krd-map-back - Culture Routes Society

CULTURE ROUTES IN TURKEY
Turkey is a huge country, with thousands of years of history, wild
and beautiful scenery and friendly and hospitable people. Its
maze of old roads and trails—many dating from ancient times—
are now being rediscovered and combined into long-distance
culture routes and clusters of day-walks.
The culture route movement is still new to Turkey, but is developing
fast. The first long-distance trail, launched in 1999, was the Lycian
Way, between Fethiye and Antalya in SW Turkey. Thousands enjoy
this trail every year and it has inspired enthusiasts to establish
other trails. There are now 17 culture routes in Turkey but the
number grows every year: their locations are shown on this
map.
The Culture Routes in Turkey main website tells you about the
parts of Turkey where you can hike and how to use the existing
routes. These vary - some are mainly coastal or mountainous
and some have historical, cultural or natural themes. This map
and the website also tells you which routes are suitable for biking
or horse-riding. This map also shows you which routes are
waymarked and signposted. All the routes have GPS points that
can be downloaded from the websites. A GPS is a useful asset for
independent walkers in Turkey because walker-friendly mapping
is poorly-developed.
This map and the individual culture routes web sites provide
detailed information about each trail and the sightseeing to
be done along the way. In addition, most routes now have a
guidebook and a route map; you can buy guidebooks online, at
the Culture Routes Society centre in Antalya, or through stockists
listed on the website.
Many Turkish and foreign tour operators run holidays on our
routes. If you don’t want to trek entirely independently, you could
choose a self-guided walk, where the tour operator makes all
bookings and transports your baggage, or you could join a group
of walkers. Walking tour operators are listed on the websites; we
can also put you in touch with specialist nature-tour operators.
If you want advice on independent trekking, or to organise a
walking, biking or horse-riding holiday for a group of friends,
please contact the Culture Routes Society.
All the routes give you a chance to enjoy varied accommodation—a
mix of village home stays, small, family-run pensions and occasional
boutique hotels. More luxurious accommodation is available in
nearby towns, from where you can do selected daywalks. Olderestablished routes such as the Lycian Way have plenty of group
walks or self-guided options, easy communications, a huge range
of accommodation, and are still not over-used.
We hope that this map will inspire you to check out our websites
for all the information you need to plan an active holiday on
Turkey’s culture routes.
We look forward to seeing you on the trail.
Culture Routes Society
(www.cultureroutesinturkey.com)
The Culture Routes Society was
established in 2012 in order to sustain
Turkey’s existing culture routes, to
promote the establishment of new
routes, and to set best-practice
standards for their development. As
defined in the Society’s constitution,
a culture route is a sustainable route
or combination of routes following a
historical, cultural or natural theme. Sustainability is our watchword, and
eligible routes are accordingly non-motorised.
Lycia
Lycia is the historical name of the Tekke Peninsula,
which juts into the Mediterranean on Turkey’s
southern coast. The mountains rise steeply from the
wooded shore and tiny bays, giving varied walking
over old paths. The highest ridges are bare and give
wonderful views. The upper slopes are often clad
with old-growth cedar forest, an historic relic which
harbours wonderful flowers. Between the forest and
the agricultural areas are pine woods, grazing areas
for herds of goats, canyons and gushing streams.
The Lycians were a democratic but independent
people, with a unique art style and a high standard
of living. They absorbed Greek culture, and were
later conquered by the Romans. Their graves and
ruins abound on the peninsula and the walk follows
many of their old roads and is marked by many
distinctive stone graves.
Hz. İbrahim
The route passes 27 historic sites,
mainly dating from pre-Roman
Lycia. Nearly all along the 25-day
route, you can stay in pensions,
small hotels or village houses. On
three high-level sections there is
currently no accommodation, so
you have to camp out. There are plenty of camping
places with nearby water mentioned in the book;
you do not have to ask permission. You can order
the guide-book, which includes a map, from our
website, which also has the GPS points.
The patriarch İbrahim (Abraham) stands at the
beginning of a spiritual and cultural tradition shared
by more than half the people in the world today.
Although the story of Abraham has come down to
us from the Bronze Age, almost 4000 years ago,
it is still remembered and celebrated in a series of
historic cities and sacred sites scattered across the
Middle East. Perhaps more than anywhere else, the
memory of Abraham has been kept alive by the
people of Şanlıurfa in south-eastern Turkey.
Following the footsteps of
İbrahim (Abraham)
An ancient legend describes the patriarch’s birth
and childhood in the city, a centre of pilgrimage for
more than a thousand years.
