Turkish Trails
There are two reasons for developing trekking trails:
- To keep old roads, footpaths and migration routes in use. These routes were Turkey's communication lines before the coming of the motor car. Many of them are several thousand years old. Turkey has no legislation protecting these tracks - the best way to protect them is to use them.
- Turkey's highland villages are being depopulated, and trekking tourism can help reverse this. Most villagers we talk to are keen to see new life in their village. They welcome foreigners taking an interest and spending a bit of money. They also think we are mad to walk when we are rich enough to drive!
If you walk these trails, you are an ambassador for your country. Please learn a few words of Turkish and behave as gently and simply as the villagers themselves.
The Lycian Way trail was generously sponsored by Garanti Bank. In 1998, Kate won the environmental part of a competition called 'Yarina dort isik' (Four Lights for Tomorrow). The Bank were looking for keynote projects to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The Bank obtained way-marking permission from the government and paid for the way-marking and signposts. Without this support, the Lycian Way would never have come into existence. The Bank own the copyright of the Turkish version of the Lycian Way.
The St Paul Trail was a result of research by Kate, Atil Ulas Cuce and Terry Richardson. Kate wrote the book with help from Terry and did all the typesetting. The Forestry Ministry advised during the making of the St Paul Trail. Volunteers from many countries helped way-mark the route; most expenses were paid by Upcountry. The Tourism Ministry paid for the signposts.
Below are the sponsors for the Kaçkar book. Thanks to them all. Please click on the logos to go to their respective sites.
The future
The Tourism Ministry has paid for journalists to visit the routes, they are producing new brochures on the Lycian Way and St Paul. They plan to encourage alternative tourism.
From March 2008, Kate will be working on TEMA's conservation project in the Kackar. She will be working to encourage sustainable, alternative tourism and help villagers benefit from it. From the same time, Terry is leaving Upcountry to pursue other writing activities. So in 2008 the trails may be a bit neglected. Be patient, help us by reporting problem areas.
Kate wants to continue to develop trekking tourism, and co-ordinate other trail making activities in Turkey. If you know of any other trails, or have ideas for a trail and/or would like to sponsor a route, please contact Kate.
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