istanbul to Anatalia hoping to generate funds by selling Polaroid photos. They were lovely lads and wanted pictures of me and the van which they thought was very cool! Later that night there was another knock on the door and I noticed red and blue strobe lighting which again I ignored - the two lads explained the following morning that it was the local police telling people that it wasn't an official place to stay but nobody seemed to take any notice so I too stayed put.

A rare bright idea dawned on Sunday morning as ten miles down the coast is the huge fortress of Kilitbahir, also served by a ferry from Canakkale, so I caught one across from Eceabat and then returned to the much smaller village where the huge fort stood guarding the narrowest part of the Strait. Under a scorching sun it was a relief to enter the vast underground artillery store where amongst numerous exhibits I spotted relics from the Allied Forces in the form of a Sainsbury's potted meat jar and a Preserved Cream jar from a dairy in Stranraer - hugely thought provoking.

The main castle had been in situ well before these confrontations and comprised a clover leaf design surrounding a multi storeyed keep with a newer Yellow Tower built outside the main structure. It was possible to climb the walls for far reaching views and within the keep was a fascinating history of this strategic location.

A small cafe provided deep fried sardines with chips, salad and bread before the ferry back to Canakkale and a final one across to Eceabat. On the way back I stopped to watch a lively group trying to haul a fishing boat out of the water on a heavy iron 'dry dock' frame. The JCB was hooked up to a tractor and after a few false starts and much shouting and yelling the vessel was eventually dragged on to the wharf. I walked back to the 'site' where quite a few other families had arrived to put up some very basic tents on the dusty ground. It all looked very uncomfortable and as always I was hugely grateful for the comforts and convenience of the van. I had found a black waste set up near the entrance gate so had dealt with that the night before and had the genny on so I still had residual hot water and as luck would have it my gas bottle ran out as well so I am all primed up for a final week in Turkey. The families were mostly away fairly early so I drove in to town for some shopping before returning to fill up with water and as I was doing so a young couple in a van asked if they could use the genny to give their dead leisure battery a boost which of course I was happy to do. After filling up and getting them sorted I walked off for half an hour and returned to find them much happier and offering money for the fuel - no chance but bless them. I stopped near the Canakkale suspension bridge with its world beating 2km central span only to notice I had forgotten to replace the lockable water filler cap which would now have fallen off the bike rack somewhere along the way. Fortunately I have a spare but was cross with myself for being distracted and not checking.

A side road at Bolayir took me on to the north side of the peninsula passing a large bay crowded with vans and tents that held little appeal. However 2km further on by the small unmanned lighthouse I could park above a stunning bay with limestone ledges under the water and a couple of beaches accessed by crumbling stairs. There was a good cooling breeze and I was soon off for some snorkelling in the very comfortable and crystal clear waters. There were a few people on the beaches and the odd pleasure boat passed round the headland but I thoroughly enjoyed two separate sessions and saw a surprising number and variety of fish who seemed untroubled by my presence.

By dusk the few other visitors had left giving me a memorable night with a steady and cooling breeze, a couple of people had dropped by to say hello and as ever I was very touched by the friendliness of the Turkish people and by how intrigued they were by my travels. Across the bay a large ship is moored up permanently - it receives highly refrigerated LNG from other vessels and then acts as the regassing plant before pushing it in to the main Turkish pipelines to Istanbul and beyond.

I've only moved on thirty miles today to park at the place that was my first stop in Turkey last year, Kocacesme, which back then was a bit cold and bleak but now meets my needs with a strong cooling breeze and warm shallow waters under a blue sky. I will cross in to Greece on Friday and hope to exchange my unused dollars in to Euros as the Stans trip used less than half my budgeted amount and will then move on to Thessaloniki over the weekend.

Extras HERE

Staying High, Keeping Cool.

I filled up with water as I left the wooded camping area where most people had left the night before and returned to the main road heading generally west towards Eskisehir but turning south before the city in to the large area generally known as the Phyrgian Valley that covers some 2000 square kilometres. 

Dozens of sites relating to that time cover the area and just outside Cukurca I pulled up beneath a stunning temple and tomb carved in to the granite rockface which was just casting a late afternoon shadow that persuaded me to stay the night. The temple contained a number of carved tombs both in the walls and on the floor and adjacent rock faces had other rooms carved in to them. It was a quiet spot and a farmer rumbled past on a rickety tractor whilst later on one of the huge Kangal or Anatolian shepherd dogs came over in search of a snack. They sport a ferocious looking collar studded with spikes as a defence against the wolves they deter going for the throat but he was amiable enough and soon wandered away. After dark a mixed flock of sheep and goats ambled by with bells ringing and the two shepherds using their torches for a good look over the van which must have intrigued them.