In Turkey, the Path has been created to celebrate
the unique Abrahamic heritage of the Şanlıurfa
area. The Path encourages travelers from around
the world to explore the remarkable historic and
sacred sites of this region, as well as to experience
the hospitality and friendship that is also part of the
legacy of Abraham.
A complex of Abrahamic caves and mosques,
gardens and pools form the heart of the town. Just
a day’s walk away stands the village of Harran, from
where Abraham began his journey towards the Holy
Land and beyond, to Mecca.
The Route
Turkey’s first long-distance trekking route
The Lycian Way, opened in 1999, is a 509km
way-marked footpath around the coast of Lycia in
southern Turkey, from Fethiye to Antalya. The route
is graded medium to hard; it is not level walking,
but has many ascents and descents as it approaches
and veers away from the sea. It is easier at the
start near Fethiye and gets more difficult as it
progresses. We recommend walking the route in
spring or autumn; February-May or SeptemberNovember; summer in Lycia is hot, although you
could walk short, shady sections. On many days,
you can stop and swim in the beautiful turquoise
waters or relax on a tiny beach. The waymarked
route is mainly over footpaths and mule trails; the
hills are of limestone which is often hard and stony
underfoot.
Caria
Hz. İbrahim Path
Walks around Beycik
A network of walking routes utilizing centuries old
shepherds paths, forest trails and aqueducts have
been developed around the village of Beycik, on
the slopes of Mount Olympos. They link Beycik to
other sections of the Lycian Way, remote beaches
by the sea, and to the ancient ruins of Laodikeia.
Waymarked in red and yellow, they run mainly on
hillsides through forest, along mountain ridges and
canyons with views down to the sea and across to
the main ranges. When used in conjunction with the
Lycian Way and the teleferique to the top of Mount
Olympos, these routes give 6 days of pension or
hotel-based family walking.
The Hz. İbrahim Path is a route
of walking and cultural tourism
that follows the footsteps of the
patriarch through the Middle East.
The Path threads together a remarkable group of
sacred and historic sites into a single itinerary of
outstanding interest.
Hotel or pension accommodation is available in
Şanlıurfa and Harran and home stay accommodation
in various villages. The best season to walk the trails
is Feb – May, and October – November: summer is
very hot. Göbekli Tepe is under excavation in the
late spring and again in the autumn, and is best
visited at these times.
The route is 170km long and can be walked with
a local escort. An early start lets walkers benefit
from the cooler hours at the beginning of the day.
Along the route you will meet the villagers, whose
lives are still in many aspects similar to those of
their remote ancestors. The Hz. İbrahim Path has a
group of volunteers who arrange walks and tours to
the sites on the remote parts of the route.
Visit www.abrahamspathturkey.org
details.
for
further
From 2000 BCE, the region of south-western
Turkey between the Meander and Indos rivers
was called Caria. The Carian language and script
have not yet been deciphered but their neighbours
called them Karuwa, Karka (meaning peak, head
or promontory) or Krk. Like the Lycian and other
contemporary civilisations along the coast, Carian
remains can still be seen. The Carians lived along
the Mediterranean and Aegean coastlines, on some
of the Greek islands and in the mountains.
According to Herodotus, the world’s first historian,
who was himself a Carian, they were the first people
to use crests on their helmets and put handles
and designs on their shields. Carian warriors were
famed as mercenaries; we know that in the 6th
C BCE the Carians fought in Egypt and that the
pharaoh Psammethicus I rewarded them with lands
in the Nile delta. Until the Persians invaded in 545
BCE, Caria was independent; it then became a
province of the Persian Empire. The capital, where
the Persian governor or Satrap lived, was moved
from Mylasa (today’s Milas) to Halicarnassus
(Bodrum) during the reign of the Satrap Mausolus
(377-353BCE). His huge grave monument, known
as the Mausoleum, became one of the seven
wonders of the ancient world.
Coastal Caria is now an important tourism area
with international airports at Dalaman, Bodrum and
İzmir giving easy access to the route. It is famous
as the focus of the ‘blue cruise’ - gentle cruises in
wooden sailing yachts over clear turquoise waters
between traditional harbours. At Bodrum, only a
small trace of the Mausoleum remains but there
are traces of many Carian cities and fortifications in
the limestone hills above the jagged coast. Village
life still depends on grapes, olives and fishing, so
the locals still eat well.
Evliya Çelebi (1611-?1685)
Evliya Çelebi Way
The Hittites
The Hittite Routes
Sultan Süleyman
Evliya Çelebi was an Ottoman Turkish gentleman
adventurer who travelled far and wide for over
40 years.
