War Games Along the Lycian Way
This article may contain affiliate links where I make a small commission for purchases you make from links that you click from this article. By purchasing through these links, you support me at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.
As the light started to filter in through the tent, I heard it. Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug, chug. The even puttering sound was soothing to wake up to, but when my mind woke up and remembered where I was – camping at a remote lighthouse in Türkiye – I was immediately confused.
I should be waking up to birds and maybe a slight breeze with trees rustling gently in the background. But this was the sound of a big boat, dare I say vessel, way down in the water below the cliff we were perched upon. It wasn’t just the sound of one vessel – but many.
I got up and started tearing down my tent while watching the big vessels chug along the Mediterranean below. Warren, Betsy, and I wondered what all of the commotion was about as the boats seemed to be maneuvering in some fashion. For a fleeting moment, Syria popped into my head, and I became aware of how out of touch I’d been while hiking the Lycian Way.
This is normally one of the things I love about hiking – you are completely out of touch; it’s a chance to escape. However, when you wake up to a game of real-life Battleship, it does make you stop and wonder what has been going on in the world!
Thanks to my Telecom Square mifi device I did have an internet connection on my smart phone – so we quickly did a check on world news and found nothing alarming and thankfully didn’t have to break into a Red Dawn reenactment. Instead, we calmly ate our simple breakfast of bread, cheese, and olives and started our hike for the day. We were headed approximately 16 km (10 miles) to the beachside village of Adrasan on the Lycian Way.
Gelidonya Lighthouse to Adrasan
We continued our hike around the peninsula, climbing and descending frequently but nothing too strenuous. I actually enjoyed the rolling ups and downs as it requires you to use different leg muscles. Even though we started early – it was hot in the sun- we also had great shady forests to walk through.
The whole time during our walk, we were serenaded by the war games. They were actually shooting torpedoes and maneuvering. Occasionally, we’d stop and watch them – it was a strange sight to see and hear. Most people never get to witness such a thing outside a movie theater, but here we were in the middle of nowhere, watching the Turkish military practice!
There weren’t many water stops on this route, so I was happy that I had conserved mine the night before. We stopped for a light lunch of fruit and bread and enjoyed the views. The views along the Lycian Way Adrasan were the best I had experienced yet on the Lycian Way. This section is a great small section to do if you are looking for a shorter Lycian Way trek because it was easy to walk from village to village and technically, no camping would be necessary. In fact, we saw a number of hikers along this route.
We descended into Adrasan – a popular yet simple beach resort town for the Turkish. It had a lovely bay and beach, and it was lined with simple hotels and pensions. It was a great location to hang out by the beach, go hiking, or biking. It wasn’t very commercialized at all, and there were no big hotels or high-end places – this was simplicity.
However, we arrived in mid-November when the beach season was dormant, and many of the little hotels and pensions were closed for the season. This seemed to be a common issue if hiking at this time of year. As Warren and I checked out the beach and considered camping there, Betsy went in and negotiated a room for the 3 of us at great off-season rates at the Ön Otel. Yay for hot showers!
The manager, Kareem, was so helpful. He made us a feast for dinner and even got up early to have breakfast ready for our early hiking departure the next day. After my horrible experience with the pension owner in Demre, it was nice to meet Kareem, who was helpful, respectful, and an ambassador to the area! Kareem also informed us that the war games we witnessed on our hike were actually war ‘games.’
The Turkish military practices a couple of times a year and warns all of the locals and fishermen when they are scheduled to do so. So – if you are hiking to the Gelidonya lighthouse expecting to see the battleship games, it’s a pretty rare occurrence and we were just lucky I guess. However, the hike from the lighthouse to Adrasan really doesn’t need anything to make it better – it was probably my favorite stretch of hiking along the Lycian Way so far!
Don’t forget the hiking gear
My top 5 pieces of hiking gear
I love these pants!! They're great for fall/spring, stretchy, water-resistant, and have great pockets! I love the stretchy waistband, as it fits me without having to use a belt.
This is my 'go-to' day pack for hiking. It's got a great hip belt and support. It comes with a rain cover - no need to buy it separately! My favorite feature is the Stow and Go Trekking Pole functionality - you can store and easily get out your hiking poles without taking off your pack! Big water bottle holders and space for a water bladder! The perfect pack!
My favorite hiking boot. I have hiked with them all over the world. Rugged boots with great footbed support. The sole is great for rocky trails, and the color is pretty cute too! Great for hard hikes and thru-hikes.
I don't go on a trip without this harness! It allows me to be hands-free when hiking and snowshoeing. I've also used it while horseback riding. It has saved my neck and back, and it's a secure, healthy way to carry my camera!
10% off coupon code for readers - OTTSWORLD
One Pair (2 Poles) - Ultra Light, Quick Locking, and Ultra Durable
These are a great budget option for hiking poles.
See my list of essential hiking gear I recommend on my Amazon Store
Now *that’s* my kind of trek! Never mind all that soppy flora & fauna. Gimme warships!!!
What an adventurous hike! The battleship was a nice touch! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
The panoramic shot of the bay is beautiful
It looks like you had a great time! Loved the battleship!
I was inspired at your experience and I would like to try this trek with some of my buddies. Thanks for sharing it.
It is good to read you visited Adrasan. Known as an off the beaten track place, many people avoid it in favour of the bigger resorts
Love that Warren and Betsy told me all about this trip on my 2nd podcast episode back in December, and it wasn’t until today’s episode (#27!), with you as a guest, that I saw this post and made the connection. That was fun 🙂