Hiking the Datça Peninsula 1 (Carian Trail, Turkey)

Posted on April 2, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

Never be so faithful to your plan that you are unwilling to consider the unexpected. Never be so faithful to your plan that you are unwilling to entertain the improbable opportunity that comes looking for you. -Elizabeth Warren

Thru-hiking and rolling up your sleeves to get your hands dirty in a greenhouse? How do those two activities match?

Notes on Slow Travel, the name of this website, speaks for itself and our way of slow travel has never been truer than on the Carian Trail. Having planned ample time for this 850-km-long hike through Southwestern Turkey, we always take up on invitations for tea or to stay at people’s homes.

This time, right after we start hiking the Datça Peninsula, we said ‘yes’ to volunteer in a greenhouse for three days.

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Hiking the Muğla Environs (Carian Trail, Turkey)

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

“Ruins are more beautiful than adorned castles, for ruins are the cathedrals of time.” ~Ben Caesar

When a trail exists of five sections, not all of them can finish at the top of your list. As such, the Muğla Environs Section won’t be our #1 of the Carian Trail. However, don’t scrap it from your list immediately; this trail did have some worthwhile surprises.
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Hiking the Carian Hinterland 2 (Carian Trail, Turkey)

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

“Dogs are not our whole life but they makes our lives whole.” ~Roger Caras

The Carian Hinterland is a 175-km-long hiking trail in Southwestern Turkey and part of the 850-km-long Carian Trail.

In the previous blog post, Carian Hinterland part 1, I described sections of the first half of that trail. Here is part 2, day 6-11. (If you just want the practical information, scroll down to the bottom of this page). Continue reading →

Hiking the Carian Hinterland 1 (Carian Trail, Turkey)

Posted on March 10, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

Hiking the Carian Hinterland, Turkey

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Carian Hinterland is one of the five sections of the 800-km-long Carian Trail that runs through Southwestern Turkey.

If you like the idea of combining hiking and Turkey and you have some two weeks of time, this is our tip: hike the Carian Hinterland. Depending on your level of fitness and speed it may take 8-13 days (we took 11). Simply fly to Bodrum, take a bus to Bozalan and hit the trail. Continue reading →

Turkish Hospitality on the Carian Trail (Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey)

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

“Turkey’s true master is the peasant” ~Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

We have followed a path twisting up through the woods and following a watercourse. On our left side is a wall built of boulders and rocks collected from the adjacent fields. The wall invites us to sit on it, rest our feet for a bit while our sweated shirts dry in the sun. Continue reading →

Hiking the Ceramic Gulf (Carian Trail, Turkey)

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” ~John Muir

After our 10-day hike on the Bozburun Peninsula – our introductory section of the 800-kilometer-long Carian Trail – we returned to Marmaris. We were ready for a day of rest, which prolonged into a three-day stay because of heavy rainstorms.

This gave us plenty of time to sleep, eat proper food, and drink good coffee. We were more than ready for the next stage and swapped our planned Carian Hinterland section for the Bodrum Peninsula (Ceramic Gulf) after we learned that the interior was going to be plagued by an unusual attack of cold weather with freezing temps. Continue reading →

Hiking the Bozburun Peninsula (Carian Trail, Turkey)

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

For the walker the remoteness is ripe for exploration and with a lack of roads the old trails and paths have been cleaned to access every viewpoint across the sea to the Greek islands of Symi and Rhodes. The Trail routes through a diversity of terrain with many changes of scenery and magical views round every corner. There are many traditional villages eking a living from the rugged landscape along with coastal villages catering for the demands of tourism. (From: Carian Trail Guidebook)

What’s there NOT to like about this? So, let’s go!

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Visiting Bayir on the Carian Trail – No Food but Good Company

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

Visiting Bayir

Simplicity and slowness are core components of virtually all the best adventures. Walking is king of both of these. ~Alastair Humphreys

“What do you mean, nobody sells food? We need a meal! We’re hungry,” I gasp.

“Sorry, sorry, only in summer. But I think they have toste (toasted sandwich),” the man hastens to say, pointing at the open-air teahouse, where a waiter is serving Coen Turkish tea as we speak.

What hiker can survive on toasted sandwiches? Not me. Continue reading →

Exploring the Old Town of Marmaris (Turkey)

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Karin-Marijke Vis

Or:

The Weather Obsession Continues

When we wake up, it’s dry. Windy, but dry! That may sound like good news, however, it is terribly frustrating when spending the night in a hotel instead of on the trail based on a weather forecast that predicts continuous rain showers.

Why aren’t we on the 850-km-long Carian Trail?! Continue reading →