A native of Istanbul, Evliya made
many journeys across the sultan’s domains to the
frontiers of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans
and the Middle East, and far beyond. As well as
visiting the Habsburg emperor’s court at Vienna,
going far up the Nile, and to the Caucasus and Iran,
he criss-crossed Anatolia on several occasions.
He dubbed himself ‘World Traveller and Boon
Companion to Mankind’ and wore a ring inscribed
‘The World Traveller Evliya’.
Among his many
accomplishments, Evliya was a dervish, musican,
and linguist, as well as a scholar and racontuer,
and his observations on everyday life in the 17th
century are a unique record of his times. He aimed
to describe everything he saw on his journeys, and
left a record of his wanderings in 10 large volumes,
the Seyahatname, or Book of Travels.
Turkey’s first Culture Route for horse riders
The Anatolian Peninsula is a cultural mosaic, a
synthesis of successive civilisations that left thaeir
mark on this land and on humanity. Of these
civilisations, the Hittites were a ‘superpower’ of their
times. The Hittites are famous for producing the first
written constitution and an advanced criminal code;
for making lightweight war chariots, the awesome
weapon of the era; for kings who were masters of
strategy; for a pantheon with one thousand gods
and goddesses; and for splendid cities.
Trekking Routes And Biking
Trails along the roads of the
Hittites
Süleyman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman
Empire, invaded Europe from Istanbul to Vienna for
the first time in 1529, and then again in 1532. Both
times the Sultan and his army failed to conquer
the city of Vienna. This was the time the Ottoman
empire was at its greatest extent and power - the
failure at Vienna started a decline in Ottoman
fortunes.
The Evliya Çelebi Way opened in 2011, the
quatercentenary of Evliya’s birth; UNESCO declared
the year a celebration of his life and works. The
Way is Turkey’s first equestrian route, and also a
trail for walkers and bikers. It follows the early
stages of Evliya’s journey to Mecca in 1671, when
he at last found the opportunity to undertake the
pilgrimage. The Evliya Çelebi Way crosses some
of the most spectacular and varied landscapes in
Turkey, visiting villages far off the beaten track,
as well as passing through, or close to, towns and
cities of great historical importance in this region
where the Ottoman Empire was born. It follows
rivers and goat paths, tractor- and forestry tracks,
and Roman and Ottoman paved roads. The terrain
is rarely difficult. The equestrian route is around
650km long, and takes about 25 days to complete,
plus rest/sightseeing days; the walking route omits
some flat sections, and is about 330km long, taking
about 22 days to complete, plus rest/sightseeing
days. It is very suitable for visitors who have only
a few days to spend—you can stay in one of the
towns or cities along the way, and join the route at
any point by public transport.
The ancient city of Hattussa is one of eleven
Turkish sites that form part of UNESCO’s World
Heritage List. The Hittites also left us extraordinary
cuneiform tablets, now part of the UNESCO Memory
of the World Register. The Hittite Routes explore
the region’s rich cultural heritage amid tranquil
surroundings - a truly special experience for lovers
of history, culture and nature.
The focal point of the Hittite
Routes is a beautiful National
Park, established in 1988 over
2634 hectares of land in Boğazkale.
The National Park contains the ruins of the ancient
Hittite city of Hattusa and the Alacahöyük earthen
burial mound. The Hittite Trekking Routes and Bike
Trails follow the historical roads connecting corners
of the triangle formed by Hattusa, Alacahöyük
and Şapinuva. The routes were drawn up by the
Governorship of Çorum province and the work was
completed in October 2010. The 17 trekking routes
covering 236 km are marked along the old roads
plied by the trading caravans and by successive
waves of migration. Counting the alternative roads,
their total length reaches 385km. Six exciting
mountain-bike trails stretch over 406km.
The best season for trekking is from March - June
and September - November.
Later at the site outside Vienna where the sultan
pitched his tents the Habsburg Emperor built a
pleasure castle. That is why the historic Sultan’s
Trail begins at the edge of Vienna. The path ends
at the tomb of the Sultan, behind the Süleymaniye
Mosque in Istanbul.
The trail is thus a celebration of the historic links
between the Turks and Europe and a reminder of
the traditions of the Ottoman Empire.
Carian Trail
Yenice Forest
The Carian Trail is a recentlyopened 800km long-distance
walking path exploring the
south-western corner of Turkey
between Dalaman and Izmir. The
trail was developed by a team of
young archaeology guides and
allows you to discover a region rich in ancient
ruins and history. It runs over Caria’s stone-paved
caravan roads and mule-paths connecting villages
on the coast to a mountainous hinterland. Pine
forests cloak mountain slopes whilst olive terraces
and almond groves still form an important part of
the region’s economy.
