THE KACKAR | Upcountry hiking guide

hiking guide

The Kackar Mountains are part of the Pontic Alps, a glaciated, granite mountain range which hugs the south coast of the Black Sea, extending from the Caucasus towards Istanbul. The mountain range is lushly wooded on the north, with pines succeeded at lower levels by chestnut, hornbeam and beech trees, with tea plantations and hazlenut groves spilling down towards the waves. The contrasting southern slopes are patched by summer pastures where black bulls graze and lakes, springs and streams are plentiful and clear.

This 2nd edition of the guidebook and map describe over 30 days of trekking on eight major routes around the Kackar National Park. The guide includes comprehensive historical and cultural details of the area and clear colour photographs. It includes a two-sided full colour contour map with access to downloadable GPS data.

The guidebook contains a new section on the unique flora of the area. It describes 7 day-walks and 8 multi-day treks crossing the main range of the Pontic Alps and subsidiary ranges, with altitudes up to 3900m. Full logistical information is included, with additional material and updates on the website www.cultureroutesinturkey.com.

Kate Clow is the originator of the Lycian Way, Turkey's first long-distance walking route, and the St Paul Trail, in the Taurus mountains. She is British/Turkish and has been exploring Turkey's mountains for 20 years. She is now head of the Culture Routes Society, a Turkish charity dedicated to making new routes, preserving old roads and assisting villagers along the routes to benefit from sustainable tourism. She has been walking in various seasons in the Kackar since 1992 and knows the people, old roads and monuments and the mountains well.

Chris Gardner is a botanic guide and author of 'The Plant Hunters', a history of plant exploration. He is married to a Turkish botanist from the Black Sea and knows intimately the flora of these remarkable mountains. He leads botanic tours for Greentours.