After a quiet night with remarkable stars I move on less than ten miles to Yazili where somewhat remarkably the local council provide a park up for camper vans with hook up and all at no charge. Tall cypress trees provided shade as did a couple of open sided picnic shelters so I settled myself in and waited for the afternoon to cool off a bit before walking to the nearby Midas City with a number of superb attractions. A huge rocky outcrop had been carved out both by man and the weather to create a multi level structure of interconnected rooms that would have been the main residence of King Midas. Adjacent was a carved temple facade some 20 x 17m high and beyond that were more carved out rooms and tombs overlooking the village below. Walking on past these structures brought me to a huge underground cistern reached by a long steep flight of carved steps and another carved temple facade - The Unfinished One - which was almost glowing in the evening sun.  Further on again were another three similarly sized cisterns, all carved out by hand, with the same steep staircase access and channels in the surface rock carved out to direct as much of the rainfall as possible in to the storage systems. A steep path led up to the upper plateau where there was a fairly usable 4G connection as well as panoramic views. In the fields below the baled straw was being loaded on to lorries as the cereal harvest was well under way - even the smallest patches had been planted and the combines were of a size suited to these modest fields.

A small cafe on my way back was run by a very friendly woman so I stopped for tea and an ice-cream before returning to the the van and later a long and wonderfully hot shower in an attempt to ease my shoulders which have had a chronic ache and discomfort for months now - no doubt residual issues from my two heavy falls last autumn.

I spent a second day revisiting the rocks and structures and whilst a few Turkish visitors arrived there were no international tourists and I've not seen a foreign camper van in weeks. The large city of Kutahaya is known historically for the production of ceramics and whilst the large modern factories are located on the outskirts there is still a vibrant small scale artisanal scene especially in the old streets around the main mosque. Mixed in with this is a large fruit and vegetable market and the numerous, often dilapidated, wooden houses of the Ottoman Empire which all adds to a timeless scene. Overlooking the city is a substantial fortress which I decided was too much of a climb and after a doze in a shady park I returned to the van parked up on a large and shaded gravel area. The main Izmir road ran south west with a side turning taking me in to sleepy Cavdarhisar which had clearly once been a centre of great significance through many cultures and over many centuries. Two of the four Roman bridges remain and I parked up by one adjacent to a circular stone structure regarded as the oldest Stock Exchange in the world with carved panels listing the standard price for a range of goods and services. Further away across the bridge stands the best preserved temple to Zeus in Turkey which was hugely impressive and surrounded by fallen columns, stunning carvings and the like. Perhaps the most impressive feature was hidden away as beneath the temple floor and accessed by a steep staircase was a huge vault with a curved ceiling.

Back on the surface I walked past the remains of the bath houses where a statue of Hygiena, the goddess of health, had been discovered and then on to another remarkable structure. In fact it was two as this was the location for the only known feature of a combined Roman stadium and theatre but built as separate entities. Time and earthquakes have dislodged much of the tiered seating in both venues but as at other places it was possible to imagine the roar of the sports spectators and the cheers of the theatre goers.

Back at the van I decided to follow the suggestion in P4N and called at the small restaurant hidden away behind the Street of Columns which turned out to be a real gem. Shaded tables in a well kept garden were perfect after a hot couple of hours walking round and I was soon tucking in to an excellent pizza cooked in the simple wood fired oven. However the real attraction was the home made cheesecake which served with fresh blackberries and ice cream was sublime.

A turn off at Gediz saw me climbing steadily to 4,500' where another free campground spread out amongst the pine trees met my every need. Families with tents were scattered about and I parked up on a level patch looking down through the trees. Water points and an electric cabinet nearby confirmed my decision to stay a few nights and after sunset everyone retired to bed in what was a very special place. Most people were cooking on open fires and content to enjoy the peace and quiet, there was the odd camper and 4x4 roof tent set up but also a few small caravans parked up which seemed to be more or less permanently parked there. I walked up to the Terrace Cafe, passing a Youth Leisure Camp set up and enjoyed sublime lamb chops and a view across to distant hills as the sun set all for a very reasonable £7.

Later that evening after I had gone to bed there was some activity outside as a small caravan was manoeuvred alongside but the tow vehicle then drove off and no one seemed to be occupying it.

The elevation and shade kept me cool all day and I returned to the Terrace for another meal before back at the van a couple with two young children had arrived to stay in the newly delivered caravan - presumably they are rented out and he explained that they were to be joined later by friends. He asked if I could move over so they could all be alongside each other which of course I was happy to do and I later fell asleep as they all sat chatting quietly amongst themselves in to the evening.

