Walks
around Adrasan Cavus-Bay
NORTH COVE and on to SAZAK BAY
The route to "North Cove"
(see map) is started by crossing over the river
just up the road from Gelidonya Hotel / Arikanda River
Garden. (Also the starting point for
the waymarked Lycian Way towards Olympos)
Alternatively start up the track passing Felix
bar at the north end of Adrasan Cavus Bay beach.
The tractor track then heads back towards the
coast climbing immediately above/behind the river
restaurants. |
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After about 15 minutes a track can be
seen going down to the
"North Cove" (see
right).
After a while the track peters out at the
head of a dried river gulley near a
disused mine entrance. Look out for a
well trodden bit of track sometimes
waymarked with stones - it crosses over
the gulley and down the (west) side - a
bit loose and tricky and remember to note
the way back! |
Back on the tractor track the route
continues to : |
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 SAZAK
BAY (more images: 1 , 2)
(Length: From Cavus the walk takes about three hours each
way at a reasonable pace so take supplies with you. Also
it's probably too hot to take from June thro' Sept'.)
For Sazak just keep following this
tractor track ignoring the minor tracks that branch off -
about half way along the North side of Cavus bay the
track heads inland and crosses over the peninsular
through a disused meadow area then heads down to Sazak
alongside a river (bed) - reminded me a bit of Derbyshire
on a rare dry day!.
From the east end of Sazak Bay there are said to be
tracks across to
SHEPHERD'S BAY where there are overgrown
ancient ruins.
Rather than go to Sazak there is a branch in the tractor
track just before the 'meadow area' that doubles back
towards the DIVE CAVES . The easterly
branch reaches a rocky headland from where Water Island
can be seen in the distance and the westerly branch heads
towards a cove (which I think is known as 'Paradise
Beach' ). The tractor track is a bit uneven in places but
no big hurdles.
ADRASAN (CAVUS-BAY) SOUTH COVE (more images: 1 , 2)
Take the dirt road from the Ford Hotel around the
headland for about 10 minutes and there is a small cove
near the fishing boat moorings. The beach is stones and
small shale but once in the sea the sea bed is soft
silvery sand often with many small fish and shellfish.
From here, taking 1 hour each way, the route starts to
the:
CAVUS BAY LIGHT HOUSE
There is a track through the woods to the lighthouse at
the southeast corner of Cavus Bay but most people fail to
find it because they try to get there from the end of the
dirt road above where the small fishing boats are moored.
The trick is to start above the corner of the cove before
the moorings - climb three metres up the dry river bed
and find the track running along the "cliff"
above the road.
A large rock at the river bed near the road has "L.H."
faintly marked on it with an arrow.
  MINE HILL TRACK
Length: 1.5 hours to the hilltop
Follow the dirt road from the Ford Hotel and you will
soon see the start of a track that doubles back above/behind
the Ford (Bay View)
Click: Panoramic view of Adrasan
from the top
The track winds its way to the top of the hill for a view
of the open sea.
At the top follow the track to the right for an extra 45
minutes or so where it suddenly stops at a mound of rock.
Work carefully along the hillside for 50metres for a
great view of Water Island.
 FARM
(formerly touristic camel farm)
Length: One hour each way.
Start walking inland from Tonguslu Restaurant up the valley
passing Cengis & Osmanli Hotels and then Rahmi's
timber Hostal eventually joining the dirt road that starts
near Blue Bay Pansiyon. The road - part of the Lycian Way -is on a ridge between two
river valleys and is in reasonably good condition but the farm is no longer in use.
The Lycian Way runs through the farm and continues up the
hill to view the sea in 1hr then on to Kara Oz (6 hours?).
HILL MEADOW WITH VIEW OF ADRASAN VILLAGE
Try a short part of the Lycian Way in the Olympos direction.
A very pleasant mostly easy going well trodden track up
to a plateau with a view of the whole of Adrasan village
and the hills behind in the Kumluca direction (about 1.5hrs
from the bay). Follow the red&white waymarks
alongside the river up from Gelidonya Hotel (at north end
of the bay) until some greenhouses and then cross over on
the stepping stones. At right angles to the river a road
then runs between greenhouses - then the only tricky bit
- cross the field alongside the last greenhouse and step
over a narrow mountain stream to find the path up to the
meadow plateau alongside the mountain stream (field &
crossing not well marked). Once there just a friendly
shepherd with inquisitive sheep and a cow or two! Return
the same way or for longer route drop down the hillside
track to the Olympos side of Adrasan and follow the roads
back thro' the village (probably 2hrs to the bay).
ADRASAN
VILLAGE
Length: One and a half hours each way (with
a long stop at Ramazan's Bar in the
village in between! Also try excellent
chicken kebab at fast food restaurant.)
Take the tarmac road from the centre of
Cavus bay (Atici Hotel) or alternatively
from north end of bay near the river
restaurants. Many tomato greenhouses on
each route. The first one passes a small
mosque about half way and the remains of
a castle on the left above the road. |
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Both ways lead to the Sunday travelling
market. 
From the market, carry on right over the
river bridge towards the village.
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The village has mosque, tailor, doctor,
pharmacy, barber, hardware
store, Jandarma, fast food , Post Office ,
mini markets, ATM , patisserie, tea rooms and bars. |
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A short distance up the road past
Ramazan's (route to Kumluca) is the
desirable area to buy a property.
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 ...........Further afield...........
PHASELIS
Details of route in Sunflower book, "Landscapes of
Turkey: Around Antalya", by Eileen and Brian
Anderson, who live in the Kemer area.
Take the morning Antalya dolmus and get off at the start
of Çamyuva town area on the main road (Çamyuva Town
sign). Walk back along the main road until the river and
then follow river track down to coast - then around the
headlands and coves into Phaselis. The route is waymarked
(this is part of the Lycian Way).
There's plenty to see -- the marble avenue, amphitheatre
and aquaduct, plus superb beaches and ancient small
harbour - all a protected area so no hotels/bars/restaurants
only a snack kiosk.
To return, take the Phaselis entrance/exit road back up
to the main road and wait for the return late afternoon
dolmus (I don't know if it will be same driver but if it
is, it might be possible to get him to look for you!).
 OLYMPOS
AND ULUPINAR
There is a very limited minibus service up to the Antalya Highway (Ana Yol)
northerly Adrasan junction so it is probably best to take a taxi from the "dolmus & taxi cabin"
at the centre of bay (near
Blue Bay Bar) or the cabin adjacent River Garden Restaurant.
The minibus route passes the turn off for Olympos
so a leisurely walk is possible, or catch the Olympos
dolmus. Here you can search for the ancient ruins hidden
in the undergrowth and visit 'turtle beach'. Also see the
treehouses popular with 'backpackers'.
The Lycian Way walk to Olympos from Cavus takes 6-8 hours
and not really suitable for for the hot summer months.
Take the Antalya dolmus until the Antalya Highway
junction and stay on to the next junction for Ulupinar
then walk down to the river restaurants for a
very good value amazing trout meal.
CHIMEARA
 This
is one for nightime - something not to be missed -
'FIRE MOUNTAIN' and best done by taking a taxi or hotel
trip. Again on the route of the Lycian Way not far from Ulupinar
and is now slightly commercialised with a constructed
path of stone steps to reach the natural gas flames
emerging from the rocks. Take a torch and some flat shoes
with non slip soles and be prepared for many steps! Don't
stay too long as there seems to be quite a lot of partly
combusted gas fumes about.
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