USA Turkish Times - Three spring walks on the Lycian Way

Three spring walks on the Lycian Way

Looking across the bay from Antalya, I can see the Beydağlar peaks silhouetted in white against the translucent blue sky. Below the snowline, deep wooded valleys and bare limestone slopes rise above the holiday resorts of Göynük and Kemer. Here, 530 kilometers from its start at Ölü Deniz, the Lycian Way walking trail descends from the peaks to meet the civilization on the coast. The Lycian Way follows Greek and Roman roads and aqueducts, traditional nomad trails and forest tracks around the bump of the Tekke peninsula on the south coast between Fethiye and Antalya, rising over ranges and diverting around deltas. We waymarked the trail in red and white paint flashes every 100 meters, and a guide book with map keeps you on track. Take a break from the trail in new tourist honey pots with beer and comfortable beds. In spring rather than tackle the snow-clad peaks or damp forests, you can sample the route from Üçağız, a charmingly picturesque fishing village, or Kaş, a rapidly expanding harbor town, by taking day walks on the trail. By taking a taxi to a start point, you can walk back to your pension along a waymarked route, without traversing the same ground twice. This area was the heart of the Lycian civilization and the routes take you past many stone relics of the past.

Phellos to Kaş -- six hours

About 750 meters above Kaş is the hilltop site of Phellos, where a huge sculpted relief of a bull shows the skill of ancient artists, and massive tombs, carved out of solid stone, must have been the resting place of kings. The site, partly cleared and surveyed, commands views to the Greek islands and is the starting point for a steep descent to the resort town of Kaş.

Take a taxi from Kaş to the forestry observation tower on the end of the ridge above Pinarbaşı and walk from here on a dirt track leading southwest, keeping right of the ridge. After a kilometer, you’ll see the red and white Lycian Way markers on your left, leading up a narrow track to the site. At the signpost, turn right along the ridge to explore the site, passing tombs and walls on your way to the tombs and bull; return to the same point.

The Lycian Way runs down the steep slope to the village of Çukurbağ, reaching the village at the upper mosque, by a spring inset with carved Byzantine stones. Walk down through the village to the lower mosque and turn left onto a tractor track, which winds across the level, sometimes muddy, plain, toward the left-hand dip on the skyline. The sea and civilization below is a memory -- until you suddenly reach the rim of the hairpin descent to Kaş, and look down. An old, paved path descends in myriad hairpins to meet the main road just above the town. Cross over, and walk through the backstreets to the town center.

On Kale Tepesi, a hilltop west of the village of Kiliçli, are the ruins of Apollonia, a well-fortified Lycian site which was occupied for about 1,500 years. On the summit is an Hellenistic period fortress enclosed inside a newer perimeter wall, and, below, a fifth century church, and the massive, superbly worked stones of an early Lycian building of about the fourth century B.C.

Take a taxi from Üçağız to the new mosque in Kiliçli village. A village road continues to a ridge, where you can branch right and walk up goat tracks to the ruins. Circle the ruins of the city walls anticlockwise, through the necropolis, and climb up through undergrowth, past the tiny theatre and the still-standing church to the acropolis above. After exploring and admiring the view, descend the hill aiming for a dirt road leading southeast toward a dip in the skyline, over which you can see the sea. From here, you can follow Lycian Way markings downhill, first on mule tracks, then on footpaths into the ruins of Aperlae. Aperlae, the port of Apollonia, is a delightful site, where ancient stone tombs guard a shallow, windy bay; below the waves the quays are still visible. Behind the cottages at the head of the bay, the Lycian Way continues across the flat isthmus toward a fenced boathouse, where beer, fresh fish suppers and a boat back to Üçağız await you.

Kapaklı to Sidyma and Üçağız -- five to six hours

Simena was one of the smallest of Lycia’s cities, and its sloping site was partly drowned as a result of an earthquake. Subsequently a medieval castle was built on the site, followed by a modern village. The result is a charming collection of jetties and tombs in the water, with restaurants and pensions above, criss-crossed with ancient staircases leading to the well-preserved castle. From the jetties, you can take a fishing-boat back to Üçağız. Take a taxi or bus to the village of Kapaklı, which is on the road to Myra. Here, an old road leads diagonally southeast, downhill toward the sea. Part-way down you will pick up the Lycian Way -- here, turn right and follow the marks across rough, stony fields on the sea side of the village. Turn left past a well and continue downhill, following a winding path to a large level area. Turn right, walking up the center of the terraces through a gap to another open field. The path strikes off into the undergrowth on the left of the terraces, then runs with a wall on the left as far as a couple of ruined houses at the head of an inlet. Beyond is a boathouse, and from there a clear waterside path leads to more open terraces. On the left is a second castle, and further on the remains of a Roman watchtower. You’ll soon glimpse a flag atop Simena’s castle -- at the graveyard, you can either turn left and walk up to the castle and the village beyond it, or you can turn right and follow the wide stony track back to Üçağız.

Lycian history

The Lycians were originally a client state of the Hittite Empire, established in central Anatolia about 1,800 B.C. Pushed southwards by new invaders, they intermixed with Greek settlers and established an artistic, wealthy culture, supplementing farming and fishing with mercenary warfare -- Lycian contingents fought at Troy and Salamis. After Alexander’s death (323 B.C.), the Seleucids and then the Romans ruled Anatolia, but allowed the Lycians, now Greek speaking, freedom to form a unique democratic league. After centuries of prosperity, by the sixth century most of the population had succumbed to plague and Arab pirates. The Lycian peninsula lay almost deserted until the arrival of the Turks in the 15th century.

Fingertip facts

Location: Üçağız or Kaş on the central Mediterranean coast between Fethiye and Antalya.

When to go: March - May for spring flowers and migrating birds.

Access: From Antalya, coastal bus or drive to Kaş. Daily bus runs Kaş-Üçağız.

Pensions: Kaş has many waterside pensions -- try the Hideaway Hotel, 0242 836 1887 or the smarter Ferah hotel, 0242 8363062. In Üçağız, the friendly Emin pension, 0242 8742064, the waterside Kekova, 0242 8742259. In Simena, the timber Mehtap pension 0242 8742146.

Restaurants: Many waterside restaurants in Üçağız and Simena with generous open buffets and fresh salads. Fish, as usual, is expensive. Kaş has far more variety.

Simena: YTL 4 admittance

Web site, maps and books: www.lycianway.com has latest information on the route; you can order the guide book and map “The Lycian Way” from the books and maps page.

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