In 1999 the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designated
one hundred “Hot Spots of European Forests,”
regions of extraordinary biodiversity requiring
immediate protection. The Yenice Forest in Karabük
Province, is one the nine “Hot Spots” in Turkey.
Inland Caria is a little-known and unspoilt region
full of colour and local traditions for all to enjoy.
The trail is signed and waymarked according to
international standards, allowing both independent
and group travellers to hike and enjoy the scenic
beauty and ancient stone villages of Caria. A new
guidebook and map give detailed and up-to-date
information about the route and region; you can
download GPS points to guide you on your way.
Local travel agencies can organise your trip - either
with day-walks based at a comfortable hotel or
staying in small pensions or village houses.
From the Carian Trail, you can swim in turquoise
waters from deserted beaches, climb pine-scented
hillsides to discover ancient ruins, look out over a
dramatic coastline across to the Greek islands of the
South Aegean. Rare mountain goats still roam the
remote forests of the Datca peninsula, traditional
gület (sailing boats) are built in Bozburun, Neolithic
cave paintings are hidden in the rocks of the Bafa
region, village girls still weave hand-spun wool into
traditional village carpets. All this and more awaits
the trekker in search of new adventure…….
The area is a natural wonder, comprising virgin
forest, monumental trees, a unique ecosystem, and
a wealth of biodiversity rare outside the tropics.
Undoubtedly the most important parts of the Yenice
Forest are the “Nature Protection Zones” which
contain the monumental trees, and the Arboretum
area. The protection zone was established primarily
to protect the biodiversity of the unspoilt forest,
with its many species of monumental trees, the
most valuable part of the heritage. The trunks of
some of the trees reach diameters and heights that
are rarely seen in the world, and grow amid the
green valleys, steep summits, and rich plant life
created by the abundant water and humidity.
Local accommodation includes a hotel in Yenice,
a pension in the forest and family pensions at
İncebacaklar Village. In Safranbolu Town, 40
kilometres from Yenice, are delightful hotels in
characterful old houses. You can camp at the City
Forest, the high pastures of Darıyazısı, Sekermeşe,
and Sorgun, the reservoir at the Eğriova Dam, and
the Arboretum area.
The best season to walk the routes is between April
and November.
Yenice Forest Trails
Biking and trekking through spectacular
countryside
The route was created as part of a project instigated
by the Governorship of Karabuk Province and the
Administrator of Yenice County in October 2009.
21 trails were marked along 210 kilometres, and
together with the alternative trails the total route
adds up to 396 kilometres. The trails are classified
either as daytrips, short trips or long trips and
include forestry roads and footpaths. Mountain bike
trails total 292 kilometres.
Sarıkamış
About the Route
St Paul
Sarıkamış lies in the southwest of Kars Province
in East Anatolia region, on high plateaus between
1500 and 3000m altitude. The region is rimmed by
mountains, deep canyons and high plateaus, which
surround the whole perimeter. The spectacular
peaks, which make any visitor stop and stare,
consist of Aladağ, Suphan, Balikli, Kosedağ,
Bayraktepe and Soganlı. Their well-drained, bare
summits, with sparkling cirque lakes, are covered
with snow for almost all the year.
In addition to its existing winter tourism facilities,
Sarıkamış aims to offer nature-lovers various
alternative tourism activities. Sarıkamış has
21 different walking routes totalling 256km in
aggregate. Any nature-lover will find these tracks,
which use the valleys of Keklikdere, Komdere and
Inkaya, as well as the native Scots pine forest,
comfortable and safe to use. Apart from the walking
routes, there are cycling routes following forest and
village roads. The length of the routes through the
oxygen-rich forest environment totals 356km and
trekking is best from April - June and September
- October.
Turkey’s
route
Rivers have formed deep corridors through this
landmass, resulting in canyons such as Keklik,
Komdere and Inkaya. They are covered with
the dense and lush Scots pine forests, of mainly
mature, well-shaped trees, for which Sarıkamis is
famous throughout Turkey. Sarıkamış has a harsh
continental-type climate; while summers are fairly
mild, the winters suffer extremes of cold. Positioned
on the foothills of Mt. Bayraktepe, Sarıkamış Ski
Centre is characterised by a coarse crystal powder
snow, which is only encountered in this region and
the Alps. The centre also offers fans long downhill
pistes, mainly red and black runs, and excellent
accommodation facilities. The ski season is from
December - end March.
