Emirdağ to Bolvadin – 23rd September
Distance: 38.9 km – Elevation +330 m -300 m
Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 25 degrees
Another wonderful day, a ” Walking on the Pastures of Wonder” day. I was back in the mountains. It was a cold night and equally cold morning as I walked out of the hotel just before 7.00 am and started the climb out of Emirdag. It was not long before I found myself in open countryside, where I was able to see ahead of me the climb through the Emir mountains.
On the outskirts of Emirdağ and at the start of the main road that would lead me to Bolvadin I found a service area with a filling station, shop, and cafe. I would have stopped for breakfast but the cafe was yet to open and I needed supplies for my day ahead but the shop was closed too. I found the owner who was washing down the forecourt and I pointed to the shop, he seemed a little agitated at my presence but stopped his work and opened up the shop and I was able to buy what I needed.
The road to Bolvadin was deserted with just the occasional vehicle passing in either direction. The skies were a pastel blue and soon I began to feel the warmth of the sun, and without the cold winds of the past two days, the temperature rose to a pleasant 25 degrees. The views with the backdrop of the mountains, which included the peaks of Kızdoğdu Tepesi and Kızılçal Tepesi, were glorious, the landscape was so different from the flat plains of yesterday’s walk. The climb to the top was long but gentle. Around 11.30 am having completed 14 kilometres and almost at the summit of today’s walk, I came to a rest area for motorists complete with a small mosque. There was also a beautiful golden topped fountain, Baci Sultan Çeşmesi, with a dedication verse from local poet, Aşık Yoksul Derviş, and sheltered picnic tables including one inside a wigwam.
It was here that I met a group of flower people or hippies. They were an international group – English, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Russian and were traveling in a Dormobile to various music festivals in Turkey. A few were meditating during my chat with the English man who appeared to be the leader of the group and was interested to hear about the Sufi trail. They were very friendly and gave me a delicious juicy apple as I departed.
I continued to climb and stopped for lunch beneath the shade of fruit trees. The descent from the top was also long and gentle. Close to 3.00 pm and near to the village of Dişli I walked into a filling station to buy some water and before I could do so the owner came to greet me, shook my hand and took me into his office, removed my rucksack and sat me down in a comfy chair and brought me a plate of food, a sort of shepherds pie – delicious. His co-owner soon arrived and they wanted to know everything about my journey and my life back in England, and they gave me a tour of the newly renovated facilities. They were incredibly kind and showed genuine interest in my journey. When I left they both gave me the traditional Turkish greeting, cheek to cheek on both sides of the face, they were an absolute delight.
I continued on my way with the distant views of the Sultan mountains which I will have to cross to reach the sea. The nearer I got to Bolvadin every car would toot and wave, motorcyclists too and then when I was just 100 metres from my hotel I found a man on a red three-wheel truck apparently waiting to greet me, Despite my reluctance he was insistent that I rode with him on his red bike for those last 100 metres and then came the photoshoot, he was so friendly and it was such a hilarious moment, apparently he was a friend of the two men I had met in the filling station and they had called him ( I had told them where I was staying) and he wanted to meet me – I have become famous!
The hotel Borsa was very good, certainly 3 stars in terms of service and quality and all for £10 including breakfast. Attached to the hotel was a quality restaurant popular with the locals. I had a delicious chicken soup followed by my favourite Turkish dish Kofta on a bed of cheesy pasta with salad and chips – the bill for the whole meal including bread and drinks came to £5!