So today I have moved on to another picnic and camping area north of Simav where a volcanic crater lake provides plenty of room for families to gather. I paid to enter and parked up under the trees but a guy came over later and seemed to want me to move - I didn't really understand and he eventually said via Google Translate that it didn't really matter and buzzed off on his moped. Later walking round the lake I realised that the proper camping area was on the far shore but decided as it was in full sun and had a concentration of tents and families I would stay put as it was just for the one night. The two mile circuit of the lake gave me some much needed exercise and back at the van I was content to watch various family groups enjoying themselves. At one point a group of five young women approached rather shyly to ask where I was from - all had good English and were studying pharmacology at university in Istanbul. They wanted to know where I'd been in Turkey and what I thought and were also interested to see on my Europe map where I am largely based. They had visited a number of countries in Europe last year as part of the Erasmus scheme connected with their studies but of course post Brexit the UK had not been part of the schedule. Anyway they were good company and left with a flurry of waves and smiles and now as most day visitors are heading off a thunderstorm seems to be brewing.

I have a fortnight to cover the remaining 600 miles to Thessaloniki and can enter Greece in ten days time so will head slowly towards Canakkale on the Dardanelles, cross over to the Gallipoli Peninsula and see if I can find a spot on the Aegean Coast for a swim and a sun bathe. This last few weeks across central Turkey has been just what I hoped for, a genuine insight in to the Turkish way of life, some memorable historical sights, stunning natural history and wonderful park ups. The freedom to more or less stop anywhere is refreshing and despite the language barrier I have enjoyed some great interactions with the people i have met who have without fail been polite, friendly, welcoming and where possible helpful. 

More pics sit Here

Antics and Antiques in Anatolya

After my stay above the reservoir I dropped down towards Artvin following the flooded Berta Cayi river and then turned south west towards the town of Yusufeli which has been moved several kilometres up and out of the Coruh valley which is part of the huge hydroelectric and irrigation scheme being constructed throughout this region which will bring national benefits but at local costs. The new town high rises may well be more modern and better serviced but there was an air of sterility and the old traditions of small shops, markets and verandahs seem to have been left behind.

A number of impressive tunnels took me along the valley and I eventually parked up on a flat terrace overlooking the headwaters surrounded by impressive mountains. Later that evening I spotted car headlights slowly climbing a serpentine track towards a village up on a distant plateau which must have been inaccessible during the winter months. A huge insect in the grass the following morning turned out to be a Great Capricorn beetle, one of the largest in Europe, remarkable.

The vast yellow plains that produce mostly wheat stretched away in every direction under blue skies and a hot sun as I passed through small villages on minor roads stopping eventually above one of them in an old quarry for a quiet but warm night. 

Moving on the following day I decided that a slight rumbling I had detected needed looking at so whilst parked up in Tercan I jacked up each rear wheel and identified the offside as the culprit. A quick bit of research located a garage an hour or so away in Erzincan that claimed to be a VW independent and got better reviews than the main dealer.

The workshop was located on the outskirts in one of those areas where dozens of car, truck and tractor repairers were located with the streets jam packed with wrecks and repairables. I found Oto Ahmet and spoke to a guy who made a call and then told his very young mechanic to jump in and take me to their other workshop where another guy soon had first the near side and then the offside raised to locate the issue as I had got myself confused as to which one was faulty. Indeed it was the o/s which was annoying as that had been done only 18 months and 35,000 miles ago in Igoumenitsa and at a rather inflated price.

Anyway they said they could do it straight away and it would take two hours which seemed excellent. I waited until they had the wheel off so I could check the pads and as they were approaching the wear indicator I asked if they could fit my spare set: no problem!

After wandering round the industrial estate I grabbed an early lunch where the waiter kindly mixed all the ingredients together to add to the cooked meat to make delicious wraps and by 1 o'clock I was back at the van where all was in order for the bargain price of £70. The manager insisted I took tea with him and the biscuits I had picked up were appreciated by all.

I headed off generally west again and stopped for the night after a couple of hours in the middle of nowhere at a disused picnic area where I could tuck away under the trees. Later on a guy and his elderly mother stopped, I thought they had run out of fuel but in fact it turned out they had no money to buy petrol so I gave them a tenner which they seemed very grateful for. By torchlight I could see that the new pads and a bearing had been fitted but also on checking the wheel nut torques found that the n/s rears were too tight to undo. Fortunately next morning a truck tyre depot were happy to loosen them a little before I retorqued to the correct setting.

Divrigi has a mosque and ancient hospital with three superbly carved doorways being the main attraction so I had a good look round before carrying on as driving during the hottest parts of the day made a lot of sense with temperatures in the mid 30s.

There was no shade to be had at the park up in Sivas so I left all the windows and roof vents open, slid the fly screens across and went off to admire the main sights north of the castle which included mosques, medrasas and a caravanserai. A huge new mosque is almost complete and I enjoyed walking round the city streets as it was the largest centre of population since Tbilisi. Near the van was a very smart coffee and cake cafe with a series of shady terraces so I was soon sat with a hot chocolate and a dish of profiteroles surrounded by the young and beautiful echelonsl of local society.

