Tools

I will mention here a few key tools in preparing the digital packing:

• GraphHopper - This is a very useful routing website. Really well done. The only two “problems” are: It only saves data to GPX files so these require a conversion step to use as KML. Also from time to time it reveals data errors in the underlying maps (which is not its fault of course). As an example a track might not meet a junction leaving a gap so it routes around half the world instead of doing what looks completely obvious. When creating the LW track I used the Hiking form of transport and the TF Outdoors map layer which includes contours and looks very good. I have used this extensively for long distance cycling routes and been highly impressed with the results.
• GPSVisualizer - This is an excellent (indeed comprehensive and clever) companion tool like a sort of Swiss Army knife for mapping data. My primary uses for it are: Converting GPX to KML. Adding 5km waypoints. Building a profile of a track.
• GPS Prune - this is quite a neat little package that runs locally on Mac and Windows. Can be used for conversions, simplifying data and looking at the results. On Mac it runs as a Java app.
• Basecamp. I really do not like Garmin’s bloated and clunky tool. Even on the Mac the interface is as ugly as sin. However to be marginally fair it does do a couple of useful things. One of which is that you can choose the Icon for Waypoints which then appears in the GPS. At least it does IF you happen to choose one that is available in your particular model (otherwise they default to Blue Flags). Many people quite like this tool as it does lots of stuff (most of which you can do yourself with less fuss using other methods). But if you want to minimise the amount you need to learn then this is your one stop shop for all things Garmin GPS. The KML files it produces are not especially elegant.
• calibre seems to be the ebook/Kindle library management tool of choice. Again the interface leaves a lot to be desired but it does the job. The primary job being to store all ebooks/documents and pump them out to a Kindle.
• Maps.Me is less of a tool to create data and more a tool to use it on iPhone (and Android). With two notable exceptions.Firstly if you import a KML file to MM then edit it slightly (eg a small name change), then export it out again it will then be in the proper MM format. This means that externally made edits (ie changing the colour of certain pins en masse) will “stick” when the file is reimported. So it forms a very handy step on the way to a fully functional KML file.
  
  Secondly it allows you to record places in situ and then save/share the results for use elsewhere.
• Lastly you need a decent editor. And on the Mac my editor of choice is TextWrangler. This is much more powerful than I really know what to do with. Still with XML documents (GPX and KML being examples) it colours the text to make sense of the syntax and allows expanding and collapsing of various levels. Importantly it also has very (as in VERY) powerful search and replace functions using grep-style regular expressions. I wouldn’t be without it*.
• All of this stuff ends up on Dropbox which is well integrated into MacOS and iOS and comes with it’s own tools and tricks. Amongst these are the inbuilt text editor (Hint: to edit a KML file on the fly you need to rename Track.kml to Track.txt, edit it then rename it back again).

* This ends with macOS 10.13.4 at which point one must move to BBEdit from the same team.

Navigation

Waymarking is in Red and White

Different scales require different strategies

• A trip overview (500km) might be done on paper
• The next few days worth (50km) could be comfortably viewed on a tablet
• The next hour (from 5km down to 500m) can be done easily on a phone
• The next few steps (between 50m and 5m) requires looking at the terrain, waymarks and the path itself

These are the strategies I will adopt on this trail:

Plan A: Waymarking. For the most part I expect it will be quite an easy trail to follow and adequately signposted. But it appears that there are areas of low (and scratchy) scrub where finding the path is both more difficult and more important. Update: It was pretty easy for 98% of the time.

Plan B: iPhone with the Maps.Me app loaded with all the Tracks and Waypoints I have prepared. This is especially useful for looking up things that are ahead on the trail or calculating a quick distance-till-lunch/camp. Update: The track I had loaded was about 95% in agreement with the facts in the ground. Where these differed I went with the marked trail. 

Plan C: Garmin GPS turning it on/off whenever I need it. Used that way (30x2mins per day) I can get over three weeks use out of one set of AA batteries. I will carry a spare set. It is one of the two main reasons I still have this device which I otherwise find limited and whose software is irritatingly badly designed. That said it is robust and waterproof enough to use it where I’d rather not use the phone. And for the little I demand of it it works well enough. As as it is now 6 years old it is starting to owe me rather less. I load OSM maps to it directly. And carry a spare microUSB card with a backup copy of the files/maps. Update: I only turned on the GPS twice just to confirm it was all working. If it had rained more I might have used it more often. 

Plan D: I have a compass in my Suunto watch and there is the sun and most likely there is a great big sea on one side. This would be adequate to get back to a place to regroup.

