I have just returned from my trip to the Lycian Way. It was an exciting experience and I am happy for every day I have spent on the trail. Thank you very much for creating this long distance route!
General Remarks:Waymarking: The quality differs a lot from very easy sections to sections where I would have been lost without a GPS device.
GPS:I found this a very helpful tool, especially when walking alone. I had a Palm Pré Mobile Phone with me and used Mapping Tool and offline maps from OpenStreetmap (they are much more precise than the map in the book). A proper GPS device would be more reliable and precise but for me this solution was acceptable.
Electricity: I needed some electricity every 2nd or 3rd day to recharge my mobile and / or my camera. I usually asked to have my mobile recharged during lunches at eateries along the road.
Water: Water supply was very good on most of the sections, although the map in the book is not reliable regarding sources of water. In the earlier sections you will find a well in most of the villages in the more remote sections their are many cisterns. Some of them even come with a bucket and a rope so it is hassle free to reach the water. To my surprise water supply was especially easy in section 19 (Myra – Finike): cisterns held enough water in good quality, but this may vary due to weather conditions.
Food: It is not easy to buy fruit or vegetables in the more remote villages, although they all have a „Minimarket“ it will only sell things the inhabitants need. As they all grew their own fruit this is apparently not an item of need. It's easier to ask people at the street or at Pansiyons for some tomatoes / cucumber / apples and the like.
Dogs: I hadn't had any problems with them, most of them are quite impressive in size but they are usually very kind creatures.
Transportation: The Dolmus system is working fabulously, very reliable and cheap possibility to get to the start of a section. There was even a public bus service from Hisarcandir – Antalya (leaving at around 7 p.m.)
Arriving at Dalaman Airport:
If you arrive at Dalaman you can either take a Taxi to Fetihye (approx 120 TL) or take the Havas Bus Service, which is much cheaper. This leaves (after the arrival of an Turkish Airline flight) at the DOMESTIC Terminal, which is approx 1km apart from the INTERNATIONAL Terminal
Language:
Unfortunately I do not speak Turkish and most of the people in the more remote sections speak only Turkish, however they are very helpful and it is no problem to communicate with some kind of creative sign language. In the tourist centres (Kas, Kalkan...) people normally either speak a little English or German.
Below a short summary on which sections I walked.
17.09.11
Ovacik – Faralya
As in the whole first week, it was a very hot day (> 35 C) so walking was not easy. But amazing views from high up over Olü Deniz and to Baba Dag. Camped up hill just after Faralya (LAT 36°29'17.06“ LNG 29°07'47.66“)
18.09.11
Faralya – Gey
very varied section, nice walk down hill to the beach of Kabak (had a swim and breakfast there) and amazing climb up to Alinca, had some difficulties to trace the way between Alinca and Gey. Camped just after Gey in an olive grove (LAT 36°23'46.57“ LNG 29°08'19.34“)
19.09.11
Gey – Letoon (and back to Pydnai)
Again difficulties to trace the route between Gey and Bel. Great contrast between the karst at the start of the tour and Patara beach, which is from my point of view nicest on this end. Didn't find a place to camp near Letoon and was picked up by someone who drove me to a Pansyion near Pydnai. Saw (and walked through) the first tomato plantation. This is in some way a alarming sight, huge plantations at every flat spot between Kumluova and Antalya. If you plan to camp, it would be easiest to find a nice spot in the woods just behind Patara beach (it is not allowed to camp at the beach as this is a nesting ground for Caretta Caretta turtles).
20.09.11
Kinik – Delikkemer
I took a Dolmus from the Pansyion to Kinik had a good look at Xanthos, which is a beautiful site! Especially for those who know the Nereid Monument from the British Museum London which originates from Xanthos. Walked from Kinik to Cayköy, beautiful walk along the Aqueduct but no shadow! As it was very hot this day again and luckily I was accompanied by a Turkish companion, he organized two Motorbikes that drove us to Akbel. Then walked to Delikkemer. Camped at the most beautiful site of the whole trek. Again a olive grove (LAT 36°16'01.92“ LNG 29°22'17.74“)
21.09.11
Delikkemer – Patara (Kalkan)
Walked Delikkemer – Patara which is an enjoyable section and stayed at the beach for the remainder of the day. Patara is a very interesting archeological site as well. It was especially amazing to see cows and goats graze amidst Lycian tombstones and Roman columns. Took a Dolmus to Kalkan. Stayed in a Pansiyon in Kalkan.
22.09.11
Kalkan – Gökceören
A thunderstorm had cleared the skies and cooled down the temprature over night so it was much easier to walk. It was not easy to trace the route in the beginning of the ascent to Bezirgan. But the zig zags up hill to Bezigran are just amazing. Beautiful views along the coastline. Bezigran is a very nice village with beautiful old houses (some of them in quite desolate condition though). The landscape that stretches from Sariblen to Gökceören was one of the most beautiful of the whole tour. Camped approx 3 km en route to Gökceören (LAT 36°14'21.00“ LNG 29°30'19.92“
23.09.11
Gökceören – Kas
Quite a long section, however a beautiful one. Met the first large scale flock of goats on this section and had a „chat“ with the shepherd. Phellos is the archeological site of this section although it is small the setting is amazing and one can feel like a archeologist walking through apparently never touched relicts of an departed culture. The descent to Kas is very exciting with views along the coast. Camped at Kas Camping near the Marina.