Whilst aiming generally west I was also deviating to sites of interest so Tokat was next on my itinerary with a paid park up in the middle of town. The friendly woman put me in a shady corner and indicated it would be OK to stay overnight so I headed off to explore the old parts of the city with ancient Ottoman houses, a newly refurbished museum and an impressive hamman baths complex with conical roofs and glass skylights. It wasn't the quietest of nights with the calls to prayer, road sweepers and general traffic but as the museum opened at 08.30 I was happy to be up and about in the cooler dawn. The museum exhibits covered the long history of Tokat which was located at a major trading crossroads of Asia minor and had like the entire region seen a succession of different cultures and influences over thousands of years. The town is also famous for its hand printed scarves and glassware.

Ballica Cave an hour or so away was the perfect place to escape the heat and consisted of a number of huge well decorated chambers with unusual onion stalactites located in the furthest and deepest whilst columns, flowstones and gour pools occupied the others. The lighting wasn't brilliant with orange hued bulbs failing to show the formations at their best but it was a good excursion which I had almost to myself.

At Kazankaya I turned off the main road and entered a huge gorge where I could park up in shade and walk the couple of miles down the steep walled canyon and out along a raised walkway to a dramatic viewing platform. The lack of breeze and a hot afternoon sun made it hard work but it was worth the effort and I then had a quiet evening in blissful isolation.

Adjacent to Bogazkale is Hattusa the capital city of the Bronze Age (1500BC) Hittite civilization and of more immediate interest Park4Night listed a small camp site with a restaurant alongside. I pulled up at the simple swtup with the dining tables located amongst a clump of pine trees and the camping on a sloping field behind. The friendly staff indicated to park anywhere so I chose a spot near a line of trees but away from the main building. I decided I would stay two nights and after sorting myself out walked the half mile or so up to Yazilikaya. This was a holy site for the Hittites and comprises a couple of open roofed chambers that still have some superb rock carvings indicating kings, gods and other deities. At a small souvenir shop I was royally robbed for a small soapstone carving but the guy was obviously pretty desperate and it was a thing of beauty.

Back at the site an Italian couple in a 4x4 with a roof tent turned up - they were on an 18 day trip and had an ambitious schedule to get round Turkey in that time and back to northern Italy. As always I decided life in a roof tent would not be for me....

I walked down to the main Hattusa site the following morning and entered via a footpath alongside a stream where I spotted a very small tortoise inching its way along. The huge site was the former capital and lay across a couple of hills and shallow valleys with large gateways at intervals around the perimeter. The lower walls of housing, shops and a huge temple were clearly visible and each of the large gates had been embellished with carvings, some of which were still intact. A road linked all the main points of interest and on the approach to the highest point a Turkish family kindly gave me a lift, much appreciated under the scorching sun. One major gateway also incorporated a long tunnel through a defensive wall lined with enormous boulders and which was pleasantly cool.

On my way back down the petroglyphs chamber was a highlight after which I walked back up to the site and arranged to eat at 6. Their shower only seemed to run cold but in such heat this wasn't an issue and I later enjoyed a chicken dish with rice and bread washed down with lemonade - total bill including camping £9 or about one fifth of a souvenir........

Moving on again I ended up with a longer day than expected, some 200 miles, to pass south of Ankara as the few P4N options didn't appeal but as everywhere in Turkey there were plenty of options to fill up with water and by late afternoon I arrived at the  Gordion Museum near Yassihuyuk for another delve in to ancient history. The site was as expected just closing but the guard said it was fine to stay overnight and visit the following morning.

The place is named after Gordios, father of King Midas, who according to legend tied the eponymous knot later sliced in half by Alexander the Great (the knot that is). Midas was the great king of the Phyrgians who ruled much of Anatolia after the collapse of the Hittites and the nearby MM (Midas Mound) Tumulus contains the oldest standing wooden structure in the world (3,000 years) that formed the central part of Gordios' burial chamber reached by a long stone lined tunnel. It is the 3rd largest tumulus in the world and reminded me of Silbury Hill near Avebury in Wiltshire.

The museum was excellent with informative labelling in good English and a range of exhibits from the Bronze Age through to Roman times. A pair of hand shears would look almost exactly the same in a farm suppliers of today and the jewellery and ornaments showed a very high level of skill and craftsmanship as well as a knowledge of metallurgy. Not far away was the site of the actual capital city and a perimeter walk enables you to get a good overview of what was once a major centre and crossing point of the Sakarya River. After a disastrous fire in 800BC 5m of clay was used to cover the site in preparation for building the new city and this layer had preserved the relics of the early Phyrgians giving archaeologists a great insight in to earlier ways and traditions.

Sivrihisar had been my intended stopover but the park ups lacked much shade or privacy so I just enjoyed a look round the old centre with colourful Ottoman houses, a quirky clock tower and a large open air display of statues and monuments spreading up the lower slopes of the dramatic cliffs that overlook the town. After an underwhelming lunch and a look at the beautiful but empty Georgian church I moved on to a real find here at Karakaya just off the main road to Eskisehir. A dramatic outcrop of granite reminiscent of Dartmoor's tors sits above a free camping area that is popular with climbers. I pulled off in to the trees for shade with a few groups of youngsters in tents dotted about but plenty of room for everyone. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and was pleased that as dusk fell it remained quiet and peaceful with a cooling breeze.