Cultural routes, which give visitors a better
understanding of the cultural and historical heritage,
and a 428km long scenic motoring route, also
are included in our facilities. Demonstrating both
historical and natural beauties, they can satisfy the
interests of any traveller. In between exploring the
variety of routes, you will have time to study the
fascinating and historic settlement of Sarıkamiş.
The grassy plains around the town can offer the
nature-lover activities such as horseback riding,
hunting, golfing, grass skiing, camping and caravan
tourism.
The Sultan’s Trail office in
Haarlem, Holland, has a pilgrim
card which can be stamped at
several places along the route in order to get a
certificate. The office provides latest route and GPS
information for walkers through its website. In Austria and Serbia, hotels, pensions, and private
rooms are within a day’s walking distance on the
trail. In Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey walkers can
stay in hotels or private houses, in the mountains of
Bulgaria a tent is needed.
The Sultan’s Trail can be walked almost year round.
Some higher parts (like the Bulgarian mountains)
are only accessible from May to October. Turkey
may be hot in July and August.
The Society is based in a drop-in centre in Antalya, where you
can get advice before you set out, and buy maps and guidebooks
to the routes. We invite you to become a member of the Culture
Routes Society, and have your say in the future of Turkey’s
culture routes. Contact us directly through our website www.
cultureroutesinturkey.com
Our centre is at:
Culture Routes Society
Haşım İşcan Mah 1296 Sok no 21.
(90) 242 2431148
ANTALYA
‘N 36.88390, E 30.71145’
Kaçkar Mountains
The Kaçkar Mountains are an extension of the
Caucasus, and separate the Black Sea from
Anatolia. Armenians and Georgians settled early
in the Pontic Alps, now the Kaçkar, later building
wonderful stone monastery churches hidden in the
mountains. The Turks gradually occupied the area
from the 11th century but it remains ethnically
mixed and very interesting, with a variety of local
accents and customs.
The Kaçkar is one of the most bio-diverse areas in
the world. It has huge areas of mature evergreen
forest, upland pastures once grazed by herds of
bulls, three glaciers and many glacial lakes as well
as sharp basalt peaks and spires.
The Trails
8 long treks, which cross the passes of the main
range of the Kaçkar, have been cleared, cairned and
mapped; each trek is of 3 to 6 days duration. 7
daywalks around the Hevek Valley are waymarked
and signed.
These routes total over 30 days trekking. Only the
daywalks are waymarked; longer routes are marked
by cairns. The guide book and map and GPS points
for longer routes can be found on the website.
Wars of independence give rise to legends and
symbols of national rebirth. The Independence
Route connects the corners of a triangle which
played an important role during Turkey’s War of
Independence. During the war, over a period of
three years, boatloads of arms and ammunition
arrived at the port of İnebolu from İstanbul and
Russia. A dirt road, built at the end of the 19th
century by volunteers and convicts, connected the
port of Inebolu to Ankara, and was a vital conduit
for military supplies. The famous saying of Mustafa
Kemal, ‘While my eyes scanned Sakarya and
Dumlupinar (battlefields), my ears were at İnebolu”
demonstrates the importance of the Independence
Route, plied by the oxcarts carrying their burdens
towards the front.
The Independence Route
The longer trails climb above the treeline, at about
2100m, so have superb views; others run between
villages through steep, dense fir and pine forest
and along white-water streams. Some routes link
villages with their summer pastures; others are old
trade routes; most are steep and some very rocky.
The Sultan’s Trail makes use of parts of the E8
and the Donauweg and runs more or less parallel
to the Via Comitis (the Roman road to Jerusalem).
The total length of the trail is about 2100km; the
In Turkey, access to the trail is from Edirne. Remote
parts can be reached by minibus or taxi. Currently,
the Sultans Trail Foundation organises exploratory
walks along the trail, researching and documenting
sections.
The most popular trek is the climb of Mt Kaçkar
at nearly 4000m. Unless you use snowshoes,
routes across the high passes are only open July –
September but lower, marked routes are open for
5-6 months, from early June onwards. You can join
an organised trekking group or design your own
independent trek, hiring mules and drivers to carry
baggage and guide you. There is accommodation in
larger villages, plenty of water and many wild camp
areas near the glacial lakes.
About the Route
Phrygia
Phrygian Way
Ağrı Dağı
Walking and Biking routes in the Küre
Mountains National Park
The Directorate of Kure Mountains
National Park made the 482 km
long walking routes and 828km
of mountain bike trails. Walkers
can enjoy short walks, day trips
and longer, more arduous hikes.
The longest routes require a week
of walking and camping. Ambitious walkers can
start on the adjoining Yenice Forest trails, hike the
whole of Kure Mountains National Park, and finish
on the Istiklal Route, a 500 kilometres long trail
which takes a month.