Plan E: Sometimes you just need to ask! Especially if local weather conditions are difficult or dangerous.

Update: I did encounter one young guy walking the trail armed only with a compact German description. This is of very limited value and gives no mental overview of where the route goes. Crucially it was inadequate for both planning water and resupply. Of course it was completely useless once one was already off the described route. Foolish and potentially dangerous. I hope he managed somehow, but he was certainly making life difficult for no good reason. 

Trail Signage

Water

Water availability (or the lack thereof - see Hazards) is one thing, but water quality is also important. Where necessary I will use the following purification methods:

• Drink tea - Or in other words boil the water. This also has intrinsic benefits, amongst which slowing you down is high on the list.
• Tablets - I have some dubiously aged Micropur tablets and some dubiously tasting regular Puritabs. The advantage of these being that there is negligible weight involved. The former are certainly past the “best before” date and the latter taste like a used public swimming pool. Still both may be better than nothing in a pinch
• Sawyer filter - this is a new addition. It is very light and I am unlikely to get through the 400,000 litres that it can apparently process. In other words its lifetime is certainly longer than mine (especially if it doesn’t work as advertised!)

Aside from the large number (124 or so) of points I have already marked as water sources, there are also Mosques, which always have water. Failing that ask at a house.

Shepherds may also know of water sources if you find yourself far from habitation and running low. Running low is definitely a situation to avoid at all costs. At the end of the hike I will update all this and in particular detail any significant gaps between water points.

Digital Packing

I will put a bunch of files in the Downloads section.

These have taken a while to put together, but I am getting quicker with practice and experience. All of the Documents are loaded to Dropbox in a logical structure, and backed up. 

Finally they loaded to their respective devices:

• Kindle Paperwhite - PDF documents and books to read
• Garmin eTrex 20 GPS - Maps for all the countries on this journey. GPX files for Tracks and Waypoints
• iPhone 5s - KML files for Tracks and Waypoints, PDFs for reference and reading (including a Profile of the trail)
• iPad Mini 2 - Same as the iPhone. Used for overview and planning but not taken on the trail

Tracks

The tracks are taken from the Lycian Way path as marked on Open Street Maps (OSM). Wherever it is not 100% accurate I will go with whatever is marked on the ground and attempt to record the differences where these are material.

Waypoints

The waypoints are a considerable mixture. Some are recorded by friends who have done it already and recorded where they camped. Others are from websites, and others I created from OSM. A notable example of the latter is one file with every water source that I could find, so that I have an explicit “pin” for each point. As I progress along the trail I intend to record camping places and any significant water sources that are not already marked.

Apps

I have installed the TrailSmart App and set it to the Lycian Way. It appears to contain a wealth of information and will be a useful supplement to my regular mapping app.

My normals apps (iOS) include: Maps.Me, Kindle, Acrobat Reader and Dropbox. 

SIM

I intend to get a TurkCell Sim card with a data package to be able to stay in touch with a few friends. I’ll put my regular SIM into a spare little plastic Nokia 108, just as a backup and for any occasions when I need to receive an SMS on that specific phone. Assuming it does roam there. TurkCell seem to be the best deal as far as I can tell at this stage. I will get it once I arrive in Antalya.

Downloads

Here are the links to zipped bundles of files to download.

1 Download KML files for your phone (originals)*

2 Download updated KML files for your phone**

3 Download GPX files for your GPS (originals only)^

4 Download PDF files for your eReader~

5 Download Profile as a PDF~

* I use an iPhone 5s but what mostly matters here is that your app accepts KML files. These are designed to work best with Maps.Me. 

** This contains updates to the Track, 5km markers, My Campsites and Water. I suggest you download both 1 and 2, then choose the additional files from 2 which you require. I would recommend at least using the updated Water file. 

^ I use a Garmin eTrex 20 GPS, but these files should work on most GPSs. They have a maximum of 500 trackpoints per track as per Garmin's limitation.

~ I load the PDF files to both my Kindle Paperwhite and iPhone. The PDF experience on the Kindle is not an undiluted joy.

Packing

This has been updated with what I actually took. 