Today I took a walk amongst the rock formations and saw a rockface tomb entrance from which a large vulture emerged as it was clearly nesting in there. A couple of the climbers came over for a chat but now being a Sunday almost everyone has left and pleasingly very little rubbish has been left behind. A shepherd passed through with his goats and sheep accompanied by two of the huge Kangal or Anatolian Shepherd dogs that are fine with humans - both were sporting huge collars with vicious spikes to give them an advantage when repelling the wolves that are the main predators across this area.

Tomorrow I move on as my cupboards and fridge are bare. I need to sort out my new vehicle insurance policy that will allow me to return to Europe in a fortnight and will continue to follow the Phrygian history in this area as I head to Eskisehir. According to P4N there is a dedicated motorhome park up with electric available but we will see. I need to get two Turkish gas bottles to see me across Turkey and Greece before we can get 907 exchanges in Brindisi, Italy, in a month or so but otherwise all is well and the mostly  slower pace over the last few weeks has been much appreciated. This is my 8th month away and with 17,000 miles covered it has been a long old journey but as always has left me with a host of memories and experiences.

Latest extra pics here

Lurking in Turkey

 After two very comfortable nights in the shaded park near Posof I set off up the valley to climb the pass up to Ilgar Gecidi at 2,500m before a swooping descent to Ardahan where after negotiating some chaotic traffic around the market I parked up for a much needed shop. The busy town was a contrast to the remoteness of recent weeks and as always I was absorbed by the details of everyday Turkish life. The citadel overlooking the town was worth a visit although apart from the imposing walls there is little left within them. However a really delightful cafe did occupy one corner and provided a comfortable corner with good coffee and cake to sit out a brief but torrential thunderstorm. It was the sort of place you could spend hours in but once the skies cleared I was back at the van and on my way just a few more miles towards Savsat. 

Another high pass, the Cam or Sahara Gecidi and also at about 2,500m had a decent water  source to fill up from before the long descent via numerous hairpins towards Savsat itself. On one of these lay my intended park up but as I approached there was clearly something talking place in the wooded valley so I pulled in, paid about £6 and was soon parked up in a smaller side valley beneath some pines. The event was a weekend long folk festival which was being set up in the main valley and meadow with banners and bunting billowing above numerous stalls and display stands and a large stage under construction. There were a few stalls selling corn on the cob, boiled or grilled on wood fired stoves, a couple of kebab outlets and other ones being set up as the main event got underway the following day, Friday. Clearly the earlier downpour at Ardahan had hit the site as early arrivals were trying to dry out sodden tents and bedding and the tracks and grass were quite wet.

After a quiet night's sleep I took a walk round as a very small cattle show (6 beasts in all!) took place, watched the numerous council workers laying out seating, wiring up additional electrics using the fire department's turntable ladder, which managed to get seriously bogged down and generally soaked up the atmosphere as the sun broke through.

By evening time there were hundreds of families pitching their tents in amongst the trees, lighting fires and setting to with wood fired stoves to cook for large family gatherings. The various stalls were selling local handicrafts, honey, cheeses and so on as well as some promoting conservation charities and local development initiatives. It was a lovely atmosphere and as the sun set people retreated to their camps for in some  cases a long and boisterous evening. I had been hemmed in by a number of cars whose occupants had pitched all round me which was fine but unfortunately one group of youngsters had a speaker the size of a dustbin lid in the boot of their car not ten feet from me which blared at full volume until the early hours. Despite this I managed some sleep and on Saturday enjoyed a day of traditional dancing displays, a bout of Turkish wrestling and another tour of the stalls as yet more people arrived. By the evening there were thousands of people around with barely any gaps between the tents and cars jammed in everywhere. Back at the van I could only just open the sliding door and certainly could not have driven away and yet again my immediate neighbours filled most of the night with a wall of sound.

Sunday saw more folk dancing and music, a couple of solo artists and a few more stalls setting up. I got a seat in the small pavilion with a good view of the proceedings and soaked it all up, including the highly entertaining 'bubble football' until late afternoon when things began to come to a close. Families packed up, stalls were carefully dismantled and by sunset most folk had departed, leaving I am sorry to say, an unbelievable amount of trash absolutely everywhere. There were more than enough bins and the council lorry had been round continuously throughout the weekend but the place looked absolutely terrible as I left this morning. To be fair the council workers were beginning the task of litter picking but it was a huge undertaking that need not have been necessary. All round the van were cans and bottles, broken camping gear, food waste and the ubiquitous wet wipes and whilst I had been happy for a group to use my camping chair I was a bit miffed to see they had, I hope inadvertently, packed it away when they left....

