CHANGES AND UPDATES TO THE BOOK. PRINT AND ADD TO YOUR BOOK BEFORE YOU WALK.
[UPDATED 17 APRIL, 2007]

Here’s the latest information on the St Paul Trail:

P 53 – 1.1 Perge to Akçapınar - approaching and crossing the regulator
Just before the regulator take the route marked with a red X – this will take you straight to it. No problems have been reported crossing the regulator (water ankle to knee deep at most even in spring) but watch for snagged branches underwater and make sure you’re pack is loose enough to take off easily.

P 53 – 1.1 Perge to Akçapınar - Crossing the tributary
The tributary 1km beyond the regulator was reported to be impassable in May at the point described at the foot of p.53. Instead head upstream for 300m, following a narrow path. Here the river is wider, shallower and easy to cross.

P 56 – 1.3 Akçapınar to Ören - Uçan 1 waterfall
A restaurant, bar and and toilets have been built (from wood) for locals and tourist jeep safaris. The peace of the spot has been spoilt – but on the positive side the owners may allow you to sleep in one of the cabins.

P 57 – 1.3 Akçapınar to Ören - approach Pednelisssos
Just after the cemetery with the unusual markings, make sure you follow the mark indicating a left turn – some waymarks, corrected by a red X but not erased, lead - erroneously straight on.

P 59 – 1.3 Akçapınar to Ören - Pednelissos
Due to restrictions on the waymarking of ancient sites, there are no waymarks to foilow across the site of Pednelissos. Make sure you follow the map and route description very carefully – and make use of your GPS if you are using one. Follow the tractor track up to the site, stay on it until you reach the far northwest corner. A steep rock-face towers to the right, the way ahead blocked by stones and scrub. Take a small path, difficult to find, that heads left, reaching the two cisterns in 200m. From here the waymarks begin again.

P 60 – 1.3 Akçapınar to Ören - Karataş
The waymarking around Karataş village is difficult to follow – if you have problems follow the road through the village and pick-up both waymarks and route at the far end of the village.

P 67 – 1.5 Candir to Sutculer via the canyon rim – theft of safety wire
The safety wire on this section has been removed by unknown locals. Until we can find a thief proof method of attaching a wire this situation will continue. The section is passable with care (we have used it many times without the safety wire, as do local hunters etc). But take extra care if you have a particularly bulky backpack as the short ledge (above a drop) leading from the shallow cave to safe ground is quite narrow.

P 73 – 1.7 Müezzinler to Adada – site of Adada
As at Pednelissos, there is no waymarking on the ancient site of Adada. This is no problem when entering from the south, as the well-preserved Roman road you follow leads right to the site. Leaving is trickier. Again make sure you follow the route description very carefully and, if possible, use a GPS

P 83 – 2.1 Aspendos to Akbaş
This section is not well-marked near Aspendos. After crossing the ride approaching Akbaş, the marks disappear (the forest has been newly cut and tracks bulldozed). You can see the forest road below, so just follow the path down to meet it.

P 90 2.4 Beşkonak to Selge – canyon climb
With a full pack, this is a potentially hazardous climb up because of loose rock, a narrow path, trees which can snag backpacks/clothing and, of course, steep drops. A safety rope is recommended if you don’t have ahead for heights.

P 99 – 2.6 Caltepe to Cimenova – forest fire
Since the route was way-marked, there has been a severe forest fire between Belova and Kozdere. The marks are sill in place, but it takes about 1 hr to walk amongst the blackened trees. If the Forestry start to cut here, please report to us.

P 99 – 2.6 Caltepe to Cimenova – timing berror
The time in the text doesn't add up to the time in the header. The time in the header, (17 hrs) is correct.

P 100 – 2.7 Cimenova to Kesme – road construction
A new road has been bulldozed across the ridge, continuing the previous forestry road nearly as far as Golcuk. It has wrecked the paved Selcuk road for about 1 km, so you will have to walk on it from this stretch. On the Golcuk side, the new road runs below the old, so you have to climb up to get onto the old road again. We can't re-mark the route until work has finished. If you walk here, please report on the condition of the road on the Forum page.

P 108 – 2.8 Kesme to Kasimlar – route description error
Turn L, pass a spring, should read Turn R, pass a spring. Below Kasimlar, the G6 road has been widened at 2829J and marks on either side of it are lost. There are cairns at the indistinct turn up the hill.

P 110 – 2.9 Kasimlar to Adada – alternative route
High level forest route between Kasımlar and Tota Yaylası (about 1.5 hrs)

Replaces part of last paragraph before Tota Yaylası on page 110.

This is an alternative to walking into Tota Yaylası on the road - it cuts off all but 10 minutes of the road walk.

This is one of the highest points of the walk; turn R on the gravel, cross a stream via a concrete bridge and descend towards the road. When the road is in sight, turn L and then L again onto a rising forestry road. This road zigzags up to the head of a deep valley; ignore several R turnings and reach a stream crossing. After the stream, the track runs almost level over a bridge; after a second bridge is a turn L/up also on forest road. At a crossroads, continue up for only about 50m, then turn R on to an indistinct level track, which is the course of an old buried pipeline, protected in places by a stone curb or low wall. Follow this G2-3 trail across a damp patch and up a slope, then curve R to a side ridge. From here is a steep climb to near a forestry road, but the pipeline track levels again and descends to a barbed wire fence. Cross this and a stream where the pipe is exposed. Climb gently again, still following the track, crossing two gulleys, then cross a forestry road. After 5 minutes there is a spring on the R, and the route is now in open country. The track continues upwards a little then levels in forest. Continue on this line to a sharp R descent down a ridge on G2 path, becoming fainter. There is a steep, short descent to a forestry road below. Turn L on this, then R/down at another junction and the tarmac road is just below.

