The Kalkan walking group had an eventful day yesterday, Sunday 26th April. 

The plan was for the walkers to make their way from Kılıçlı to Üçağız (Kekova) along the Lycian Way, via Aperlae - a distance of 16 km.  However things didn't go according to plan.

This is a scenic walk downhill towards the sea which then skirts around the mountain side along the coast.  The terrain is rocky and you have to watch where you are walking quite closely.

The group of 26 were a couple of hours into the walk and came to a point where they had to drop down to a lower path - a distance of probably just over two and a half feet.  One of the group, Marilyn Stringer from South London, put her right foot forward towards the lower path and as her foot landed on the ground there was a crack, her right leg buckled from under her and she fell awkwardly on to the rock-strewn path.

Everyone gathered round to assess the situation.  They didn't know it at the time, but Marilyn had in fact broken her fibula - the smaller of the two bones in the lower leg.  Clearly in quite some pain, she was unable to walk.  

The group was probably at the furthest point from help as it could be.  The options were to carry Marilyn up the mountain over 3 km to reach a road or go downhill for 2 km towards a small waterside jetty and request a boat to come out from Kekova.

Whilst there is a helpicopter ambulance in the region, the terrain was too rocky and uneven for a helicopter to land.

Progress down the mountainside was slow.  Different members of the group took it in turns to carry Marilyn, adopting various techniques.  Sometimes a fireman's lift was the best, if less dignified option.  Sometimes a four man configuration was used. 

At one point a large wooden window shutter was acquired from a derelict barn, which formed an impromptu stretcher for Marilyn to sit on, transforming her into the Queen of Sheba in a pink baseball cap, descending serenely towards the coast.

Marilyn did also hobble along at certain points, where the terrain made it difficult to carry her.

It took a few hours to complete the 2 kilometres, but the group eventually made it to civilisation - the Purple House at Aperlae.  Marilyn's journey to the boat was completed on the back of a quad bike, reqisitioned from the local cafe owner.

Whilst the walkers had been making their way to the jetty at Aperlae, the group's coach driver, Murat Kocaer had arranged for a boat to make its way from Kekova.  The Bareş, skippered by Hasan took us back to Kekova, to our coach.  Having set off from Kalkan at 8 am, the walking group returned at around 6 pm - a little later than planned.

The group pulled together to get out of an awkward situation.  (There is no mountain rescue service to call upon).  A couple of people to mention.  John Williams, a villa owner in Kalkan, from Sutton Coldfield, was magnificent.  He won't mind us saying that he qualified for his bus pass a few years ago, yet he was fit enough to give Marilyn a firman's lift as well as helping to carry her with others.  John is on the right in the second photo above.

Also a mention to a young man from Prague called Dan Devecka, who is in Kalkan for the first time, on holiday visiting his parents.  (Dan is second left in the above photo).  This was Dan's first walk on the Lycian Way and he also made a great contribution to the rescue.  A few others who probably have aching backs on Monday morning are Colin, Alan, Newton and Malcolm.

Marilyn is due to fly back to the UK today (Monday 27th April).  On the bright side, she will probably be straight to the front of check in, and will get extra leg room!  Marilyn expressed her thanks to all those who assisted her, and she has generously agreed to buy the Kalkan walking group a stretcher, which would certainly have been most useful yesterday.