upper Şamlar bus stop: starting point (note the 3 dogs sleeping in the road; sunshine more important than safety)
Şamlar: Ottoman gravestones in the yard of the mosque
Şamlar: the village dam
Şamlar: the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village; note the long-submerged ruins
Şamlar: long-submerged and long-dead plane trees in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: long-submerged and long-dead plane trees in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Sazlıdere modern dam: view from the east
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: a dump
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: a dump
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: a dump
speculators’ crest: the semi-ruined showroom
the site of Spradon: treasure-hunters' pit
the site of Spradon: treasure-hunters' diggings perhaps
the site of Spradon: an ancient worked stone?
the site of Spradon: the narrow green corridor between Vadikule and lspartakule
the site of Spradon: a sweet (modern) stone cicle
the site of Spradon: view west
east Spradon: ancient ditch
between east Spradon and Tahtakale: we pause in the wasteland; 2 more day-dogs joined us around here for the rest of the hike
between east Spradon and Tahtakale: view east towards Altınşehir
between Tahtakale and Bathonea: the active single railway line we cross
between Tahtakale and Bathonea: a shepherd, his sheep and one of his sheepdogs by the active single railway line we cross
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: a small herd of cows watching us warily
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: stream crossing
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: where a stream joins the lagoon
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: moonrise over Yarımburgaz
Melentiade: old wall
Melentiade: old wall
Melentiade: old wall
Melentiade: old oaks
Melentiade: old oaks at sunset
Melentiade: old oaks
Melentiade: treasure hunters' pit
Melentiade: a treasure hunters' digging (I suppose)
Melentiade: a treasure hunters' digging (I suppose)
Melentiade: old oaks and wall at sunset
Melentiade: old oaks and wall at sunset
Melentiade: old oaks and wall at sunset
Melentiade: old oaks and wall at sunset
Melentiade: old oaks and wall at sunset
Odabaşı Ottoman bridge: seen from the western edge
between upper Şamlar and Şamlar village: view west towards Hadımköy (I think)
Şamlar: village track
Şamlar: the dry middle reservoir
Şamlar: the road accross the village dam
Şamlar: seen from the northeast with Vaditepe on the horizon
Şamlar: a Kanal İstanbul office (hopefully doing no business)
Şamlar: the viewpoint beside Mustafa Kemal's golden bust
Şamlar: looking north from the village dam over the dry middle reservoir
Şamlar: a shepherd and his flock in the dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: seen from the southwest
Şamlar: seen from the southwest
Şamlar: the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village; note the long-submerged ruins
Şamlar: almost-dry pipes in the village dam (I think this means that the dam is not there to hold water but is there as a causeway and to control the river flow); meaning that the middle reservoir only fills up when the Sazlıdere reservoir is sufficiently high
Şamlar: almost-dry pipes in the village dam (I think this means that the dam is not there to hold water but is there as a causeway and to control the river flow); meaning that the middle reservoir only fills up when the Sazlıdere reservoir is sufficiently high
Şamlar: the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village; note the long-submerged ruins
Şamlar: the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village; note the long-submerged ruins
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: climbing the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village; our (pale) day-dog couldn't manage the gap and waited for us on the village side of the bridge
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: our (pale) day-dog wasn't at all happy with being abandoned but forgave us when we returned; the dark dog just seemed to live there and didn't follow us
Şamlar: a red flower (what?) in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: walking in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: crossing the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: the long-submerged Ottoman bridge in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: long-submerged and long-dead plane tree in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: long-submerged and long-dead plane trees in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: long-submerged and long-dead plane tree in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: long-submerged and long-dead plane tree in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: long-submerged ruin in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Şamlar: shooting practice in the almost-dry Sazlıdere reservoir bed south of the village
Sazlıdere modern dam: steps
the Sazlıdere modern dam: view of the reservoir and its low water-level
Sazlıdere modern dam: view of the reservoir and its low water-level
Sazlıdere modern dam: detail
Sazlıdere modern dam: detail
Sazlıdere modern dam: detail
Sazlıdere modern dam: the canalised Sazlıdere and floodplain looking south
Sazlıdere modern dam: a formation of Eurasian coots swimming away from us
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: pylons and tower blocks
Sazlıdere modern dam: fishing in the middle of the reservoir
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: looking west over the dam: Kanal İstanbul would pass right through here
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: a jovial shepherd and his flock
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: Oytun, Selçuk, our day-dog, the jovial shepherd and one of his sheepdogs
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: the shepherd's hobbled donkey
between Sazlıdere modern dam and speculators’ crest: the shepherd's hobbled donkey shepherd, his flock, sheep dogs and donkey
between speculators’ crest and the site of Spradon: red hawthorn berries
between speculators’ crest and the site of Spradon: tower blocks (Eston Şehir?) on the western horizon
between speculators’ crest and the site of Spradon: Eski İstanbul Yolu - blue traktor and tank
between speculators’ crest and the site of Spradon: Vaditepe tower blocks and a scatter of dumps
between speculators’ crest and the site of Spradon: tower blocks (Eston Şehir?)
the site of Spradon: remnants of an old construction?
the site of Spradon: a Heath-Robinsonian water distribution system
the site of Spradon: Selçuk and our day-dog
between east Spradon and Tahtakale: local people walking across wasteland
between Tahtakale and Bathonea: recently-made gravel pit (?) with Esenyurt in the background
between Tahtakale and Bathonea: Istanbul Veternary Farm - residence for many feral dogs
Bathonea lakeside old woodland: tree
Bathonea lakeside old woodland: trees
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: winter reeds
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: sunset over a small herd of cows watching us warily
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: one of the late-joining day dogs takes a dip in the polluted waters of the lagoon
Küçükçekmece northwestern marsh: sunset over Esenyurt (I think)
Melentiade: old oak at sunset
