One of the great benefits of trekking in Turkey is the opportunity to savour one of the most amazing cuisines on earth. With the Arab world to the southeast, Persia to the east, the Caucuses to the northeast, the Black Sea (with Russia and Ukraine on the other side) to the north, Eastern Europe to…
Turkey has been in the global news frequently recently…and not always in the most positive contexts. Those who pay attention to current events may feel hesitant to visit the country given what they hear, read and see on television, radio and the web. Latent fears of danger will steer them towards ‘safer’ destinations instead. The…
A contributing factor to the popularity of certain long distance hiking trails around the world is the way they have been eulogized in works of literature. The Lycian Way has now too served as the backdrop for a literary work. Inspired by a true story, Ayse’s Trail by Atulya K. Bingham, recounts the adventures of a…
One of the key challenges facing denizens on parts of the Lycian Coast was ensuring a consistent access to fresh water. For those towns and villages not located near a fresh water source, human engineering was required to make sure that year-round survival was possible. The Romans mastered the art of aqueduct building to such…
For trekkers about to set out on the Lycian Way or other trails in Turkey, one thing that you’ll quickly get used to is waking up to Turkish breakfast every morning. For those used to their cereal, oatmeal, croissants or specialty coffees, this will be a bit of a change, but you will quickly begin…
There are lots of marvellous sights on Turkey’s south coast, but the flames of Chimaera rank very close to the top of the highlights list. Referenced in the writings of Pliny, Strabo and Isidore of Seville, this hillside has been on fire for thousands of years. Walking along the Lycian Way a few kilometers above…
Part of the fun of being part of Turkey’s trekking and route-making community is the chance to get out and explore new areas and design new trails for tourists and other trekkers to explore. On the 16-17 November, Culture Routes Society team members joined forces with the formidable Beycik duo, Andrew and Faye (and some…
The Culture Routes Society was happy to coordinate a visit by Noel van Bemmel, the travel editor of leading Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant, to the St. Paul Trail in early November. In partnership with Middle Earth Travel, Noel and a photographer were escorted to several of the trail highlights over the course of three days….
There’s something oddly comforting about seeing a waymark when out on a trail. It’s funny to think that a haphazardly piled cairn of stones (to which I’ll often add a pebble silently hoping that the whole thing doesn’t collapse), the ever-varied brushstrokes of painted markings or the directional arrows of a signpost can generate…
by Orjan Hansson – You will find accounts on the net by people walking St Paul Trail doing it the hard way: carrying a heavy pack, camping and cooking along the way. However, you can do it the easy way with just a daypack, staying in small pensions and in people’s homes. This account is…