Anyway I filled up with water and dropped the few miles in to Savsat for a couple of hours to get fresh fruit and vegetables which are now in abundance, some fresh bread and other essentials and followed the Berta valley downstream to a point where a new bridge across to the village of Sakalar marked the start of the new reservoir that is part of a major hydroelectric and irrigation scheme for the Artvin region.

There is a good cool breeze blowing and from my lofty perch above the blue green waters I can see a trio of fishermen below and on the other side of the valley the very few vehicles passing by. 

I will continue my steady journey west but will linger in these cooler mountains for another week at least so watch this space...

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Last few days in Georgia

Continuing the descent from Mestia in the High Caucasus meant following the rushing waters of the Enguri river, grey and swollen with meltwater. I remembered it being a poor road surface with precarious overhanging cliffs and sections of landslide but with no snow and the trees in leaf it didn't feel as daunting as last year. Tiny villages clung to the valley sides and a number of sawmills occupied any flat areas. Eventually though the headwaters of the Enguri reservoir tamed the flow and a huge floating mass of lumber offcuts occupied the calmer waters. Below the eponymous dam I found a cracking park up alongside the river reached initially by a short steep rocky section of track but soon becoming a flat grassy series of meadows with seclusion and privacy. A few cows wandered by and later an old guy brought his grandson down for some fishing but otherwise I had the place to myself.

In Zugdidi on a baking hot day I parked up to visit the Dadiani Palaces and Botanical Gardens that had historic connections to Napoleon and more recently Prince Murat who I had stayed with last year. Both buildings were full of history and artefacts surrounding their past and that of the wider area whilst the large gardens provided much needed shade.

When I got back to the van I decided the city centre parking was a bit exposed for an overnight so pushed on towards a truck stop near Poti. This also didn't feel right and was by a busy road so I carried on out to the coast further south, took a long sandy dead end of a track out to the shoreline and was soon parked right on the Black Sea's edge with the city of Batumi glowing some 50 odd miles further south. 

Apart from a couple of fishermen on the adjacent lagoon there was no one about and a good onshore breeze kept things pleasantly cool. I was surprised to notice blue and red strobes at about 01.30 as the police drove by and turned round but they didn't bother stopping and it was an otherwise peaceful night.

Information from Salvo and Sylvie persuaded me to alter my plans slightly and head in to Turkey via Vale rather than the much busier Sarpi crossing which takes all the trucks and other vehicles from the main coast road. Thus I headed inland to stop at Camp Itara north of Ozurgeti which is run by a family of German expats. They allow people to stay in their large garden with plenty of space and shade, a very good shower facility and access to a washing machine with a campers kitchen available as well. I spotted the German couple from a couple of weeks ago in the valley below the Chkumi monastery and parked up nearby for a catch up. The whole set up was very well organised and relaxing so I dealt with the laundry, cleaned out the van and planned my onwards progress. A huge German MAN 4x4 truck pulled in the following day and yet again I could only imagine the limitations and frustrations of such a huge rig most of the time.

Heading off after two nights I made my way east again passing Samtredia, filling up with diesel and then south of Kutaisi turning south for Baghdati and the mountains of the Lower Caucasus which lie between Georgia and Turkey. After a decent road as far as the spa resort of Sairme I began the 20 odd kilometre climb along a forestry track to the Zekari Pass. As the trees thinned out the track became rougher and included numerous sharp hairpins before at above 2,000m the clouds obscured the view at a point where a local shepherd had his humble dwelling. After a few more foggy kilometres and another 200m of ascent I reached flat ground at the top of the pass with visibility well under a 100m. There was a picnic shelter and I could hear a few voices coming out of the mist from various directions so chose a level spot and parked up. It was too foggy to see anything other than close by and at one point a minibus crawled by heading up the grassy slope. Later on a shepherd appeared on horse back and seemed to indicate things would clear up overnight so I settled in, fired up the heater and with no internet connection, devoured a couple of books. At one point the well strung out group of mountain bikers I had passed on the ascent reached the col and were grabbing a break under the shelter and looking out in to the gloom - they faced a long cold descent but were in good spirits. They were all from various cities in India and were on a 14 day visit to Georgia for the mountain biking and had a young Georgian guide with them.

After a bit of thunder and lightning overnight things did clear up first thing and I could see the minibus had only continued on another couple of hundred metres to where half a dozen tents were set up. The views were remarkable with 2,500m peaks towering above cloud filled valleys and bright green slopes leading up to their beckoning summits. I packed sandwiches and a drink and set off in the hope of reaching Didimaghala but what had looked like a steep grassy slope turned out to be knee high dwarf rhododendron that was impossible to pass through safely as the branches were so intertwined. I was reminded of my last encounter with the full sized stuff on Goat Fell on Aran that had nearly ended badly.

As the clouds had gathered in again and another thunderstorm was brewing I headed back to the van and was passed by another group of mountain bikers just as the heavens opened so was as always grateful for the heater.