24.09.11
Kas – Üzüm Izkelesi
After yesterdays long walk I had a leisurely morning at Kas and started this section in the afternoon to arrive at the Charocal Patches near Üzüm Isk. in the early evening. CONGRATULATIONS to the fabulous waymarking at this section. It is a wonderful section with loads of very cosy bays where you can go for a swim. Camp: (LAT 36°09'09.18“ LNG 29°42'46.56“)
25.09.11
Üzüm Izkelesi – Ücagiz
Waymarking was not as good as on the section before. ATTENTION, there are old waymarks just after Appolonia that lead to a fence and end there. If you come to a flat meadow with a fence to your right, don't walk along the fence, but keep left and try to find the next new waymark! Had lunch at the Purple House in Aperlae, this is a very nice spot, but they are billing very high prices for food and drinks. Slept in a Pansyion in Üczagiz, which is a beautiful little village, although very touristic.
26.09.11
Ücagiz – Simena; Andriake – Belören
Thanks to my host at Lycia Pansyion a boat took me from Simea to Andriake in the morning, this was a very enjoyable alternation to see the coast from the sea (and not walking along the coast, seeing the sea). Had a good look at the archeological sites in Myra. Amazing! Then walked uphill to Belören, this is a very steep climb! Camped just behind Belören on the trek which was a little stupid, as there are very nice and flat campsites just about 2 - 3km after Belören. But it started to get dark and I was afraid not to find any better spot. Belören was very lively with lots of people working on their houses and even more goats, dogs, cats... First night, I had to use my sleeping back due to distinctly lower temperatures, which was a very welcomed change.
27.09.11
Belören – Belos
had my breakfast at Alakilise and after that started to climb up the mountain. There are some tricky parts and some of the section is very steep, but it is manageable. From the top there are great views to both sides (Finike and Kas) and it was a great experience to walk through all these herds of goats, mules... and meet their shepherds. Camped near a cistern (LAT 36°18'01.66“ LNG 30°04'24.82“)
28.09.11
Belos – Finike
Belos was some kind of a disappointment to me as it is described in the book as a spectacular spot. However it was nice to have breakfast there. Walked to Finike which is in parts a very exciting route through a dried out Canyon. The last kilometres are tedious walking through the suburbs of Finike. Stayed in a Hotel.
29. / 30.09.11
Finike / Adrasan
I had two days at the sea and on the beach at Adrasan very relaxing! Didn't walk sections 20 / 21.
01.10.11
Adrasan – Chimaera
this day I met some of the maniacs who did the Lycian Way Ultramarathon:
http://www.likyayoluultramaratonu.com I have deepest respect to everyone who tried to complete this race! Additionally this was a wonderful day en route. The ascent right after Adrasan was good to warm up again and the descent to Olympos through a wood of laurel just wonderful. Olympos was quite crowded but it remains a very interesting site. Roman ruins covered by the vegetation, would make a very good setting for a film... Final ascent this day was to the Chimaeras which is a nice natural spectacle. Camped on the pass with view to Tahtali Dag. (LAT 36°26'11.72“ LNG 30°27'13.07“)
02.10.11
Chimaera – Beycik
Slowly I was getting nearer to Tahtali Dag. Had a very enjoyable breakfast at Ulupinar. Landscape changes dramatically right after the pass and the Chimaera, this was the first place on my tour where I came across serious amounts of water in riverbeds. Everything is much greener here! Waymarks around Beycik are a bit confusing but get very clear again just after passing the village. Camped at approx 1.200m at a plateau (LAT 36°31'36.99 LNG 30°25'20.67“) with a well just at hand.
03.10.11
Beycik – Gedelme
Its a very enjoyable and easy ascent through cedar, pine and plane trees to the plateau at 1.800m much easier to walk than the ascent to Krk Merdiven. The apple trees at my camping ground hold great tasting fruits. I left my rucksack at the plateau and climbed one of the smaller hilltops in the vicinity of Tahtali Dag (great views down to Olympos). Walked via Yayla Kuzdere to Gedelme. As I missed the original path right after the descent from the plateau it was very much walking on roads which made walking fast but a bit boring. Camped approx 4 km after Gedelme (LAT 36°31'57.14 LNG 30°25'20.67“).
04.10.11
Gedelme – Göynük
As the Minimarket in Gedelme is neither selling fruit nor vegetable and I didn't find anyone who sold me some, I ran out of food and had to walk to Göynük to refill my stock for the last section. Very nice and diverse section with Canyon crossings and great views down at the river and the coast, with hilly parts through the woods and passings of Yaylas. Might be a very difficult section to walk if the river has more water than in early October. Slept at Natur Otel in Göynük (first Pansiyon after leaving the Göynük Canyon Park, approx 15mins walk) very nice hosts, good food. They also provided me with food for my last section.
05.10.11
Göynük – Hisarcandir
What a finale! Walking up to Hudacik Ridge was a very lonesome (only living creature I met: 2 wild boars crossing my way very close to me) but very enjoyable walk. However it is a demanding section as well.
It's not easy to retrace Lycian Way in the Canyon Park: walk to the newly built cafe at the Lake and keep right walk past the toilets than you'll find the waymarks again. Arriving at the pass in bright sunlight was a great joy and meeting the first humans at the Yayla next to Elmayani Pinari after almost 7 hours of walking was a welcomed change as well. The final descent to Hisarcandir is an easy walk on roads. Again met very nice shepherds and their dogs. Arrived at Hisarcandir at 5 p.m. and tried in vain to auto stop. Very few cars on the way down to Antalya. Fortunately someone assured me, that their will be a bus later in the evening. And so I caught the bus at the mosque at 7 p.m. Arrived in Antalya at 8 p.m. stayed in a Pansiyon in the Kaleici. Next day I went to the Hammam, bought some decent clothes suitable to wear in a city and relaxed a little.
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