On The Lycian Way November 2019 Days 1 to 3
Here is my experience of Hiking on The Lycian Way Eastern section. The section between Karaoz and Cirali. I set off in November 2019. The weather was warm and dry.
Day 1 Arriving in Karaoz
Day 1 Karaoz is a collection of pretty, white holiday homes situated on one side of a bay. I stayed in a nice pension (bed and breakfast) with balcony views overlooking the sea. The small village now contains many holiday homes. It has a few general shops and a restaurant. There is a choice of perhaps 3 or 4 pensions to stay in. My hosts were lovely people. The room clean and airy, the shower was hot. The food as always was homecooked and delicious.
Day 2 Karaoz to Adrasan on The Lycian Way
Total time 7 hours walking, allow 8.5 hours from Karaoz.
This was toa 23Km hike. I had a full pack on my back. Most of our guests will only be starting this section from Melanippe Beach. This is 6kms further along the route. My kind host offered me a lift which was gratefully accepted. That was until he got a motorbike out of his garage!
My Turkish was not good enough to explain that just getting on was going to a problem. An arthritic hip means that my flexibility is not what it once was. Added to that I had a heavy pack on my back. Nevertheless, after a few attempts and some help by standing on a few bricks, I made it onto the bike. The path through the forest was good for hiking. Wide and relatively flat. The many potholes meant it was not so good for two on a motorbike. The bike’s suspension was severely tested but somehow we made it.
From Melanippe Beach the remaining hike is 17kms. A yellow Lycian Way marker sign and further sign for the Gelidonia Lighthouse was my start point. The route turns left off the forest track and climbs steadily to the lighthouse. I had set off at 8.15am & reached the lighthouse at 9.30 am after a steady climb. The location and history of the lighthouse was very interesting.
From the lighthouse route rises from the lighthouse on stony path. There are great views out to sea. The Lycian Way is well marked and starts to descend through old pine forest. It is not a dense forest but it does offer shade. Important to hikers in warmer months. It rises again on rocky path before finally I reached my destination. Adrasan is a small and popular holiday resort. In November it was empty but a few pensions and hotels were still open. I stayed in a small hotel approx. 1 km from the pretty beach. It was a well-equipped, modern room and food, sea bass for dinner was excellent.
Day 3 Adrasan to Cirali on The Lycian Way
Total time 7hours walking, allow 8 hours to spend time to see The Olympus ruins.
The days hike is basically a climb to the pass of Musa Dag ( Moses Mountain ) and return to sea level. I set off from Adrasan at 8.30 am and passed a pretty river with restaurants and seating over the river.
The route passes through some small farms and greenhouses before you start ascending the mountainside. The path is well marked and takes you up through pine forest with pleasant smells around you and clean mountain air. It’s a 31/2 hour climb with great views on reaching the pass. The route then descends gradually at first to the stone ruins of Phoenikos. It then winds down through dense forest undergrowth before coming out to the spectacular ruins of Olympus. Well worth spending the time to explore. Finally, you will reach the pretty beach at Cirali.
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