• Luggage
  Crux AK70 70-litre dry bag pack, Quechua 2-litre pouch, sunglass pouch, food packs, clothing packs, multiple sizes of plastic ziplock bags
• Documents
  Passport, Visa form (printed). Flight tickets, Bank cards, cash, Passport photos, Health Insurance card, Notebook and pen
• Camping
  Tarptent Contrail with extra pegs, 3/4 length Therarest Ultralight self-inflating mattress, Exped summer sleeping bag 
• Cooking
  MSR Superfly gas stove head, Primus 1.8-litre pot with built-in heat exchanger, 600ml titanium cup, plastic cup, plastic knife, fork and spoon, can opener, lighters x 4, matches, drying up cloth
• Clothing
  Quechua Shorts and Long trekking pants, Underwear x 3, Trekking T-shirts x 2, Light fleece, Buffs x 3, Sun Hat, Beanie, Gloves, Ultralight Down jacket, Goretex hardshell jacket, running shorts for swimming
• Footwear
  Scapa R-Evolution Pro GTX boots, lightweight sandals, Salomon X-Ultra non-Goretex (stored in Antalya), five pairs of wool socks (two pairs worn at a time, plus one for nighttime)
• Health and hygiene
  Toothbrush and toothpaste, Tissues, Baby wipes, First aid kit, Pharmacy, Sunscreen, Insect repellant, Tick removal tool, Magnifying glass, Tweezers, Scissors, small bar of soap, small trek towel
• Technology
  iPhone 5s, Garmin eTrex 20 GPS, Kindle Paperwhite, Canon S95 camera, batteries for camera and GPS, cables, SD cards, Power banks x 3, earphones x 2
  Stored in Antalya: iPad Mini 2, Kingston travel router, spare charger, spare cables, spare earphone, extra Power bank
• Gear
  Headlamp, Opinel knife, Trekking poles, misc cord and 3 small carabiners, repair kit for mattress, duct tape (wrapped around a pole), Sawyer mini water filter

Additional to the above is food, water and fuel. 
Before and After comments follow:

Food

Hopefully it will never be necessary to carry more than 2-3 days of food for most of the trail. If you eat in villages, cafes, restaurants etc. perhaps not even that.
The reality was that I carried 5 days supplies at the start and was very glad of it. The maximum I carried was 6 days supplies for the last section from Çıralı to the end. A bit later in the season and more places might have been open in the early stages, but then it would have been hotter so you would need more water instead.

Water

On the other hand it would be very unwise to skimp on water.
Water was generally available at all the marked sources, and during the day I rarely carried more than a litre. Approaching a camp with uncertaian supply I would add 4 litres for overnight needs, but never carried this very far. Water will also be more accessible if you carry the required gear (see Hazards).

After carrying up to 12 litres (every third day) through the Negev desert in Israel, it was relatively easy to cope with the requirements here. That's the benefit of pushing the comfort zone out a bit from time to time.

Fuel

For fuel I will use gas canisters. These are available in both Antalya and Fethiye and apparently other towns along the way. My stove (MSR Superfly) is indifferent to which canister type (screw or click) is available.

Finding fuel in Antalya was not quite as easy as I had been lead to believe. I eventually found a good supply in a big Bauhaus (near a Decathlon store) so to be safe I took two 500g canisters. I definitely bought gas in Kaş and in Çıralı. I might also have bought some in Demre, and I certainly noted at least two outlets. All of these were screw type canisters. Decathlon in Antalya had gas by the time of my return visit.

Hazards

Water is is probably the number one issue that requires preparation and vigilance. You will need to know your consumption, know where sources are, have the capacity (physical and storage) to carry enough and treat it appropriately. It is a good idea to have a light cord for lowering a bottle into a cistern.

Number two must be injuries due to tripping over on the rough sections or indeed over any number of ancient ruins one might come across. It is worth having a decent crepe bandage in your First Aid kit.

Number three is probably sunburn and (for those hiking too close to summer) heatstroke. There are a few things to take care of here: Hike within your capacity, keep well hydrated, rest in the shade where possible, hike at cooler times of day, use wet cloth and hats effectively, and add electrolytes to your drinking water. In some places an umbrella would be effective, but unfortunately in many others... not so much. 

There may be dogs in some places. Poles are useful for many reasons and their use as a defensive mechanism is just one of them. Two poles are so much better than one, but one is a lot better than nothing (and indeed in some terrain can be the preferred option).

Achtung indeed!

Scorpions! It is generally a good life habit to empty one’s footwear of unwanted wildlife before putting them on. This is especially true where there might be scorpions. I generally store my boots upside down outside the tent in the vestibule. On this trip I might consider bringing them in overnight. 

And where there are scorpions there might also be snakes. So those sensors in your head need to be switched ON. This comment is especially aimed at those coming from Iceland/Ireland/New Zealand/the Arctic. Please see my Scottish National Trail blog for what happens if you fail to do that.

