There’s Letoon, a religious sanctuary dedicated to Zeus’ lover Leto, the national deity of Lycia; and the grand Roman theatre and pillar tombs at Xanthos, the Lycian capital until Brutus attacked in 42 BC and the inhabitants committed mass suicide. My next segment brought me from Ovacık, across the front of Baba Dağ (Father Mountain; 1960m) to Faralya, the village above Butterfly Valley. It was an easy start, just 5km on forest tracks to somewhere I had long wanted to visit – partly thanks to another book. It does take some adjustment to sleep … [...], Day 1: Bus from Antalya to Fethiye (Ölüdeniz), Day 3: Faralya to Alinca (including Kabak Beach). From Melanippe Beach the remaining hike is 17kms. Just a day on the Lycian Way, let alone a month, can offer a bevy of sights: secluded beaches, traditional boat-building yards, small fishing villages and Unesco-listed ruins. Lycian Way marker post. Day one hiking the Lycian Way It’s a 17 km hike from Gul Mountain Hotel, about an hour’s drive from Antalya to a small B&B – Suleyman’s Pension in Yayla Kuzdere. The Lycian Way kicks off at the coastal city of Kaş © Jean-Philippe Tournut / Getty Images, Rolling out Gözleme © Veysel Kaya / Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Cheese and spinach Gözleme © fmajor / Getty Images, Butterfly Valley © Kenan Olgun / Getty Images, Flames from the ground at Mount Chimaera, Turkey © ninelutsk / Getty Images, Rock-cut tombs at the ancient city of Myra © mtnmichelle / Getty Images, The ruins of Patera © efesenko / Getty Images, Ruins at Xantos © Gülcan Aca / Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The Lycian Way is a 509 km (300 miles), 25-day way-marked footpath around the coast of Lycia in southern Turkey, from Fethiye to Antalya. While staying at a pension in neighbouring Gelemiş village, I enjoyed some of the hospitality for which Turkey is justly famous. So we decided to walk the section from Karaöz to Gedelme with them. It is approximately 540 km long and stretches from Ölüdeniz, near Fethiye, to Geyikbayırı. Lycian Way is 540km long marked GR trekking route of Turkey. She went on to promote other Turkish hikes including the St Paul Trail, the Carian Trail and more. The Lycian Way offered the chance to have my baklava and eat it. British ex-patriot Kate Clow was the creator. We laughed … [...], As we walked up the hill to the start of the trail, we stopped to take a picture of the beautiful lagoon below. The Lycian Way is hardly the country’s only popular footpath – the country boasts over a dozen official paths across the land. If you're young and strong, you can go camping and finish the way in about three weeks. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,200-mile hike that begins (or ends) at Mount Katahdin in Maine and rolls through 14 states to its endpoint on Springer Mountain in Georgia. December 12, 2018 Ashley Hayes Comments 0 Comment. Lycian Way is 540km long marked GR trekking route of Turkey. I spent the night at a stylish lodge there in the valley, where rustic cabins dot the slope and Vinyasa flow yoga took place on a forest platform. A yellow Lycian Way marker sign and further sign for the Gelidonia Lighthouse was my start point. The Lycian Way has become established enough now that there are almost always accommodation regularly available throughout the trek (with the notable exception of the long multi-day stretch through the mountains between Myra and Finike, for which ‘wild’ camping is still the only option – though those sections can easily be skipped). At the end of the road in the quirky resort town of Kabak, I followed the rocky track down to the beach – the only ways in and out are either by foot or a high-clearance local vehicle – where the village’s traditional industries of farming and beekeeping have been supplemented by a karmic cluster of back-to-nature retreats. Is there a better way to spend a Sunday than hiking on The Lycian Way with good company in warm, Spring weather? There’s the 500km climb of the St Paul trail, which leads into the Taurus rom the Antalya area. However, the trail can easily be walked either east (Antalya) to west (Fethiye) or west to east without problem. The Lycian Way ,trekking, culture, and sea | The Lycian Way is a long-distance footpath in Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia. There is possibility of visiting an ancient city, swim, and explore flora and fauna, learn culture in 1 day during a hike. It is a combination of several ancient routes of the Lycian people and is marked by a red and white striped logo. … All editorial views are those of Lonely Planet alone and reflect our policy of editorial independence and impartiality. The people are incredibly friendly. Patara was Lycia’s major port, as well as the 3rd-century birthplace of St Nicholas, the Byzantine bishop also known as Santa Claus. But my fondest memory was the 4km walk between the tiny fishing villages of Üçağız and Kaleköy, the latter reached only by foot or boat, and named after the Byzantine kale (castle) overlooking its handful of houses. The following days yielded many sweet memories. It is over 500 km (310 mi) in length and stretches from Hisarönü (Ovacık), near Fethiye, to Geyikbayırı in Konyaaltı about 20 km (12 mi) from Antalya. I felt like Laurie Lee, the British writer, excitedly setting off for Spain in As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, except it was a sunny spring morning, well before summer temperatures make the going too hot. The bulk of the Appalachian Trail is mountainous, making the trek grueling