Gallipoli: A Day at the Battlefields

  Eceabat, Canakkale, Turkey
Sunday, May 25, 2008

I bussed back to Turkey from Thessaloniki, Greece, turning south at Kasan and going on to the town of Eceabat (edge-e'-abat), a place to lodge for a visit to the Gallipoli battlefields.

 From Eceabat I elected to try and walk across the peninsula to the battlefields. Specifically, Anzac Cove, as it is called. Little did I know how really far it would turn out to be.

I headed out of the very small town. There was a high hill around which the coastal road passed on the way to the turn-off. Or . . . . I could try that dirt road short cut on the near side.

Up the road only about a quarter of a mile it ended at the gate of a military reserve. So I thought I would try the next best (to me, mind you) thing, and climb up to go over the hill. I'm terrible at guessing heights and distances and such, but, perhaps 200 feet high this hill appeared. I started to walk up through a farmer's field that rimmed the military fence. When the up-sloping field came to an end, I was bushwhacking over crumbly ground and through not too close undergrowth.

At about the crest I found a dirt road, probably a fire road. I followed that downhill in the general direction of Anzac Cove. That implies direction, not proximity. I saw cows and goats ahead. Presently, through some trees I spotted the herdsman. From his posture I assumed he was urinating. So I backed off keeping some trees between us, and waited a couple of minutes. Then I made a small indirect approach to him. He greeted me with a handshake. Though sketchily communicated, he assured me I was on the right track, and to just keep heading down the road.

Booklet Found on Dirt Road in Far Yonder Woods

It wasn't too far down along that road that a rather serendipitous thing happened. There in the middle of the woods, lying in the dirt of the rutted road was a program booklet form the April 15, 2008 Turkish memorial services at the battlefields! And it contained a couple of maps of the specific area to which I was headed. Just then I wasn't in the map range, but after walking several kilometers down the road, and then joining the highway, once on the highway I was able to sync up where I was with the landmarks of the map.

Once I got to Anzac Cove I walked along it to about the center of the cove. There, no people were close, and there was a slight screening from the road, on which were occasional passing tour buses, I went for a skinny-dip swim. The water, I thought, was just slightly cooler than bath water.

After drying off and continuing on a little further along the road there was a spur road heading up. On the map this was marked graphically with little footprints. So, up I went. Before reaching the crest, upon which is the one-way tour route, the dirt road passed a couple of the small graveyards of the Western Allied fallen. And of course, as one climbs higher, the whole aspect of the challenge to the ANZAC forces becomes ever more clear.

Ah, the Savior Map!

The road then continues up to the highest peak of the peninsula, where Ataturk had his command post. There are more memorial graveyards, and remnants of the trenches of the Allied troops and the Turkish defenders. They literally were just on either side of the one lane road. The trenches were separated by only about 10 yards. At times the enemies threw cigarettes and candy to one another. Then, I guess, proceeded to continue killing each other.

It was a Sunday and there were tour buses aplenty, almost exclusively Turkish tourists.

After having an ice cream and some water, I headed down. My feet really hurt and I just had to hitchhike. However, by this time it was getting on in the afternoon, and I could see the place clearing out. I didn't try the buses as they seemed all private groups. And the cars seemed all full of families. So I figured I'd better start walking and try and get back down to the main road to count on more traffic.

Some of the Territory of my Walk

But, within a mile or so a fellow pulled over. He was a vendor from the modest kiosk area at the top. He didn't even look at me as I got in, merely said something in French, which I thought  amusing. And, after picking up a cohort at a lower kiosk stand, and securing it, the two fellows drove me back to Eceabat.

From Eceabat I took a mini bus the half hour north to the town of Gelibolu for a better selection of accommodation, food; and ferry service in the morning. Checked into a hotel, washed up, and then went to one of the harborside restaurants for a fish dinner at the end of a long, tiring day.