Walking in Northern Cyprus

Our trip begins at our hotel, a small resort located around 1.5 miles from the centre of Kyrenia. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Kyrenia at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into either Ercan Airport (North Cyprus ECN) a 25-minute drive from the hotel or Larnaca Airport (Cyprus LCA) and a 90-minute drive. As many flights get in later in the afternoon and early evening, the welcome meeting will take place on the morning of day two. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to head into Kyrenia to sample some excellent North Cyprus food and explore the town's waterfront setting. Kyrenia is particularly famous for its postcard-perfect vista of its striking Crusader castle and old harbour set against the dramatic backdrop of the Besparmak Mountains. Our base for the week is The Ship Inn, located around 1.5 miles from the centre of Kyrenia (a 45-minute walk or can take a local bus or taxi). The comfortable-grade, 3-star hotel features en-suite rooms with air-conditioning and a balcony or terrace. The hotel also has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and a spa and fitness centre, as well as a bar and a choice of restaurants.

This morning, we'll have our introductory briefing before heading out and driving along the coast. We'll leave the coastal development behind us and travel through a rural landscape of green fields, olive groves and small villages. En route, we will stop off at Cyrpus' largest cave at Incirli to see its impressive collection of stalactites and stalagmites along a 100-metre/330-foot passage. After visiting the cave, we'll continue our drive to Kantara village and start our walk through the pine forest. Along the way, the views eventually open up and we'll pick a scenic spot along the north coast for our picnic. In springtime, we'll have the chance to see wildflowers and orchids. Eventually, we'll reach Kantara Castle where we'll pay a visit to round off our walk. Kantara Castle has seen its fair share of conflict over the centuries. Richard the Lionheart won a famous victory here when he defeated the self-proclaimed king of the island, Isaac Komnenos, after the latter's ill-judged slight against Richard's fiancé. After visiting the castle, we'll drive down to the seaside and Kaplica Beach where you'll have the chance to swim. Today's leisurely 7.5 kilometre/4.7-mile walk is expected to take around two to three hours with 50 metres/165 feet of ascent and 450 metres/1,475 feet of descent. Please note, the order of the walking days may be changed to take account of weather conditions, as some of the trails are slippery when wet. Our tour leader will advise of any changes.

A short drive this morning takes us into the Besparmak Mountains, ascending to the Arapkoy area, where we'll leave our vehicle and start walking along the forest trails towards Bellapais village. Our route today follows an undulating well-graded path through pine forests with views that stretch all the way down to the Karpaz Peninsula on a clear day. We'll break for a picnic lunch along the way, just before we start our descent to picturesque Bellapais village. Made famous by Lawrence Durrell in his 1950s award-winning autobiography, Bitter Lemons, much of Bellapais village still retains the easy charm of those Durrell days. The village's main attraction is Bellapais Abbey, now an imposing ruin with spectacular views of Kyrenia and the Mediterranean Sea, it was founded by Augustinian monks fleeing the Holy Lands in 1200. The abbey flourished until it was looted and vandalised during the 14th-century Genoese invasion. It went on to earn a reputation for scandal and corruption, eventually shutting down in the 16th century. After visiting the abbey, we'll make a stop in the small hamlet of Ozankoy to get an introduction to making halloumi. Traditionally crafted from a blend of sheep's and goat's milk, modern versions often include cow's milk, halloumi holds a special place in Cypriot cuisine. Our hosts will welcome us into their home; we get to witness the traditional art of baking bread in stone ovens and get to taste homemade halloumi, commonly enjoyed in salads, sandwiches, or as a grilled dish on its own. Our final stop of the day is to drive to Kyrenia harbour to visit the imposing castle, which also contains the Shipwreck Museum - home of the remains of a well-preserved 4th century BC merchant ship. We'll have time to stroll around the castle and the recently renovated harbour, with its lively restaurants and bars before we head back to our hotel. Today's moderate grade 12.5 kilometre/7.8-mile walk is expected to take around four hours with 300 metres/985 feet of ascent and 350 metres/1,150 feet of descent.

This morning, we'll visit Saint Hilarion Castle, a stunning historic fort overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. There's time to explore the three floors of the castle complex on foot, one of the best-preserved of the Crusader castles. Built into the hillside there are some steep sections and steps to climb to the upper floors. After the castle, we'll meet at the cafe where you can try a refreshing homemade lemonade before we walk from the castle towards Lapta on the western edge of the Besparmak Mountain range. The first section of today's walk follows a track through a remote valley that runs behind Saint Hilarion Castle. In the spring, the pathway is full of wildflowers and it should be possible to spot orchids along the way, too. There is a steep section of around 100 metres/330 feet where we descend along a dry riverbed, where you'll need to pick your footing carefully and sometimes use your hands as well if you prefer, after which the path levels out as we re-join a forest track. We'll break for a picnic at the charming village of Karmi (also known as Karaman) nestled below the peaks of the Besparmak Mountains. Winding our way through the narrow lanes we make our way to the church of Virgin Mary in the central square, an ideal spot to enjoy our lunch. There is a small cafe and shop in the village where it's possible to purchase further drinks and snacks. After lunch, we'll descend to Gillham Vineyard, close to Lapta, where our vehicle meets us and takes us back to our hotel. Today's moderate grade 10 kilometre/6.2-mile walk is expected to take around four hours with 150 metres/490 feet of ascent and 450 metres/1,475 feet of descent (including a short steep section).