and demanding. The Lycian Way runs for a little over 500 km (not counting getting lost) from Fethiye in the west to Antalya in the east. Sinking a sundowner in the terrace restaurant, with its dangling lanterns, sea views and cool international crowd relaxing to chilled tunes, this section of the long-distance hike didn’t feel like a hardship. Since then, this 540 kilometre (335 mile) long trail has led countless walkers along the ancient ruins, tombs, pathways and port towns of this unique part of Turkey. It can also be walked from either end, west to east and vice versa. Most of the accounts of existing walkes seem to take the route from west to east. My friend Jo is all smiles and enthusiasm as we leave Gul Mountain Hotel The legendary Butterfly Valley, its sheer cliffs plunging to a golden beach backed by a simple campsite, is named after its population of colourful Jersey tiger-moths. Retreat gang in Turkey, 3rd– 9th October 2020 for a healthy hiking holiday like no other. I had set off at 8.15am & reached the lighthouse at 9.30 am after a steady climb. I followed the coastal path, overlooking a cerulean bay broken by the undulating outlines of islands and peninsulas, to a boat-building yard, where wooden gület yachts were under repair for the coming summer. If you’re planning to hike the entire Lycian Way trek, your best best for accommodation is to book your first night in Fethiye and then catch a dolmus minubus to the trailhead at Ovacik the next morning. Toasting a day’s hike with a seafront beer seemed more appealing than pitching my tent and wondering if I was going to encounter an Anatolian leopard. Backpacking Camping Hiking Nature trips Views. Using a boat to hike this portion of the Lycian Way (from Kas to Demre) is a perfect way to experience the Lycian Way AND the Mediterranean. It was magical to overnight here and see Levissi’s spot-lit churches standing sentinel over Kayaköy. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking. The trail connects villages to ancient Lycian cities via nice views of mountains amd sea. In summer it is too hot to hike on the lycian way trails (already in May we suffered a lot from the heat) and in winter there can be snow on several sections of the trek (there are passages at more than 1500m altitude – not the section we did, but further away). It is Turkey’s first long-distance walking route along the coast of Lycia, which runs from Fethiye to Antalya. 9 days of solo hiking in Turkey... As soon as I heard about the Lycian Way hike in Turkey I was super keen and ready for a proper adventure. When they left us we started the Lycian Way at Fethiye and worked our way to Karaöz. It is waymarked with red and white stripes, the Grande Randonnee convention. This stretch of dramatic Mediterranean coastline, its beaches and vertiginous sea cliffs overlooked by the olive-grove-dotted foothills of the Western Taurus Mountains, where travellers can explore moss-covered chambers of history’s first proto-democratic union. The Lycian Way is one of the world’s greatest long-distance walking trails, winding through 540km of dramatic Mediterranean scenery between the cities of Antalya and Fethiye. Just as we were putting the camera back in the pack, the call to prayer from the mosque … [...], What was I saying yesterday about not being sore? Not having a month to walk the full 540km, I decided to get a survey of the trail by walking day-long sections, and covering other sections using dolmuş minibuses. And while so much of the past has disappeared, this path offer countless ways those elements that still peek through. Description. If you are an avid hiker, or simply love the outdoors, the Lycian Way is just the thing for you! The route was researched, designed and waymarked by British amateur historian Kate Clow in the late 1990s, who aimed to identify and protect Turkey’s ancient byways. Along the way you'll encounter the charming and generous Turkish people, eat delicious food, and float in the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea. When they left us we started the Lycian Way at Fethiye and worked our way to Karaöz. The Lycian Way is one of the world’s great long-distance hiking trails, regularly featuring in top-10 lists for its unique combination of Mediterranean views, mountainous hinterland, Turkish culture and ancient ruins. We did not hike the Lycian Way from Fethiye to Hisarçandir as we were travelling with our 2 sons, Simon and Lawrence, who could only be with us for 7 days of the hike. Whether you go for the entire hike or just a day or two, you'll quickly fall in love with this area of the world and your ability to walk right through history. Later that day, a local fisherman ferried me out into the bay to see the ruined Lycian city of Simena, submerged by earthquakes two millennia ago and known as the Batık Şehir (Sunken City). You’ll find yourself awash in pure history virtually every step of the way (what other trail has you actually walking on an ancient Roman aqueduct for a significant stretch?). Are you looking for a challenging hike? It is a combination of several ancient routes of the Lycian people and is marked by a red and white striped logo. Lycian Way Trekking (LWT) specialises in guided walks in this spectacularly beautiful part of the world, specifically tracks and trails around Fethiye and Oludeniz region. It is the country’s oldest long-distance trail, created in 1999 by the British expat Kate Clow. Lycian Way: Segment 1 is a 12.3 mile point-to-point trail located near Konyaalti, Antalya, Turkey