Asian_Geographic_PASSPORT_-_Year_2016_-_2017

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SOPHIE IBBOTSON is an entrepreneur,

writer, and explorer with a passion

for Asia. With her company Maximum

Exposure (www.maximumexposure.

co) she has worked in more than

50 countries.

One of the longest footpaths in Europe
winds its way some 500 kilometres from
Antalya to Lake Egirdir. This is said to
be the route which St. Paul the Apostle
took when he came to Anatolia as a
Christian missionary in the 1st century
AD; it shadows Roman roads and ancient
trading routes much of the way.
The St. Paul Trail has been
developed by the Culture Routes Society,
and it is designed to be completed in
27 days, although many walkers decide
to undertake a shorter section of the
route. Starting at sea level, you climb
steadily to 2,200 metres through shady
forests and open farmlands. In places,
it seems as though the landscapes are
unchanged since the time of St. Paul,
although the villages are undoubtedly
now more developed, and the influx of
hikers, and the income they bring, is
certainly spearheading change.
Southern Turkey bakes in the
summer months, so we began our hike
in late spring, when the countryside was
still green. Our starting point was Perga,
historically the capital of Pamphylia
Secunda, though its acropolis dates
back to the Bronze Age. The city was
the home of the celebrated Greek
mathematician Apollonius, and as you
wander amongst the well-preserved
ruins, it’s easy to see that this was a rich
and cultured place with theatres, baths,
temples, mighty city gates, and striking
monuments, all constructed from creamy
white stone. St. Paul wasn’t preaching
to villagers; he was spreading his
message to cosmopolitan populations,
many of whom would have had
sophisticated theological and political
ideas of their own.
All along the way, you’ll see similar
vestiges of the past: aqueducts and
bridges, some of which still function;
long abandoned cave dwellings; and
beautifully carved stones by the side
of the path, whose details betray their
original positioning in temple walls, as
way markers, or as memorial stones.
Today, these cities have long since
vanished, and only the stones remain.

St. Paul Trail, Turkey

The route feels ancient, and it is remote

and quiet: for long stretches you, unlike

Paul, will have no fellow travellers. Unlike

the more famous Lycian Way, St. Paul

Trail is still largely under developed. You

will need to carry your own food, and

the accommodation is in village houses

and small pensions. When those are in

short supply, it is necessary to camp out

beneath the stars.

But that, really, is part of the

appeal. When you walk the St. Paul

Trail, you become a pilgrim, following

in the footsteps of a man who changed

the religious history of Europe. The

simplicity of the journey, and the ample

opportunities for reflection, are a large

part of its charm. AGP

WHEN

The best time to walk here is in the

spring or autumn.

WHERE

The Culture Routes Society

(www.cultureroutesinturkey.com)

offers both guided and self-guided

tours, for all or part of the route.

HOW

Fly to Istanbul, and take an onward

connection to Antalya, the closest

airport to the start of St. Paul’s Trail.

EXPERIENCE

S T. PAUL T R AIL

TURKEY

Walking Trail

• Antalya


• Adrasan

Lake Egirdir