Explorer of Lycian Way searches new routes

MUĞLA

British-born Turkish citizen Kate Clow, known as the "discoverer of the Lycian Way," resides in Dodurga, a neighborhood along the historic route in the western province of Muğla's Seydikemer district, where she works to establish new hiking trails.

Clow, who came to Türkiye in 1989 and settled in Antalya, explored the region and met with locals to identify the historic Lycian Way. With the sponsorship of a private bank, efforts were made to mark the trail and install signposts, followed by the publication of Clow’s guidebook on the route. As a result of Clow and her nature-loving friends' efforts, the entire historic route was revealed in 1999.

The Lycian Way, which Clowguided for visitors, quickly gained fame, boosting the number of tourists to the area and leading to the opening of guesthouses in villages along the route.

Tired of city life in Antalya, 77-year-old Clow moved three years ago to Dodurga in Seydikemer, a village that also encompasses the approximately 2,000-year-old ancient city of Sidyma. Living among the ancient ruins of the Lycian Way with the village residents, Clow is working to promote the trail, renew the signs and establish new routes known to locals but not mapped, thus unavailable for tourism.

An ancient Lycian settlement

Speaking to state-run Anadolu News Agency, Clow said that her association works to preserve and promote Türkiye's hiking trails and the historical artifacts along them. Expressing her fatigue with city life, Clow said: "I found what I was looking for in Dodurga Village. It’s a Lycian settlement with a rich history. Dodurga is a very rich village. There are various tombs here: Roman tombs, tombs with beautiful paintings under their roofs, and king tombs. It’s a fascinating place. Settlement here continued until the Byzantine period."

Clow also noted the village’s natural beauty, especially during spring, is remarkable. She said she had rented a small village house there, adding: "There are old roads along the edges of villages in the area. Here in Dodurga, six ancient Roman roads converge. I’m trying to discover these paths. We’ve mapped the hiking route from here to Xanthos Ancient City. People can now walk on this new route we opened from Xanthos to here."

Clow mentioned plans to eventually replace all Lycian Way signposts with the support of sponsors. She said the Lycian Way is more comfortable for hiking in spring, with accommodation and camping sites available in each village along the route.

"You can find traditional meals here. You can really see traditional life along this route," she added.

Clow noted that the Lycian Way was originally 509 kilometers long, but with new routes discovered, it has now reached 760 kilometers. She added that approximately 30,000 people, mostly foreigners, hike the Lycian Way annually.