Weather: Sunny, Clear Skies, 32C

Today I visited Patara. I had heard a lot about not only its amazing beach, but also the ancient history. I took a dolmus (minibus) from the bus station at the top of town. They run frequently to Patara and cost only 5 Lira each way. The journey was a pleasant one with nice views of the mountains and took about 15 minutes.

The dolmus goes right to Patara beach, but I got off one stop too early and ended up walking from the Patara town, which is rather small and has only a few bars and a shop to speak of. I am glad I did though. The walk was a pleasant one, although there was no hiding from the sun so I was glad of my hat!

Shortly I came upon a booth where I was asked to buy a ticket for 5 Lira. The beach in Patara lies in a World Heritage site and the money charged is used to help with the conservation of the area.

As you proceed along the road, suddenly you are confronted with stunning ancient architecture. The area was the chief port of the ancient region of Lycia and so the road is flanked by 2000 years worth of Roman, Greek and Lycian history. The structures have all been excavated and those that are safe enough are open for you to go right up to. There are information boards in Turkish and English around each different structure giving an idea of the original layout and it’s use. What should have been a 10 minute walk along the road to the beach ended up taking me nearly an hour to complete.

I was blown away by the scale of the architecture, and how well preserved it all is. The star of the show however was the amphitheatre. They are still excavating parts of it so the public are not allowed too close, but even from the road the structure was breathtaking in its scale and an imposing part of the landscape.

When I eventually arrived at the beach I had a pleasant walk through the dunes and then the view opened up to one of the most spectacular beaches I have ever seen. Fine white sand, perfect turquoise water and backed by dunes and mountains. The beach is serviced by a cafeteria run by the local village to give employment to young people, and also a portion of the profits go back into the village, for example helping to maintain the school. Sunbeds and parasols are available for hire and are a must if you require any shade as there is none naturally occurring on the beach itself.

The beach does close at 7p.m as it is one of the few remaining homes to loggerhead turtles who use the sand to lay there eggs. For more information on Patara follow this link: http://www.patarainfo.com/

For the cost of a couple of beers I have had the best day of my Turkish holiday, and in fact, Patara is one of the most special places I have ever been to.

Weather: Sunny, clear skies, 28C

Another glorious day in Kalkan. The highlight of the day for me was my traditional Turkish wet shave. Performed with an old fashioned cut throat razor and followed by an upper body massage the entire experience was very relaxing.

After I got over the initial trepidation of letting a total stranger put a sharp blade to my neck and face I soon relaxed when I realised that he really knew what he was doing. Not only did I experience the closest shave I have ever had, it was also the most comfortable. Following the shave, the barber brings a flaming cotton bud and dabs it on your face to remove and stubborn little hairs that might otherwise end up ingrowing. Again at first this was somewhat alarming, but it doesn’t hurt. The massage capped off the whole experience and left me feeling relaxed and invigorated.

I spent most of the rest of the day on Kalkan beach. Although it is a pebble beach, I was able to get comfortable with just a towel beneath me, however I needed to be closer to the water, where the stones are smaller, which in the height of the season might be difficult to get to. There are however sunbeds and parasols available for hire should you wish.

I was dying to go for a swim and the water looked so inviting. Clear blue with visibility to the pebbled floor beneath, sunlight dancing on the top. The water gets deep quite quickly so you don’t have to traverse the pebbled floor for too long before you can dive in and swim. The water was cool, but not cold and was entirely pleasant to swim in. I would recommend however that you swim further away from the harbour, as boats do come in and out fairly frequently.

I have noticed that the town is getting busier as the week goes on, and more and more places are opening their doors ready for the high season to start this weekend.

I wanted also to include the picture I took this evening from the sun terrace, I just love the view and every time I look at it, it seems to get better!

Weather: Sunny, clear skies, 27C

Thursday is market day in Kalkan. The market is located up the hill along the main road, just past the banks at the top of town. The market seems to be the place to go for clothing, jeans, belts, perfume/aftershave, tupperware, kitchen equipment and more. The market is under cover and stretches a long way down the street.

I was a little unprepared for the salesmanship that came my way. As I have said before, people in Kalkan can spot a tourist coming from a mile away and they never miss an opportunity to sell their wares. I was looking to buy a belt, but mainly just to browse and get a feel for the market. Every stall I passed I was greeted, given a hand shake and shown the quality of the wares. A simple ‘no thank you’ was all it took to get the prices to start tumbling.

The belt I bought I was originally told would cost me 100 Turkish Lira. I didn’t even try to haggle with the man, but by trying to walk away the price fell to 30 Turkish Lira.  The problem is, once you have bought one thing, not only does that stall holder expect you to buy more, but the others are all watching you too. It was very difficult to walk through the market without being stopped, but if you with a strong will you can pick up some bargains, and if nothing else, the market is a good experience on your holiday.

After my day at the market I was tired and elected to have a takeaway back at Langton Cottage. I used Hunckar-Ockabasi who I had been recommended and was impressed with the menu, the reasonable prices (Around £4.00 per dish) and the speedy delivery. I was amazed by the amount of food that turned up, one kebab consisted of the biggest pitta bread I’ve ever seen, a separate tray of meat, vegetables and a slightly spicy sauce and a tray of mixed tomato, onion and cucumber in dressing.