Phrygia is the ancient name of the region in
Anatolia covering the
present day provinces of
Afyonkarahisar, Ankara, Eskisehir and Kutahya.
The name comes from the Phrygian people who
migrated across the straits from Thrace and settled
in the region.
The Phrygian Trekking Route
is one of the longest trails in
Turkey. The route passes through
the renowned Phrygian Valleys
where hikers may visit the ruins
of ancient civilisations and enjoy
the natural beauty of the region.
The trekking route is 400 kilometres long, and is
marked in accordance with international standards.
The Route has three starting points and the trails
meet at the Yazılıkaya (Inscribed Rock), which was
a focal point for the Phrygians.
Dancing in the clouds
The Kure Mountains National Park, a unique
part of Turkey’s geography, met all criteria. The
National Park covers an area straddling parts of
Kastamonu and Bartin provinces. The park includes
unspoilt land home to endemic plants, fauna, a
unique microclimate, interesting geomorphologic
structures, deep valleys and gorges, rushing rivers,
waterfalls and local culture. The park, covering 370
square kilometres, is truly an open-air museum, and
boasts a biodiversity that rivals almost any in the
world. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) selected the
National Park as one of one hundred sites requiring
urgent protection, and one of nine hotspots in
Turkey.
There are hotels and pensions in the Azdavay,
Pınarbaşı and Cide, along the route. Villages offer
charming accommodation at family pensions; old
mansions of Yanıkali and Pasa and the picnic places
at Zümrütköy and Nalbantoğlu will accommodate
you. There are many camp sites at beauty spots
along the route.
The best season for trekking is between May
and November. During the winter, the region is
snowbound and silently beautiful.
By the mid 8thC BCE a vibrant civilisation was
flourishing, centred around the capital Gordium
(Gordion), present day Yassıhoyuk and Polatlı. The
legendary Midas was the most renowned Phrygian
king. Other important settlements were Pessinous
(Ballıhisar) and the city of Midas (Yazılıkaya).
Volcanic ash thrown out by Turkmen Mountain
(called Mount Elaphoeis in antiquity), carpeted the
region, and the consolidated tuff created easily
carved rocks. The Phrygians left behind many
carved rock monuments. The easily worked nature
of the local rock also aided the creation of ancient
roads, which are still visible today.
The Phrygian valleys display a different aspect of
their beauty in every season.
The Route was planned in order to introduce
trekkers to Phrygian culture, and to enable them
to enjoy a safe journey through the Phrygian Valley
along trails once used by the Phrygians.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons to walk the
region’s trails. There are ample sources of drinking
water at the trailside, including springs, fountains
and troughs. However, the summer months can be
swelteringly hot. The trekking route is generally
suitable for mountain-biking.
St Paul was responsible for the spread of
Christianity to western Europe. Jesus’ message
was aimed at amending the Jewish religion, but
Paul took it to both the Jews outside Israel and
to the worshippers of the traditional Greek/Roman
gods, or of other cults. In the process he changed
the religion of Christianity, interpreting Jesus’
message quite freely. If St Paul had not preached,
Christianity would probably have died out when
the Jewish rebellion of 66 AD was crushed and
Jerusalem burned.
Paul’s first journey into Asia Minor started from
Perge, and his first major destination was Antioch
in Pisidia, where he first preached to non- Jews.
The St Paul Trail
The St Paul Trail is a 500km 25-day waymarked
footpath from Perge, to Antioch in Pisidia, now
Yalvaç. A second branch starts at the Köprülü
Kanyon, 40km east of Antalya and joins the first
route at the Roman site of Adada. The trail is
over Roman roads, footpaths and forest tracks;
it is suitable in places for mountain
bikes. It’s a wilder route than the
Lycian Way, starting at sea level
and climbing up to 2200m, with
two optional peaks at around
2800m. Parts of the route run
through ancient and natural cedar
forest, unique around the Mediterranean.
The east branch of the trail runs through a beautiful
national park; the west, more historically accurate,
follows aqueducts and, as far as possible, original
roads. Trekking is best in spring and autumn.
Accommodation is in village houses or small
pensions, or you could camp in beautiful forests.
The map and guidebook are complemented by
downloadable GPS points.
Eğirdir Day Trails
Local enthusiasts have made 6 easy-access
day-walks close to the lake; waymarked in redyellow, they are for families or less-experienced
walkers. On some trails you can enjoy a meal with
shepherds or a visit to rose-gardens. You can also
stay in traditional village houses. Free leaflets are
available at the pensions.