Monday dawned bright and sunny with fantastic views, especially to the north where the snow clad summits of the High Caucasus shimmered in the distance. Overlooking the astronomy complex  on the way to Abastumani to the south I stopped for a quick reconnection with the internet before starting down a sinuous track that eventually reached some very basic shepherds dwellings. After these the track became much steeper and for an hour or so I drove with baited breath as the route became much rougher with washed out gullies, rock strewn hairpins and glutinous muddy stretches - I later found out that the route had been closed by snow until three weeks previously. Landslides and very narrow sections added to the mix and whilst I met the odd 4x4 heading up I was concerned that if I couldn't get past it would be nigh on impossible to turn round let alone retrace my steps. However after a final tricky section where the van performed beyond any reasonable expectation I reached tarmac with huge relief. Outside Abastumani which is a popular spa resort I filled up with water from a small spring and then dropped down to Akhaltsikhe. A rather dodgy looking LPG outfit filled two 907 cylinders for a fiver in total before I parked up by a lake on the edge of town, unfortunately with no shade but at least there was a decent breeze. 

We had visited the huge castle last year so I was content with a look round the town, an ice cream in the park and later a walk round the lake with a number of locals. People were out till late on a barmy evening but no one troubled me and I slept through until a couple of delivery vans arrived early to redistribute parcels and packages.

After filling up to use most of my final lari I drive the few miles to Vale and the Turkish border a few miles beyond that. A modest line of HGVs were passed and I presented my passport at Georgian control. A slightly grumpy customs guy insisted I remove the bike cover to reveal.......... a bike, but then stamped me out and I was then presenting my documents to the Turkish officials. They had a quick look round and then directed me to the vehicle import booth. Here I was asked for my insurance and as I needed to buy it the friendly lass told me to leave the van, walk out to the sigurta office and then bring my policy documents back. To exit I had to leave my passport at the final barrier but then the insurance guy said he needed to photograph it and they only took cash. So back to the van it was for my stash of lire but this time I left the barrier guy an old driving licence as security and before long had my insurance valid for 3 months for £36. Back at the vehicle import booth this was soon processed and I was away within an hour and a half all told.

The small town of Posof was apparently where to buy a Turkish SIM so I parked up, asked a friendly copper for directions and was soon at the TurkCell shop where the assistant struggled to issue me with a local SIM. She seemed to think my passport was wrong but I showed her the morning's stamps and my driving licence and eventually after an hour and a half we were good to go. A quick chicken and rice dish nearby followed by some shopping and I was off down to a picnic site by the river where I have found a shady and idyllic spot to regroup. There is plenty of space and family groups have been enjoying themselves but as it's all quiet now the genny is up and running so a hot shower beckons.

I will stay up in the mountains for as long as possible as here at 4,600' it is pleasantly cool. This area of Turkey used to be Georgian so there is a good mix of churches, mosques and castles to keep me amused.

More of this eventually so for now enjoy these.... Extras

Svaneti second time round.....

After a short journey north I stopped at the cracking little Aghvi campsite run by the friendly and welcoming Mzia who lives nearby in the village of Larchvali. Reached by crossing the fast running Tskhenistskali river via a rather decrepit steel and concrete bridge the site has shaded parking and excellent facilities with good hot showers and a small camper kitchen and relaxation area with a fridge full of cold beer. Initially I was the only guest but a Dutch family arrived later on followed by two Georgian families with roof tents. I offloaded the bike and put a tube in the rear as the tubeless set up had deflated over recent weeks and distorted the rim tape - a job for when I get home. Next day I cycled up to the Chkumi monastery up a side valley and realised I had stayed there in very wintery conditions last year. A young German couple were parked up by the fast flowing river so I stopped for a chat on my way back which I extended by riding on to Tsageri for fresh bread. Back at the site I enjoyed a couple of beers as rain fell overnight and slept soundly. 

Another gentle run north brought me to a sign on the Ushguli road declaring 'Movement Prohibited' between two kilometre posts 20km ahead and 25km apart which I didn't really understand. Fortunately an oncoming Georgian car stopped and he explained that they were now obsolete as the road works had been completed. As there was a very nice parking spot nearby alongside the river I decided it was time to stop anyway and enjoyed masses of wild strawberries from the flower filled meadow. A local passed by on his way to rotovate some land but otherwise it was a serene spot to spend an afternoon near the hamlet of Mele. The following day the excellent new road climbed steadily higher up in to the mountains with plenty of snow on the summits and in the shadier gullies with a final set of hairpins bringing me out at the top of the Zagaro Pass at just over 8,600'. I parked up to walk the half mile or so to the small chapel known as the 13 Assyrian Father's Church which had stunning views across to the ridges leading up to Vakhushti's summit a little under 13,000' high. 

