Lycian Way

The Lycian Way is a long distance hiking trail in Turkey. It runs 509 km from Fethiye to Antalya, mostly along the coast of ancient Lycia.

History

The origins of the Lycian Way go back to ancient times, as it was in parts used as a trade route for camel caravans. Since 1999, thanks to the pioneering spirit of Kate Clow, along the path markings that make it easier for today's hikers find their way in the sometimes very wild terrain.

Course

After one has run for a long time in the interior, the landscape surprises with views of the sea and the Taurus Mountains. The individual stages are creating most orders ship within three to four days and lead in general to the next large town / village.

As seen in the picture, the marking of the path is the French system is based: red- white lines, with doublings for change of direction and x - mark for a wrong turn. During the hike, it may happen that you lose the character of the eyes. Thus, previous hikers have piled the foresight to small cairns showing even in confused areas the way forward.

Water supply

Mainly in the summer months, it may under certain circumstances be massive drinking water problems. Here it is advisable to organize sufficient water supplies in advance. In some areas ( for example, between Üçağız and Simena; Finike - Mavikent about Karaöz, the ancient Melanippe until just before the lighthouse) at the "Cape Gelidonia " there is aboveground water lines with locally available water taps and beach showers. Otherwise you have to be content with cistern water, which is not always sufficient European claims. Some mapped cistern for years already leads no more water. Under no circumstances should you drink the water untreated. Chlorine tablets, water purification tablets or other decoction are absolutely necessary.

The Culture Routes in Turkey

As the first long distance hiking trail marked Turkey the Lycian Way became one of the most popular cultural routes of the Mediterranean. Since the early noughties, a variety of other ways originated in Turkey, which can be explored on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The roads designated as cultural routes follow ancient trade routes, or are based on traces of famous travelers. So the Evliya Çelebi Way - characterized in the northwest of the country by the route of the Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi in the 17th century. The Saint Paul Trail, which runs a few kilometers east of Antalya, 500 km Total distance to Eğirdir Lake and on to the ancient Antioch, follows the path of the Apostle Paul. The routes have been developed with the aim of promoting the cultural heritage of Turkey trekkers and other Wegnutzern, " accessible to the fly ." The Association, founded in 2012, the cultural routes in Turkey is a non-profit organization in which the founders of the routes have teamed up with local tour operators, board operators and other partners. The aim of the association is the way to develop in a sustainable tourism, and to preserve the routes for future generations.