Idyma Way - Daywalks
The Idyma Way
Fethiye, the former Lycian city of Telmessos, is on a
circular bay below the peak of Baba Dağı. Between,
scented pine-forest clothes the slopes; ancient
graves and ruins are hidden on rocky hillsides or
olive-groves. Each year, thousands of visitors stay
mainly in Ölüdeniz, where hang gliders soar from
the summit and land in the soft sand. The interior,
where nomads still take their goats to summer
pastures high in the mountains, is little-visited
except by trekkers along Turkey’s first long-distance
walking route, the Lycian Way.
Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry has
developed 343km of easy and medium daywalks,
waymarked in red-yellow. Most are connected to and
signed from the Lycian Way. The trails are designed
to enable families and less-experienced walkers
to enjoy vast vistas over the sea, sailboats and
islands, or to try a path before starting the Lycian
Way. Using public transport and locally-organised
transfers, you can do daywalks while based in a
comfortable hotel. The trails are best in February June or September - November.
Idyma is a small Carian city close to the
Mediterranean sea in the area of Akyaka and
Gökova. The area at the head of the Gulf of Gökova
has many relics of ancient civilisations. The bay
faces west, so is exposed to the prevailing winds
and it’s unlikely that there were important harbours
in the area. But there are relics of many years of
habitation, based on olive farming, grapes and goat
herding. The route was made to encourage local
people to protect their important heritage from
marble mining and coastal tourism development.
This 135km route connects with the Carian Way and
circles through ruins and wild countryside. Based
on shepherd trails or ancient roads, the route gives
an insight into a traditional way of life on the coast.
It also passes through the dramatic Ula canyon,
where there is an historic paved road, believed to
be 2500 years old. Walkers can base themselves
in modern comfort in Akyaka and reach the most
distant parts of the route by minibus or taxi. In
future, village accommodation will be developed.
The Via Egnatia
The route
Via Egnatia was, together with the Via Appia in
Italy, the road between Rome and Byzantium, now
Istanbul. It functioned for two millennia as a multipurpose trans-Balkan highway, a real life artery for
the region. It runs through Albania, Macedonia,
Greece and Turkish Thrace. The best maintained and still used - parts of the road are in Albania.
The Via Egnatia Foundation (VEF) aims to revitalize
ancient Via Egnatia as “a way to connect”. So the
Via Egnatia is more than just a hiking trail. The
VEF aims to use the path for a broader purpose:
to connect people. The road as a way to exchange
people, goods and ideas. In the end the road as a
way to friendship and peace.
There are different theories about the exact route of
the original Via Egnatia in Turkey, but the locations of
the main stations are known. It is presumed that the
Turkish route corresponds with the Ottoman Sol Kol
and went along Ipsala via Marmara to Tekirdag and
then along the coast to Istanbul. Recently a Roman
milestone has been found, that will provide more
clues about the course of the original Via Egnatia.
The part of the Via Egnatia Hiking and Heritage trail
in Turkey is now being actively researched and way
marked. The VEF is plotting an attractive trail for
walkers from Ipsala to Istanbul: currently you can
participate in research journeys.
A milestone of the struggle for
nationhood, the Independence
Trail was revived as a trekking and
biking route by the Governorship
of Kastamonu Province. The
most picturesque part of the old
oxcart route between İnebolu and
Kastamonu, passing through Küre, is perfect for
nature lovers. The first 10km of the 105km route
were built as a pathway, and the old oxcart road
was repaired over the remaining section.
There are hotels at Küre and Kastamonu and
İnebolu, on the Black Sea coast, is perfect for a
longer stay. The Ecevit caravansaray and the
ecotourism site at Beloren, both near Kure, tempt
visitors to stay longer. Ayrancı picnic area is the
best camp site along the route. The best season for
trekking is between April and November.
Follow the route of the War of Independence
Küre Mountains
The Wildlife Fund (WWF) criteria for protected
sites include integrity of the site, biodiversity, wild
life, endemism, rarity, sensitivity, and severity of
threats.
trekking
Fethiye Walking Routes
The Society sees culture routes as a means of deepening cultural
understanding—both within Turkey, where city-dwellers are
increasingly distanced from their rural past, and by introducing
international visitors to aspects of Turkey’s culture that would
normally be hidden from them. We aim to bring benefits to the
areas through which the routes pass, by involving local people in
their creation and by offering them opportunities to host routeusers in their homes and pensions.