Today has been left free for you to relax or explore more at your own pace. You may choose to visit Famagusta, once one of the richest cities and most important trading ports in the world. The so-called 'City of 365 Churches' has been ravaged by wars and earthquakes throughout history, but still contains beautiful examples of medieval and gothic architecture. William Shakespeare is purported to have used it as the setting for Othello and the Venetian Citadel overlooking the harbour is popularly known as Othello's Tower. Just 5 miles to the north of Famagusta is the ancient site of Salamis, which is also well worth a visit and included in the day trip. We also visit the ghost city of Varosha situated between the north and south, where time has stood still since 1974. With its significant collection of Mycenaean, Roman and Byzantine artefacts, it is the most important ancient city on the island. Please see the budgeting section for prices, which depend on the group size. Alternatively, you may prefer to use your day to relax, spending time by the hotel's pool or on one of the local beaches.

We start our day with a short drive to the neighbouring village of Lapta, where we have a gentle stroll along a three kilometre (two mile) coastal walkway. The path is paved all the way along and winds its way through a small fishing port and then hugs the coast, part of the walk is built over the ocean itself. We'll finish up at a small cafe with wonderful views looking back towards Kyrenia and the entire northern coast of Cyprus, with the backdrop of the Besparmak Mountains providing a natural barrier to the rest of the island. Moving on, it is a short ten-minute drive to today's main walk, centred around the reservoir at Gecitkoy, in the far northwest of the island. The reservoir is unusual in that it fed, not by water from Cyprus, but from the Alakopru Dam in mainland Turkey some 80km away. An underwater pipeline transfers 75 million square meters of water to the island annually. Setting off on our walk, the first three kilometres is along the side of the reservoir, following a well graded forest track under pine trees, cypress and through maquis scrub, providing something of a haven for wildlife. If travelling during the spring time, there is often the chance to see wild orchids and other endemic plants to the island. From February to May the island is ablaze with colour with subtle changes in tone and form as the season advances. Cyprus as a whole hosts over 1,200 plant species of which 140 of which are endemic to the island and nine of which are specifically found in the north. The next five kilometres is very easy and comfortable, traversing the eastern part of the reservoir. During the extended period of the spring migration, large numbers of birds pass through Cyprus, heading to northern breeding areas. This section of the walk opens up with fine views over the rolling hills making it a good spot for some birdwatching. It's worth keeping an eye out for two endemic birds to the island, the Cyprus Warbler and the Cyprus Pied Wheatear. We have one kilometre uphill section, when we turn to the west side of the reservoir, the rest of the walk will be downhill through the forest with fine views of the reservoir. We will stop for a picnic along the way. After our walk, we'll will visit a rural homestead for Macun tasting and drink Turkish coffee. Macun is a local delicacy in Cyprus consisting of fruit preserves, generally served in little plates or on miniature forks, it is an inherent part of Cypriot culture, where they are offered to guests as an act of hospitality. Almost all fruits, nuts and even vegetables can be made into Macun, it's a chance to try some authentic Cypriot preserves. To end the day, we can spend some time at Sardunya beach, there is a cafe for a drink and the opportunity to swim before we drive back to the hotel. Today's leisurely 13 kilometre/8.1 mile walk is expected to take around 4 hours with 150 metres/500 feet of ascent and descent, with an additional 3 kilometre flat walk along the Lapta coastal walkway, expecting to take an hour.

This morning, we head again into the Besparmak Mountains and to the highest of the Kyrenia strongholds, the ruined fortress of Buffavento. The name means 'buffeted by the wind' and a walk up to the top of the highest tower helps us to understand why. The zig zag path gradually ascends to the ruins, with some steeper steps to get to the top to the castle. On a clear day, our efforts are rewarded with a spectacular view over half the island, with the Troodos Mountains stretching out beneath us and Famagusta in the distance. After visiting Bufavento Castle, we start our final walk which takes us to the base of Besparmark, translated as the five fingered mountain because of its distinctive jagged peaks. Legend has it that the mountain was formed when the Byzantine hero, Dhiyenis Akritas, leapt across the sea from Anatolia leaving his handprint forever etched into the landscape as he landed. While we walk keep your eyes peeled for endemic wild plants and flowers and we have the opportunity to see the north coast of Cyprus as well as inland Nicosia, which is the capital city of Cyprus. Today's moderate grade walk is 13 kilometres/8.1 miles, which is expected to take around four hours with 70 metres/230 feet of ascent and 170 metres/560 feet of descent. The forest paths are uneven under foot in places and undulating with a few very short steeper sections.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from either Ercan Airport (North Cyprus ECN) a 25 minutes' drive from the hotel or Larnana Airport (Cyprus LCA) and 1.5 hours' drive.