Terry Richardson treks the St Paul Trail, Turkey's latest long distance footpath.

My first day on the trail. Despite the altitude and beating July sun, the work was going well. In fact I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. We, a young Israeli volunteer called Arnon and myself, had made good progress cutting branches and wire brushing lichen from rocks along the path. Then it was time to slap on the flashes of red and white paint, so other walkers could follow us over the Toros mountains in the footsteps of St Paul.

The trail we were working on owes its existence to Kate Clow, a long-term resident of the Mediterranean city of Antalya, close to one of the starting points of the route. Having pioneered Turkey's first long distance footpath, the Lycian Way Kate hit upon the idea of a new path inspired by the journeys of the Apostle Paul, who wandered Asia Minor and the Middle-east in the 1st Century AD, spreading the message of a new religion, Christianity.

The modern-day path has two branches, a westerly route leading 450 kms from the Roman city of Perge, now a well preserved archaeological site outside Antalya, through the dramatic Toros mountains to Antioch in Pisidia. High on the Anatolian plateau, Antioch holds a unique place in the history of Christianity, as the first place St Paul preached to non-Jews. Unfortunately, the remains of St Paul's church are scant, though other Roman buildings like the aqueduct, bath house and temple of Augustus are in much better shape. Sitting on the windswept steppe, with the towering Sultan Mountains as a backdrop, the site makes a fitting end to an impressive trail.

The other branch of the long-distance path begins east of Antalya at Aspendos, where a perfectly preserved Roman theatre still hosts concerts. From there it heads north west through the spectacular Köprülü Canyon (where thrill seekers white water raft down the churning river) before joining the main trail at Adada, an isolated Roman site.

Along its two routes, the St Paul trail forges its way through a dramatic landscape of deep canyons, waterfalls, cedar forests and limestone peaks soaring to almost 3,000m. Weaving through the mountains, it links surviving sections of the Roman road St Paul once trod, to Selcuk and Ottoman trade routes and droving paths. Also using sections of village footpath and forestry track, the path threads through a region famous for its flora and fauna. Rare orchids attract botanists and the anemones, grape hyacinth and crocus are breathtaking in Spring. Vultures and eagles soar high over the peaks. Foxes and wild boar are another common sight, and during the waymarking we often came across tortoises lumbering through the woods.

After many months of research and planning, work on the St Paul trail began earlier this year with the help of a multi-national team of volunteers from Switzerland, Holland, Israel, Britain and Turkey itself. Local villagers have also played an important part and without their help many of the best sections of path would not have been discovered.

Life in the remote villages along the trail is unhurried and the people friendly. Walkers should add at least an hour on to a day's walking for impromptu invitations to drink tea, or even sit down to a full scale meal.

Typically eaten, sitting cross legged around a large metal tray, a village feast may include fresh yoghurt, strong goats cheese, olives, piles of peppers and juicy tomatoes. Once a meal is finished, the offer of a bed for the night isn't uncommon, and gives you a real insight into people's lives. Guests usually sleep in the communal room where the food is served or, in the hot summer months, outside on the flat roof or veranda.

During the last months Kate has become a familiar figure to the villagers and shepherds living along the route. Though at first the sight of a foreign woman arriving with her two dogs, Blues and Soul, was jaw-dropping. More amazing still, she replied in perfect Turkish to their many questions!

On one occasion, Kate and I surprised an old shepherd, herding a flock of goats. He looked down in disgust at his worn and dirty shirt, before rushing into his hut to change. He emerged beaming a gap-toothed smile and invited us to sit and drink cool ayran. As we sipped the refreshing yoghurt drink he announced proudly:

"There have been no foreigners here since 1985."
"Really," replied Kate in her best village Turkish. "Where were they from?"
'Oh, they were from Istanbul."

Though St Paul himself travelled with little more than a staff, modern day walkers should carry camping gear on the route. Only the lake resort of Egirdir offers much in the way of accommodation, and is the best base for day walks along the trail. Crouched beside Turkey's fourth largest lake and ringed by mountains, it is a relaxed, friendly town, with guesthouses in the narrow streets of the atmospheric old quarter.

There are more places to stay on Yesil Ada (Green Island), a tiny pearl of an island tied to the mainland by a narrow causeway. Swimming in the lake is wonderful from June through September, and the local food is excellent. For most visitors - especially footsore walkers - the highlight of a stay in Egirdir is sitting at a lakeside table, sipping cold beer and tucking into freshly caught carp as the sun sinks behind the mountains.

Back on the trail, Aaron and I toiled, clearing the path towards a small village, painting the guiding white and red flashes onto rocks. Uele, a retirer lecturer from Switzerland, followed taking readings with his beloved GPS, collecting coordinates and bearings for the trail map. As I daubed white paint onto a telegraph pole, a man emerged from a nearby house.

"Welcome," he said looking us up and down curiously. 'Why are you painting?
"We are making a footpath," I replied.
"Why are you making a footpath?"

This was a fair question, as in the eyes of most Turks walking is for someone who can't afford to travel any other way.

"So that tourists can come and walk, and see your village."

At this the villager looked bemused. Then a broad smile spread across his face.

"Of course a foreigner would want to see this village, isn't it the finest in all of Turkey?"

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