Dropping a few kilometres in to Ushguli soon had me turning off to a perfect park up on the edge of the village, one of the highest permanently inhabited villages in Europe. There were a couple of other vans but masses of room and I parked up so as to keep the fridge in the shade as I planned a two day stay. The stone towers that in days gone by were vital fortifications for the individual families are UNESCO protected and I wandered around the village's unsurfaced back streets admiring them under a warm sun but with a welcome cool breeze. It must be a very harsh place from October to April when the village is usually cut off by snow and the highly seasonal tourism trade disappears. At this time of year though there were a steady number of visitors and a good choice of cafes and restaurants to grab refreshments. I scaled the Queen Tamar tower, initially by a rickety external wooden ladder and then four more internally that brought me to the top floor where outlets on each wall under the eaves would allow the occupants to repel invaders.

Back at the van various trekking groups on horseback were returning from the valley which led up to the walk out to the snout of the Shkara glacier five miles further on. This was my intended destination for the following day and I had a good chat with three British walkers who had just returned and were grateful for the offer of chilled water.

I set off fairly early and was soon locking the bike up at the end of the track and then walked the hour or so along the river, across a terrace of boulders and reached the grey blue wall of ice strewn with rocks and gravel and with the river emerging at the foot a greyish brown and of course icy cold. It was a dramatic spot with rocks on top of the ice regularly slipping over the edge and crashing down rather like those coins games at fairgrounds. As others arrived I made my way back to the van grateful that the bike saved a long and dusty walk and then dropped back for another look round the village. The hilltop church had some faded frescoes inside and occupied a lovely spot looking right up the valley to the Shkara summits at over 17,000' and beyond which lies the Russian border.

The cool nights at altitude were very welcome but a squally spell at breakfast the following morning saw me firing up the Eber for the first time in months. Heading downhill and roughly southwest on the newly surfaced road was an absolute delight with snowy peaks, wooded slopes and the occasional small village before I finally reached Mestia where I had had to turn round last year after coming up from Zuguidi. A small garage had a powerful vacuum cleaner to attack the Truma vent once more and I bought some fruit and veg from the adjacent shop where my confusion over the lari exchange rate caused some amusement as I offered ten times the requested amount. Yet again total honesty from the assistant who soon put me right. After lunch out I picked up one of the huge Georgian flat breads and drove out past the small airport and up the valley I had stayed in last year. This looked very different with flowers and plants growing profusely and none of the two metres of snow that I had encountered. I parked up on one of the many tracks along the valley floor just along from two Russian families, one with a trailer tent and the other a rather tired caravan.

So yesterday I set off to revisit my failed attempt of last year to reach the Chaladi Glacier which descends from the 4,280m peak of Bzhedukh that again straddles the Russian border. After an hour along the valley floor a wood floored suspension bridge crossed the fast flowing Mestiachala river and the path began to climb through pine woods to the Tchalaati river. This was fast flowing and I reached the point where deep snow had forced me back last year but was now able to carry on with the snout appearing way ahead - a point was reached where the snout had been in 1974 : it has receded by about 800m horizontally and 100m vertically. This last stretch was therefore on the jumbled rocks left behind that made for hard going but it was worth it as on reaching the upper level there was an impressive river barreling out from under one section and disappearing beneath another. 

I had got chatting with another walker who was from London, had a Georgian wife and two kids and was planning to relocate back to the UK next year when their teaching contracts at an International School in Tbilisi ended. They were all heading to Ushguli as part of a tour of Georgia and I reassured him that his kids would be able to reach the Shkara glacier as it was a much less strenuous walk in. A welcome beer at the small pop up bar by the bridge brought an excellent day to a close and back at the van I fired up the genny briefly to give me hot water for a much needed shower. Despite the vacuuming the Truma is still unhappy running on gas and I really don't want to risk a fire so have decided not to try it on gas again. As I'm usually pretty remote a genny session will do the job and after checking out various YouTube videos I am confident that fitting a new unit will be the way to go. Servicing a 25 year old unit would no doubt require parts such as the flame control device and jets plus a new vent and still leave me with the old electric elements, wiring and water tank. As the same model is still available it should be a pretty straightforward task once home.

Today I stopped briefly in Mestia for some shopping and have dropped partially out of the hills to stay on a shady terrace at the Wonderland Svaneti restaurant that allows camping as well. I had a closer look at the Truma installation and it does indeed look to be an easy one to replace once my clobber has been removed - the surrounding space is taken up with guide books, spare front and rear brake pads, a set of bulbs, air, oil and fuel filters, a large allen and torx key set, soldering irons, 12v water pump, via ferrata kit and other bits and bobs.......

So I now continue south west and out to the Black Sea coast where I hope it will be cool despite the loss of altitude, returning to the Svaneti has been a great success and in about a fortnight I will enter Turkey and stay up in the mountains where possible during August to steer clear of the heat. I need to be in Thessaloniki at the end of August so with far shorter distances to cover than in the Stans I can take my time and explore places at my leisure.

A return to extra photos sits HERE