Continued with more photos
around 650km long and takes about 25 days to complete,
including rest days. However, there are treks available
to suit every traveller, from a two hour sunset ride, two
days, five or ten days
The Evliya Celebi Way is Turkey's first equestrian
route and was opened to travellers in 2011, a year
dedicated to celebrating Evliya Celebi's life and
work.
The ladies were particularly fortunate to be
accompanied on their journey by Dr Caroline Finkel,
a British historian now resident in Turkey, who is
an expert on Ottoman history and has recently co-
authored a guidebook to the trail.
Rhonda, Margaret and Sue enjoyed a relaxed pace on
their Turkish adventure. They clip clopped through
villages where they were welcomed for `chi' at the
local teahouses and met eager sellers offering them
tubs of pickles and tomato sauces or fresh peaches.
Nights were spent around campfires with villagers
or the local imam, and exploring the ancient cities of
Iznik (Nicea), Bursa and Kutahya.
Each day the riders traversed mountain forests and
farmland and splashed up river streams, meeting
goatherds and farmers along the way. Rhonda says
the horses were a great attraction to the locals so
they often enjoyed the company of the shepherds,
field workers, children and villagers. The people
all knew of Evliya Celebi and were pleased to see
the Australians taking an interest in their famous
ancestor and the history of the region.
A highlight on the last day was following a track
used by local herders from a remote mountain village
of only eight families, to the river valley 300m
below. Sue says the wildflowers in that valley were
untouched by casual visitors.
All regular riders, Sue says the ladies found their Arab
cross mount very responsive and they had a thoroughly
enjoyable two weeks. "Aussies are inveterate trail
riders and they would find the Turkish people so
easy to get along with," she said. "We all enjoyed
the chance to ride through and be immersed in such a
different culture and time."