I filmed my morning start as the rising sun lit up the rocky scarp in spectacular style. The day disappeared quickly in a series of long climbs, from which I only got real relief in the latter half of the day. At the top of one particularly difficult climb I sat with an old man who shared some bread and one tomato from a pile he was selling alongside honey and vegetables. He’d set up next to a water fountain serving up natural spring water straight from the hillside. The perfect place to top up my drinking supply.

My detour off the main road was worth it. The lake formed by Keban Dam was beautiful and I stopped to have a picnic lunch. From there I climbed for most of the rest of the day, winding through beautifully hilly farmland. Each turn brought a new climb when I’d been expecting a summit and the summit came as a surprise. I had just enough time to enjoy a good descent and exceed my 80km daily target before looking for a place to sleep. I have found a pretty poor place to camp, tucked into a patch of trees just off the main road. It’s super rocky and I’ve never had such a lumpy bed before. This evening’s call to prayer was nine minutes late.

Lakeside