I was treated as well to an impromptu firework display from the harbour, which apparently is just something they do here and was for no special occasion.

]]> http://www.thelangtonarms.co.uk/2013/04/holiday-diary-langton-cottage-kalkan-day-3/feed/ 0 http://www.thelangtonarms.co.uk/2013/04/holiday-diary-langton-cottage-kalkan-turkey-day-2/ http://www.thelangtonarms.co.uk/2013/04/holiday-diary-langton-cottage-kalkan-turkey-day-2/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:02:48 +0000 langtonarms http://www.thelangtonarms.co.uk/?p=2044 Day 2 Wednesday 24th April 2013

Weather: Sunny, Clear skies, 26C

After a very peaceful nights sleep in a very comfortable bed, I awoke at 9 a.m to see the sun streaming through the windows. I checked the temperatures and already it was at 21C. What better way to start your day than with a cup of freshly brewed coffee on the 3rd floor sun terrace taking in the stunning view of Kalkan.

I decided to head out for breakfast. I had been told that ‘Lighthouse’ on the harbour was very good so I set off. I sat down to a gorgeous view of the sea lapping against the pebble of Kalkan beach and watched some local children splashing about in the surf.

My Turkish breakfast of cheese, eggs, olives and bread was promptly delivered along with a cup of coffee and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Delightful. Conversation with Ibraham, the owner was friendly and I observed him interacting with other guests as if they were all members of his family.

In the evening I chose to eat at ‘Authentic’. My meal of ‘lamb pot kebab’ was theatrically delivered to my table in a terracotta pot and on fire. Served with rice and vegetables it was very pleasant but didn’t quite live up to the theatre of it’s delivery. My waiter was very attentive, almost to the point of being over chatty, however I was the only person there as I was eating a bit early for most people.

From here I took another wander along the harbour, and on the way back to Langton Cottage, I stopped at the bar in ‘Doy Doy’ restaurant for a drink whilst admiring the views again. I got chatting to the bar man who was born in Kalkan and was only too happy to share his knowledge of the area. He married and English girl and is hoping to visit England soon, but is worried he will be too cold. If the weather here is always as good as it was today, I can totally understand where he is coming from!

That’s it for today, but I will post again tomorrow after my visit to the local market.

Weather: Sunny, partly cloudy, 20C

I am currently visiting Kalkan in Turkey, the town where our lovely holiday house is located. I thought it might be interesting for everyone to read about my experiences, so for the duration of my holiday I will keep a daily diary.

I flew out from London Stansted with Thomas Cook. Their staff were all very friendly and helped an infrequent flier (that’s me) as much as I needed. The plane landed in Antalya airport at 1.15pm local time. The airport was very simply laid out, with signs in Turkish and English, and I passed through without any trouble.

My airport transfer driver from Volume Travel was waiting for me just outside the front door. The trip to Kalkan took us about 4 hours, but we were held up by some cycling races. My driver didn’t speak much English so I was left to my own thoughts through the, somewhat hair raising, journey. I looked through the window as the city disappeared and gave way to the most incredible landscapes. I was treated to stunning views across the countryside, backed by sweeping hills and towering above them, snowcapped mountains.

I was taken to the door of Langton Cottage and greeted by another man from Volume travel who took the payment of £85 and told me that if I had any problems, their shop was just around the corner and he would be happy to help.

As this is my first visit to Langton Cottage in Kalkan I explored my home for the next week – marble floors, spiral staircases and everything you could need to make a home from home. I climbed to the roof terrace on the 3rd floor of the house and took in the breathtaking view of the harbour.

In the evening I ventured out into Kalkan to familiarise myself with the town. Steep hills and narrow alleyways hide the many secrets in the town. There is a huge selection of restaurants, cafes and bars, even though I am here a little early for the season and a few are not open yet.

The proprietors of the eateries are all outside their establishments and have a keen eye for tourists (although as a fledgling traveller, I probably stand out). They are all very friendly and invite you to browse their menu and sell you their restaurant as THE place to eat in Kalkan. Most have similar menus in terms of content and pricing, but a few are a bit dearer than others.

I chose finally to eat at the Akin Restaurant, situated just around the corner from Langton Cottage. The menu was very good with a good selection of dishes that were reasonably priced and I was well looked after.  My meal was tasty and hot, freshly cooked and came with a good selection of sides. I was also treated to a complimentary basket of pitta bread and a chilli salad whilst I waited.

Having done so much travelling I headed straight for the very inviting bed waiting for me at Langton Cottage.

Still available in late July and throughout August 2013

This beautiful old town house is fully air conditioned and consists of : kitchen dining area, sitting room, 2 bedrooms both with en-suite bathrooms, 3^rd floor beautiful sun terrace, shower, toilet and small kitchen. It is just a 2 minute walk to the beach and being in the old town means you are surrounded by lovely restaurants so there is no need to drive anywhere, but you are far enough away to enjoy a peaceful stay.