A major concern is conservation of the culture routes and their
environment: change is often fast and unplanned in Turkey, and
we will work with the relevant authorities to minimise disruption
to trails where development is scheduled.
long-distance
Fethiye
The Independence War
Turkish section is 330km. In
Turkey the route can be done by
bike as well as on foot. second
Trail marking is in accordance with the international
“Grande Randonnée” system, with red and white
paint markers and signposts mark the routes’
beginnings, ends and junctions.
The Independence Route follows the old Ankara
road from İnebolu to Kastamonu and Cankiri.
A well-preserved oxcart road between İnebolu
and Kastamonu forms part of the route. Of huge
historical importance, the famous road also passes
through spots of outstanding natural beauty,
such as Ersizler Gorge, Karacehennem Pass and
Çuhadoruğu peak.
The Sultan’s Trail
Yenice is 32 kilometres from
Karabük, which has regular
coach services from Istanbul
and Ankara. There are regular
minibus services and a train
service between Karabük and
Yenice.
Mount Ararat (Ağrı), the highest point of both Turkey
and Europe, can be seen from vast distances across
the eastern Turkish plain, rising ethereally into the
clouds. In 2004, it was declared a national park. Its
summit, snow-capped all year, is a dormant volcanic
cone covered with glaciers, the largest permanent
ice-mass in Turkey. Its mention in sacred texts, in
the context of the story of Noah’s Ark, makes this
massif unique. Claimed to be “impossible to climb”
by the famous explorer Marco Polo, for many years
this majestic mountain haunted the dreams of
adrenalin-addicted explorers.
Ağrı Dağı Walking Routes
The cone of Ağrı Dağı is surrounded by several
summits higher than 3000m. The slopes of all these
mountains are covered with basalt blocks and lava
flows, blown out by ancient volcanic eruptions. They
harbour a variety of birds and rare wild flowers as
well as small lakes.
Çorum and the Kızılırmak
The area attracts mountaineers
and nature lovers with several
well-known
mountaineering
routes. Known as the “roof”
of Turkey, the province of Ağrı
includes four of Turkey’s highest
summits: Büyük Ağrı (Greater
Ararat) 5137m., Süphan Dağı (Mountain) 4058m.,
Küçük Ağrı (Lesser Ararat) 3896m., Tendürek Dağı
(Mountain) 3533m.
Süphan’s summit is in Bitlis but the north-eastern
slopes are in Ağrı province. Our routes include
Büyük Ağrı, Küçük Ağrı, Suphan Dağı and Köse
Dağı summits and Balık and Küp high tarns. www.
agritrekking.com has GPS data and mail info@
agritrekking.com for the guide book, with detailed
information about the routes. The province of Ağrı
was once part of the early Urartu kingdom, famous
for immense fortifications and superb metalwork.
These fortresses, plus the luxurious 17th C İshak
Paşa Palace, nestle amongst snowy peaks and await
discovery by both nature and history lovers.
Know in Roman times as Niconia, also referred to
as Yankoniye, Trokmu and Gordiana, the original
Greek name of Çorum is Dzorum. Çorum has the
most extensive traces of the Hittite civilization, and
the migration route between Central Anatolia and
the Black Sea maintained its importance throughout
time. The ancient city of Hattusa is one of 11
Unesco World Heritage Sites in Turkey. The 1355km
long Kızılırmak River, the longest in Turkey, greens
the landscape of Çorum and links the deep valleys
of the interior to the Black Sea coast. In contrast
to the southern part of the province, which has
mountains, deep valleys, lush forests, waterfalls,
the natural beauty of the northern part is made up
of colored plateaus. Of course, the cuisine reflects
the rich cultural mosaic of Çorum.
The Gastronomy Route
The Kızılırmak Basin Corum Gastronomy and Walking
Route project is the first in Turkey. The cultural,
historical and natural beauty of settlements along
the Kızılırmak were evaluated and
found to support a unique food
culture. Along the route of the
river, a steady flow of travellers
journey though time and space,
borne by the currents of time,
spreading this culture. As a result
of the evaluation, 190km of hiking and 606km of
bicycle trails are now marked. The trails include
walking routes marked with the familiar red-white
waymarks and bicycle routes
following village
and forest paths. The Scenic Vehicle Road begins
at Hirfanlı Dam, near Kırşehir and passes through
Kirikkale, Ankara, Çankırı, Corum, Samsun and
Sinop provinces. All the bike routes and the Scenic
Vehicle Road can be combined as a jeep safari
route. While exploring this ecotourism route along
the lovely Kızılırmak, you have the opportunity to
to see authentic historical and cultural items, crafts
and folklore. You can sample the delights of local
traditional delicacies with strange-sounding names,
which cannot be translated, but which are based on
local field crops.