Trekking In Turkey: Long Distance Paths

Just an update on what I found having just walked the section Ovacik – Kalkan between 2-6 May 2011.

BOOK WALKING TIMES: I was backpacking with a full rucsac (20kg) and found the times quoted where more than actually required – sometimes significantly more.

ROUTE MARKINGS were generally very good with a few hiccups – see below. I didn’t make use of a GPS.

STAGE 1: The spring at Kirme, although running had been taken over by wasps.

STAGE 2: Kabak Beach: one of the several campsites has a shop selling water as well as other food.

STAGE 3: Re. the waterfall dead-end – it is difficult to miss the turn due to ample signs indicating the correct way. When you arrive at a path junction (with a path dropping down on your left, to the top of the waterfall), continue across and uphill on the main path. You quickly arrive at a wide, dry stone covered gully. Markings are a bit vague and the path not obvious. Basically traverse the gully heading gently uphill. Look carefully for paint and cairns. Clear marking resumes once through the gully.

There is a pension/ café in Alinca, from where the road is tarmac and no longer a dirt road as described in the guidebook. About 200m beyond the pension turn R on a track which continues back on itself and keeps a tall wire fence on the right. After about 200m where the view opens up, keep close eye for markers and follow them. It is easy to get drawn off route towards 2 very distinct trees (on the left) in the otherwise tree-less area.

The stream in the Kumsal Valley was dry as was the spring just above it.

There is accommodation at Sidyma.

STAGE 5: Myself and others I spoke to missed the markers when leaving Sidyma. Following the dirt-track through the village, as soon as you pass the last house, you reach a dry stream bed. Turn R here and the paint signs will soon reappear.

Eventually you emerge onto a wide dirt-road which you follow until it rises above a playing field with 2 goalposts on your right. The path off to the left is just after you leave the 2nd goalpost below you.

At the pass, I tried to follow the marks, but due to new fencing, etc it was not clear and I ended up returning to and following the dirt road to Bel.

At Bel, several people were offering pensions.

As you negotiate the terraces just before Gavuragili, look very carefully for the paintmarks as it is easy to remain on more obvious paths and miss the Lycian Way path.

From the new clifftop house, you join a dirt-track and follow it. At a split, bear R and shortly after there is a narrow path on the right. This leads to a spring in about 100m.

STAGE 6: 5 mins before the ‘open-water tank and fence’ there is another spring. There is no shelter here, so carry on to the open water tank where there is.

The dirt road before Pydnai is now tarmac. When walking through Pydnai, keep close to the wall on your left to find the ‘way out’. Again keep a close eye on the paintmarks to avoid losing the Lycian Way amongst numerous other paths.

Once across the bridge, turn left and follow the wide track to get to the Dolmus stop.

STAGE 7: There has been track development in the vicinity of the graveyard, but keep looking for the paint marks to get through.

Before you get to Inpinar spring you enter the top of some olive terraces, through which there is a strong stream. There is good camping on these terraces. Follow the paint marks and end up along a ledge with the stream on your L and a steep gully on your right. Leave an old bridge below on your right and continue following the paint. Eventually you bear R and cross over the now much shallower gully. There are 2 streams of water coming out of pipes to your left which would serve as an excellent shower!
Climb up the east bank of the gully and reach a wide bull-dozed track. Turn left for about 200m to reach Inpinar spring emerging from the hillside. Turn right and descend the track for about 400m, looking carefully for the path on your left. The junction is not well marked and easy to miss.

STAGE 8: Once through the wall at Delikkemer, don’t be drawn down towards the sea, but continue up hill with the aqueduct on your Right. You emerge at the dirt-track next to a LW sign. To continue to Patara, turn R down the track for about 200m to the first hairpin. The path continues up the slope away from the hairpin.

Re the spring 15 mins after Delikkemer…. The LW now passes this.

Keep following the waymarks and eventually arrive at a LW signpost on a track. Turn R for Patara; Turn L to continue to Kalkan.

STAGE 9: Eventually you regain the LW signpost at Delikemmer. The book talks about continuing down 500m to the main road to catch a Dolmus. It is more like 1500m! I’m not certain that Dolmus actually use this main road and it would probably be better to go straight across the main road into Yesilkoy to catch one.