Kalkan has it’s own beach but just 10 minutes away is the gorgeous Kaputas Beach, an unspoilt sandy cove at the bottom of a mountain gorge. There are a lot of steps and no facilities at this beach but the crystal clear turquoise water make this a stunning retreat.

There are lots of places to eat in Kalkan from places offering traditional local cuisine, fresh fish, steaks and kebabs to a laid back cafe.  The house is located very close to Gironda which we highly recommend.

Flights leave regularly from Bournemouth or Gatwick.

Call us on 01258 830225 to discuss further and to book.

The Langton Arms Butchery and Home Farm Shop join forces!

As of today Home Farm Shop in Tarrant Gunville is stocking all of our Dorset meat products. We are proud to be supplying our good friends Rodney and Marlene with our home reared, 21 day mature Tarrant Valley beef  to add to their successful range of products.

Barbara and Marlene have been friends for many years and are thrilled to be linking together to support the production of local produce, something they both feel very strongly about

For 3 generations the award winning Home Farm has been supplying local produce including

Eggs, cheese and dairy products
Sauces and preserves
Home baked cakes
Home made ready meals and pies
Cereals and flour
Wine, spirits and beer

 You can also stop in for lunch or a classic Dorset cream tea at their tearoom which is open all year round (closed Mondays).

Home Farm shop will now be stocking all of our butchery products from home-made sausages and burgers to succulent steaks and roasting joints.

Drop them a line on 01258 830083 or you can email: info@homefarmshop.co.uk

We have a delicious selection of roasts on offer this Mothers Day including our 21 day mature, home reared Tarrant Valley beef, which of course comes through our very own butchery.  We are also offering slow roasted West Country lamb, stuffed breast of Creedy Carver chicken and a selection of our chefs favourites.

We are filling up fast so book your table on 01258 830225

Having been a farmers wife for 26 years and growing up helping my mother run our family farm, I feel the need to respond to this insinuation.

The big supermarket chains are ‘shocked’ that this situation has arisen when it is they who have screwed down all their producers to the lowest price. This forces them to drive down the British farmers to an impossible price, or source their products from abroad. 

British farmers simply cannot afford to produce meat at the prices that the supermarkets dictate as they are struggling in the current climate as much as anyone else. When you look back a few years to the ‘battery farming’ of chickens, again it was the British farmers who took the fall for that one, but they were simply responding to the demands and prices set by the supermarkets. 

Once meat has left a farm, the farmer has no further input or influence over it’s use. Once the animal has been reared, a process that requires many hours of labour to ensure that the animal is healthy and well looked after, the control is handed over to the next person in the chain, be this a local butcher or a large supermarket supply chain. This is one of the reasons I have started up my own butchery – to give me greater control over how my meat is produced. I firmly believe in knowing the process of food from ‘farm to fork.’

If anything the recent press coverage surrounding ‘HorseGate’ has highlighted to people the importance of knowing where your food has come from. At The Langton Arms we have always done our best to support local producers and the food on our menu is often traceable back to the farm or even the animal it came from

St. Valentines Menu

Running from Thursday 14th – Saturday 16th Frebruary

STARTERS

GREEK STYLE MEZZE £10.95 (To Share)

A selection of 5 mezze served with home made breads

PAN SEARED LYME BAY SCALLOPS £9.95

With a pea puree and crispy Parma ham

SMOKED HALIBUT PATE £8.50

With tiger prawns, Avocado and toasted malthouse bread

CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT £5.95

With home-made plum chutney and toast

WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO £7.25

Topped with a parmesan crisp

PANKO BREADED BRIE £6.95

With toasted honey walnuts & a pear vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

ROASTED LAMB NOISETTE (To share, Allow 30 mins) £27.95

With a rosemary and port sauce, roast potatoes, braised red cabbage & balsamic vine tomato

GAME PIE £14.95

Pheasant, venison & pigeon, baked in shortcrust pastry with creamed potatoes

CREEDY CARVER CHICKEN BREAST £14.95

Stuffed with leek & thyme, wrapped in bacon with a white wine cream and crushed new potatoes

BAKED JOHN DORY PARCEL £17.95

With spinach, New Forest wild mushrooms, baby leeks and new potatoes

CONFIT BELLY OF PORK £15.95

Glazed in honey with Boursin potatoes, creamed savoy cabbage & a cider sauce

6oz FILLET STEAK £24.95

On a Dorset down mushroom with roasted vine cherry tomatoes, onion rings, hand cut chips & a peppercorn sauce

THREE CHEESE SOUFFLE (V) £12.95

Served with hand cut chips and dressed salad

DESSERTS

BAKED ALASKA (To share) £8.95

Home made vanilla ice-cream covered in meringue & baked to order

DARK CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE £6.25

Served with raspberries & a shortbread biscuit

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING £6.25

Served with caramel sauce and home churned vanilla ice-cream

LEMON TART £6.25

Served with Chantilly cream & fruit crumble

TRIO OF HOME CHURNED ICE CREAM £6.25

Served with shortbread biscuit and fresh fruits