P 114 – 3.1 Adada to Sipahiler – theft of safety wire
The safety wire positioned after the publication of the guide has now been stolen (as for P 67). Take extreme care as you traverse the ledge, or wade through the river.

P 115 – 3.1 Sipahiler to Yukari Gokdere -  bulldozed tracks
There are some marks missing around Serpil, between the GSM antenna and the childrens' playground, a distance of about 500m. New tracks have been bulldozed. You just have to make your way horizontally between the two until the situation settles down and we can re-mark.

P 124/125 Military road to Sevinçbey and Eğirdir (around 5-6 hrs) – alternative route

The following description replaces page 124 and page 125 from 2nd paragraph to Eğirdir – History ie the section running alongside the military camp, where there have been incidents with the army. The walk down to Egirdir runs via a deep valley, Sevinçbey village and the railway line; it's not as scenic as entering the town from Sivri, but you could climb Sivri as a separate expedition.

Passing junipers are cropped into neat mounds by the attentions of the goats, the view opens up to show the western lakeshore, with the military headquarters on a conical hill. On the right of the road is the corner of a fence around a military compound. Leave the road opposite the fence corner (3315R), just past a muddy descending track, first descending around a hill (3316), then aiming just L of a cluster of small corrugated iron huts on a lower hilltop. Descend the side of the second hill to a marshy basin on the N side (3317), and follow a faint G4 track towards a spring near a willow tree, aiming N (3318W). On the E is a steep rock bluff, and W is a deep river valley, with scattered forest on the far bank and hills. In front are views of Barla, and behind is the ridge and military ski lift.

At the spring, turn L onto a bulldozed and partly surfaced G5 road which descends steeply into a narrow river valley which leads NE. Cut the first bend on the road, passing a small corrugated iron hut in poor condition. Descend the track, with the stream on your L, to a spring (3319W). The vegetation changes and the valley becomes drier. Just ahead is a side valley - here some of the water is funnelled into a buried pipeline. Ignore a rising road on the L.

Cross the stream and pass under a fallen willow tree. From here, the route is marked on the G5 road, but you could easily follow the goat tracks alongside the stream below.
At a narrow point, recent bulldozing has been carried out to give access to a new marble quarry (3320). The way at this point may be partly blocked or damaged, but the road continues on the far side. After the narrows is an old built-up track on the far bank, as well as more goat tracks below; you could continue to follow these. Continue down the valley, which opens out and has plantings of willows and poplars at intervals. It would be possible to camp alongside the stream.

Before the G5 road rises out of the valley, turn down, R, to the stream and cross it diagonally to more goat tracks on the far bank (3321). Continue down the E bank as the tracks merge to become a G4, then G5 track. Past a muddy pool, this crosses back over the stream and continues on the W bank. It passes more poplars and soon reaches the main road (3322J).

Turn R on the road, climb the hill and walk around the bend. After about 500m on the road, look for an indistinct L turn onto a G2-G3 stony old road, which runs parallel to and below the tarmac road (3323J). Follow this first gently downhill, past a spring. It then turns sharp L and begins to descend the hill, through low scrub, towards the valley bottom, where there is a wide, dry stream bed (3324). Turn R along the valley bottom, and follow the marked path, sometimes on the N, but mainly on the S bank to the village of Sevinçbey.

Here, after reaching the end of a stone wall (3325J), re-cross the stream, then re-cross again at a concrete bridge to reach asphalt again. Turn L and cross the two bridges in the village, and turn down the side of the stream for about 100m, walking along the retaining wall.

After the last house, turn R and walk back to the asphalt, cross it (3326J) and walk down a G4 track with a large irrigation pipe on the L side. Continue on this track, which crosses a stream, passes an isolated house and reaches the railway line (3327J).

Turn R on the railway line (which is now disused) and follow it for 500m to a cutting and under a road bridge (3328). Carry on downhill and around a bend, across the beautiful old viaduct with views over the lake and to the old, deserted station in Eğirdir (3400-EGIRD).

P 131 – 3.5 Bedre Beach park to Barla village – water levels
The fluctuating level of the lake and human activity have affected the lakeside section of the route. If it is difficult to follow head a short way inland to join the asphalt road behind the houses and follow this to where it joins the main road – here the trail crosses this road and heads inland to Beydere

P 132 – 3.5 Bedre Beach park to Barla village – stream bed
Be warned that flash-flooding can occur in the stream-bed described on this page. It is not difficult to get out of, but beware of thunderstorms and definitely don’t think about camping in it.

P 139 – 3.6 Barla to Dikmen Çiftliği - Boat Crossing
The owner of the fish farm near the exit to the road at Dikmen Ciftligi should be able to organize your boat crossing. His wife will also feed you while you're waiting

P 140 – 3.7 Kemerdamları to Eyüpler – beware of the dogs
A group of trekkers were attacked by four dogs near the shepherds encampment about 20 minutes after leaving Kemerdamları village. Although nobody was physically hurt, the attack lasted some 20 minutes, and the dogs refused to ‘back-off’ despite the party carrying dog dazers and sticks. Be on your guard, pick up a handful of stones to throw at the dogs, and have a stick/walking pole handy.

P 151 - Yalvac.
Following local elections, Tekin Bayram is no longer Mayor of Yalvac.

Please report any other problems to us. We know the first walkers are on the trail now.
Good luck.