Kisecik to Karaman – 7th October
Distance: 34.3 km – Elevation +110 m -120 m
Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 21 degrees
I slept very well and after sharing breakfast with Osman, I bid my farewells and set off about 7.30 am. Osman offered to take me in his car to Karaman, but he understood well my need to walk and waved to me as he passed by in his car on his way back to his home in Mersin. I continue to be amazed at the wonderful hospitality and kindness of the Turkish people.
Today was going to be a flat walk as I followed the country road that crossed the erosional plains that stretch between the Hacıbaba Mountain to the southwest and the volcanic group of Karadağ Mountains to the northeast.
It was another glorious day as I left the outskirts of Kisecik calling into a filling station to buy a few snacks and bottled water for the day ahead. I met and chatted with two shepherds riding donkeys as they watched over their large flock of sheep grazing on the stubble of a recent harvest. Shepherding is the world’s oldest profession and I love those moments when I meet the shepherds. They are so humble and compassionate and know intimately each of the sheep within their flocks. At home where I live in England, a local farmer has flocks of sheep amounting in number in excess of 2000. One day he was moving a flock of sheep from one field to another and I stood aside to let the sheep pass on the narrow country lane, the farmer was at the rear of the flock on his quad bike and I asked as he passed “How many sheep?”, he jokingly replied, “didn’t you count them?” and then said “about 100 ewes” – when I ask shepherds here “How many sheep?” they know the exact number!
The scenery was magnificent with wide sweeping vistas reaching out across the plains to the distant mountains. The sun turned the fields of corn into “Fields of Gold”. The road skirted the village of Islihisar where the beautifully decorated pencil-thin minaret of the village mosque reached high into the clear blue sky. There were apple orchards with sweet juicy apples and I passed by a sugar beet collection point, where the sugar beet was brought in from local fields and then loaded, via conveyors, into convoys of tractor-pulled trailers for onward transportation to sugar factories.
After about 8 kilometres the road crossed the Konya to Karaman high-speed train line and briefly brought me onto the road leading to Kazımkarabekir. The road stretched far into the distance almost as if to touch the distant and beautiful Hacıbaba Mountain, the scenery was just breathtaking. This part of Anatolia is where the Sarıkeçili tribes, the last Yörüks, Turkish Nomads, pass through in the summer months after wintering by the Mediterranean Sea and as I looked out across the plains, I could almost picture their camel trains as they crossed the Konya plains.
I reached the village of Karalgazi where again, like the village of Islihisar, the minaret of the village mosque climbed high into the sky above the village trees, seemingly higher than the backdrop of the distant mountains, its colours blending effortlessly into the landscape. In Mesudiye I was greeted by the honking of the village geese as they passed hurriedly across the road ahead of me and later in the village I met and chatted with a group of men unloading a combine harvester.
I had frequent offers of lifts, friendly waves from tractor drivers, cars stopping to ask why I was walking, including a car where the occupants were plainclothed policemen who wanted to check my passport, all very friendly.
After an exhilarating journey of 34 kilometres I arrived at the Kent Otel in Karaman at 5.00 pm. The Kent Otel was a good quality hotel, comfortable and clean with a friendly helpful staff. There was a good restaurant within the hotel and that is where I relaxed and enjoyed dinner.