that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The Lycian Way (Turkish: Likya Yolu) is a marked long-distance trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia. This is the starting point of our multi-day Lycian Way hike in Turkey. Here lies the stomping ground of the mysterious Lycian League, credited with establishing the world’s first parliament at Patara, before they were absorbed by the Roman Empire. Best Over a delicious home-cooked feast later that night, I chatted to a German couple walking sections of the trail; it was May so it was a great time to see the Mediterranean tourist hotspots with smaller crowds than peak season, but the Lycian Way was bustling with hiking boots and boisterous camaraderie. Secure your place. One day you are high up in the mountains and the next on one of th… Along the way, it skirts the coast and climbs up into the rugged backcountry. Village entrepreneurs have also opened pensions specifically to provide stopovers to hikers, which can neatly break up the walk between Kaş and Kaleköy. Lycian Way is 540km long marked GR trekking route of Turkey. Turkey’s Lycian Way runs along the South-Aegean coast, between the touristic hotspots of Fethiye and Antalya. While the official start of Lycian Way is in Ovacık, the northern suburb of Ölüdeniz, you can hike it all the way from Fethiye (about 15 km away from Ovacık, and the hub of the region) without having the need to referring to road sides with the help of adjoining trails. There is possibility of visiting an ancient city, swim, and explore flora and fauna, learn culture in 1 day during a hike. Kayaköy’s lanes snake between vineyards and orchards to tumbledown houses, village cafes and pensions. You'll go through rocky coastline, deserted beaches, pine forests, mountain peaks, and ancient ruins. The route turns left off the forest track and climbs steadily to the lighthouse. The first two are about 500km long. I set of in November 2018. The Lycian Way covers 540km along Turkey’s old roads. cultureroutesinturkey.com/the-lycian-way We did not hike the Lycian Way from Fethiye to Hisarçandir as we were travelling with our 2 sons, Simon and Lawrence, who could only be with us for 7 days of the hike. The smashed amphorae, building foundations and staircases disappearing into the blue depths exemplified the Lycian Way’s extraordinary combination of wild Mediterranean landscapes and spellbinding ancient history. Lycian Way Eastern Section Hike Lycian Way Eastern Section Hike. Length 12.3 mi Elevation gain 2,440 ft Route type Point to Point. After spending a few days in Istanbul and Antalya enjoying the food and sights of Turkey, we took a dolmuş (pronounced: dole-mush) minibus from Antalya to Fethiye, the start of our hike. It is a combination of several ancient routes of the Lycian people and is marked by a red and white striped logo. We took this challenging and beautiful walk and it was one of the highlights of our world travels, not to mention a muscle and relationship builder as we spent weeks exploring the rocky coastline and piney forests of Turkey together. Turkey has five long distance trekking routes and collections of shorter trails: The Lycian Way –opened in 1999, The St Paul Trail –opened in 2004 and the Kaçkar trails –opened in 2008, were all made by Kate Clow. Hiking into the hills from chichi Kalkan, with its atmospheric terrace restaurants, to the mountain village of Bezirgan, a world away from the coastal hubbub with its stone cottages and grain stores among the fields. Enjoying the view while stopping for a water break along the Lycian Way Kaş to Üzüm Iskelesi Beach The Lycian Way is not a stroll: the trail can be trying due to the karst underground. I caught a dolmuş around the thrilling corners of the coast road from Ӧlüdeniz, stopping in Faralya for a lunch of cheese and spinach gözleme pancakes, the classic Lycian Way hiker’s fuel. Clow spent years exploring this sublimely beautiful part of Turkey and bringing local hill farmers round to her envisioned trail and the benefits of tourism (pick up her detailed Lycian Way guidebook and hiking maps if you plan on making the trip). The Lycian Way in Turkey is the perfect answer for all three types of getaways.The Lycian Way (or "Likya Yolu" in Turkish), is a 509-km/300-mile walk along the coast of Turkey from Fethiye to Antalya. Today we woke up with sore backs and legs. Produced by Lonely Planet for Turkey Home. The pension’s owner guided me to an excellent viewpoint on the dunes overlooking the ruins, where we had a bird’s-eye view of the ancient harbour, now a reedy wetland. Lycian Way day hike. The next place I lingered was Patara, where a meadow strewn with Lycian ruins, from a 5000-seat theatre to a colonnaded street, leads to Turkey’s longest interrupted beach (18km). The scenery is jaw-dropping. The Lycian Way (or "Likya Yolu" in Turkish), is a 509-km/300-mile walk along the coast of Turkey from Fethiye to Antalya. Mediterranean Turkey is well set up for tourism, and I met numerous hikers who had their bags driven to their next stop by an accommodating guesthouse owner. But the Lycian Way remains Turkey’s original and most popular long-distance trail. In planning my own trip, I’d realized that I wouldn’t be able to do an full month on the trail. And my choice to experience the trail in small chunks had the added benefit of cutting down on what I’d need to carry with me. Better Way to Karaöz ( April-May ) and autumn ( September-October ) first long-distance hiking trail to complete to! 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