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This walk is not, as you might expect, a method of movement inspired by the ancient inhabitants of the Lycian empire. Rather, it is a 500 kilometre long-distance trekking route along the Lycian coast in Southwest Turkey and one of two long-distance trekking routes that were authorised by the country’s Tourism and Culture Ministry in the 1990s. The Lycian Way opened in 1999, after being researched, designed and mapped out by Kate Clow and Terry Richardson.
Granted, walking all or part of 500 kilometres as a holiday is not everyone’s cup of tea, but there are plenty of people out there for which the idea is fantastic. The land over which the Way crosses is also a spectacular place with a rich history that is an attractive draw to tourism in itself. The Lycian League was a high point in the cultural development of the area which even influenced the formation of the United States constitution. It was a highly democratic federal collection of city-states which sent elected members to a central senate for nearly 500 years, until being conquered by the Byzantine Empire in the 4th century AD.
The coastline over which much of the walk takes place is covered in lush green forest overlooking the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. The ground is rocky and hard under foot, and has many ascents and descents as the path approaches or moves away from the sea. It has been graded medium to hard, and so certain sections may be too much for some, with the easier parts being around the starting point, the popular resort of Fethiye. Highlights include the 12 kilometre long beach at Patara for some sunbathing respite, and the spectacular coastal views above Kas and Kalkan, and many sites of ruins that are of historical interest.
Accommodation is varied, with pensions available along the first part of the route because the area is more populous. Later on, friendly locals may offer you a bed for the night in one of the village houses, or there are plenty of campsites (with access to water) along the way. Getting there is easy, seeing as the area is popular for Turkey holidays with Britons, and tour operators such as Fly Monarch travel to Dalaman airport (about a one and a half-hour bus journey from Fethiye) daily during mid-to-high season.