29-Apr-2008 -- A sealed road runs roughly SW from Yazd through Taft and Abarkūh, and meets the Eṣfahān- Šīrāz highway at Sūrmaq. The point 31N 53E lies south of this road, approximately 11 km east of Sūrmaq.

On 29/04/2008 at about 07:35 UTC we travelled west along this road until the GPS indicated that 31N 53E was perpendicular to our direction of travel. I walked across the road and climbed the knoll shown in the second image. (The shot was taken from the north side of the road). The location of the peak of the knoll is 31°02.5410'N 52°58.5343'E, altitude 1803.5 metres, or if you like, 31.042350N 52.975570E, elevation 5917 feet). The bearing of 31N 53E was 195 degrees grid and at a distance 5.26 km. As best as I could aim, it is somewhere in the centre of the first image - as a guess, short of the substantial hills.

There is an unsealed, but serviceable, track heading in roughly the right direction that leaves the sealed road immediately to the west of the knoll. It was of some degree of frustration to me that circumstances prevented me from pursuing this route. Unless the hills intervene, it seems that it would be straightforward to reach 31N 53E from the track.

The highway south of Sūrmaq approaches within 7 km of 31N 53E, however substantial hills would challenge a direct approach from this point.

I may be contacted via www.latrobe.edu.au/ceps/staff/haysom.htm.