ESSEX TO FETHIYE TURKEY MARCH-APRIL

Gordyman

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
May 20, 2010
Messages
674
Reaction score
0
Location
ESSEX ENGLAND
I have been sorting my diary in what is a busy year ahead for me and I have managed to arrange a 20 day period for a decent bike ride. I have a mate who lives in Fethiye Mugla which is in the S.West corner of Turkey. This will be a return journey consisting of about a two day stop over before saddling up and riding back home

That’s the good bit but unfortunately the timing is not perfect weather wise as my 20 days will be from 22 March to 10 April. My aim therefore is to try and develop a route that will be the most practicable considering the time I am going. To this end I am thinking of riding through Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria into Turkey and on to Mugla. I have decided to go through Holland as I am going to get the ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.

This route, as far as I can see from poring over my maps is one that I believe will enable me to keep as far as I can to the lower altitudes so as to avoid the highest passes and as such road closures and worst of the weather especially snow and ice.

Once across the Turkish border I am considering two possible route alternatives:-
One via Istanbul which is a more inland route to my final destination of Fethiye.
Or to go via Izmir which will involve a ferry at Canakke. This route will mean that most of my route in Turkey will be nearer the coast.

I am aware that document wise I will also need to sort green card, visa and international license none of which I don't anticipate being a problem. I already have my health insurance and checked that it covers Turkey. So other than these I don’t think that I have missed anything else.

I am not asking for detailed routes as I can sort the detail myself, but before I start to study my maps and plan all these finer details I thought it would be a good idea to seek out any wise advice, tips and views on my initial plans above.

As always your responses, wise, witty or otherwise will be very much appreciated (unfortunately going at a different time of the year is not an option for me:nenau).

Cheers
 
While I have to agree with you that your timing perhaps isn’t the best from the weather standpoint, I truly envy your trip.
As Turkey has for many years been one of our favourite holiday destinations, especially the Fethiye area, it has also been my choice of destination for what would be for me my ‘ big adventure’ ride.
Whether this will ever come to fruition time will only tell, but I will continue to dream.
I wish you all the very best and safe passage for your forthcoming adventure and I look forward with great interest to the hopeful ride report.
 
Coincindentally I have a friend in Fethiye and popped down there a couple of years ago. Did Istanbul again this year in June, took 5 days to get there.
I am not sure I would bother with a green card or international driving licence, I just bought insurance at the border which was fine, the rest of the border experience there has consistantly been a pain in the rear in both directions everytime I have done it. Make sure you take the original V5, colour photocopies are not accepted anymore.
I would choose to do the Canakke crossing and avoid Istanbul but I'd also choose to try the Croatian and Montenegran coast if the weather permits then Albania and then run along the north of Greece.
 
We went on the Turkey Trot in late March / early April. It rained.

We crossed over from Italy (Ancona) via ferry to Greece. Then from Greece to Turkey, via the Dardanelles. We then skirted the bottom of the Sea of Marmara, to catch a ro-ro ferry to Istanbul, landing to the east of the Bosporus, in Asia.

There is a trip report on it.
 
Because I’m a cheapskate I’d go a bit further east then head south through the CZ Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and then into Serbia. It’s not just hotels that are cheaper but food, beer and petrol are all significantly less as well.
 
We went on the Turkey Trot in late March / early April. It rained.

We crossed over from Italy (Ancona) via ferry to Greece. Then from Greece to Turkey, via the Dardanelles. We then skirted the bottom of the Sea of Marmara, to catch a ro-ro ferry to Istanbul, landing to the east of the Bosporus, in Asia.

There is a trip report on it.

Yep seen that but I want to do roads rather than ferries albeit one of my options involves a short ferry crossing.
 
Because I’m a cheapskate I’d go a bit further east then head south through the CZ Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and then into Serbia. It’s not just hotels that are cheaper but food, beer and petrol are all significantly less as well.

..and those are really interesting countries to see.

I proposed to Mrs Other in Fethiye. Has no bearing whatsoever on your planning, I know, but Fethiye doesn't crop up in conversation too often... :D:D:D
 
Once across the Turkish border I am considering two possible route alternatives:-
One via Istanbul which is a more inland route to my final destination of Fethiye.
Or to go via Izmir which will involve a ferry at Canakke. This route will mean that most of my route in Turkey will be nearer the coast.

At that time of year worst case you'll see rain in parts of Turkey but you wont get snow or ice (unless you're really unlucky) even up in the mountains.

If you're in a rush the inland route is fastest but mainly motorway riding. You don't want to do ferries but a short hop across the Marmara will save you a lot of time and agro. Istanbul is huge and getting from one end to the other can take up to and over three hours dependent on time/weather/etc. Aside from crossing the Bosphorus there's naff all to see. www.ido.com.tr (Bursa is actually Mudanya on that site)

I travel down south a couple of times a year and either take the boat from Yenikapi to Bandirma (or Bursa) or get on the motorway & ride through Izmir via Balikesir taking an overnight break in Ayvalik. The Canakkale option is dual carriageways until Izmir, then a really boring stretch from there to Mugla. The rest is south coast fun.
 
I have been sorting my diary in what is a busy year ahead for me and I have managed to arrange a 20 day period for a decent bike ride. I have a mate who lives in Fethiye Mugla which is in the S.West corner of Turkey. This will be a return journey consisting of about a two day stop over before saddling up and riding back home……….

Cheers

Just wondering if you did your Turkey trip and if so how did it go.
 
Hi Dave
Haven't been yet lockdowns etc got in the way. Hoping to do it this year. :okay

Hope all go’s well Gordyman and look forward to hearing of your adventure. Hoping to do exactly the same trip myself at some point. :thumb2
 


Back
Top Bottom