Last, but by no means least, there is that most dangerous animal the human. Amongst whom the most frequently hazardous is... oneself!

Post-hike update
I saw no scorpions and only two snakes in a month. One was a very thin green-grey one before Kalkan and the other a substantial black snake in the ruins of Olimpos. Apparently both are harmless.

Dogs were rarely a problem, and even then it was more bark than bite. It’s good to respect the ones that are just doing their job guarding goats.

Water availability was not a problem, but did require forethought and planning.

The most tiring sections were those where the terrain demanded the greatest concentration in foot placement. The 2-3 hours before Kalkan being a case in point.

Logistics

Sunset from Antalya looking at the hills you will reach in the last week. 

I am assuming a West to East direction, and that the reader is visiting Turkey from elsewhere. The logistics are very simple:

• Get to the start: Fly to Istanbul. Fly to Dalaman. Bus to Fethiye.
• Walk from Fethiye to Geyikbayiri. Hitchhike to Antalya.
• At the end: Fly to Istanbul from Antalya. Fly home. Optionally spend time in Istanbul en route.

However...

Having said that, it turns out that I am going to do something quite different. As I will be on an extended and somewhat indefinite journey, I will fly to Antalya, stay for a couple of nights, leave some travel stuff at the hostel for later in the journey and then take a bus to Fethiye from Antalya. The bus takes only 4 hours via the mountain route. The coast route is longer, and I would rather see it when on the trail itself.

Istanbul has two widely separated airports. Therefore it is worth choosing flights that both arrive and leave from Ataturk airport (the main international airport). Otherwise it is a lengthy trip between the two (one in Europe, the other in Asia) and means an overnight stop is inevitable in most cases. 

I am allowing 5 hours between my flights. Being on different airlines, they are not connected. This should be ample time to arrive, pass through immigration*, collect baggage and then check in to the onward flight. 

An alternative transit time of 2h:40m might well be fine right up to the moment that the first flight departs an hour late. This seems like a recipe for getting stressed for the first flight and potentially missing the second one. The adaptation to slowing down and taking one’s time might as well start on the first day.

* There is a very simple and clear online visa process. Many people will get a 90-day multiple entry tourist visa to be used within a 180-day period. It costs about $20.

Update: This went entirely as planned, though the wait in Istanbul airport was tedious and not especially comfortable. Getting into the centre of Antalya is quite simple by tram (I think it’s daytime only) or by bus. 

However you need a scannable card to pay for a bus or tram ride (which I hadn’t realised). I was very lucky and a kind local person paid for me on the bus (about €0.50). 

I did not see where one could buy the disposable (but rechargeable - three times) travel cards at the airport. During daytime there might be a kiosk, but my flight had landed late at 22:00. 

In town these cards can only be refilled at kiosks which close at 6pm. This is not very user friendly. The automatic machines only recharge permanent cards. There is one 150m south of Ismetpaşa tram stop, near where the two tram lines are closest to each other. 

Getting to Fethiye was simplicity itself. I took a “new tram” to Otogar station. I found a bus leaving at 10am and was there by 2pm (30TL).

Hitching back from the trail head at Geyikbayiri was relatively quick - maybe a 15 minute wait then a 45 minute ride to Antalya.

So that only leaves you the walking section to deal with...

Planning

Spring Flowers

I plan to walk this trail in Spring specifically to catch the flowers. This was on the advice of a friend who walked it in December a few years ago. I plan to start in mid March and finish in mid April. 

I am hopeful this will work well as far as the weather is concerned. The temperatures should be up to 18-23º in the daytime and down to 8-12º at night. This would be ideal. 

In summer it would be much too hot. Additionally you would need more water just at the time when there are fewer sources. Autumn also sounds like a good time, but in Spring there is a higher chance that water sources actually have water in them.

The walk is meant to take about 27-30 days. I am looking forward to an unhurried time.  It would be an understatement to say “there is plenty to see along the way”. 

It seems like a good idea to have some knowledge of what one is looking at , so I am reading Freya Stark’s “The Lycian Shore” as part of my preparation.

Profile of the Lycian Way from Fethiye (L) to Gayikbayiri (R)

Just a quick glance at the profile tells me that it is better to walk West to East. The first half is flatter than the second. Also I would rather have the afternoon sun behind me, though the importance of this rises with higher temperatures and longer days. A final reason is that the Guide Book describes it that way. Probably not a coincidence.

Update: see My Top Tips for some comments on Timing and Direction. I started on the 12th March and finished in the 12th April.