Loop trail in the forests at Ölüdeniz.

The starting point of this hike is at Sun City, at the sea side a few kilometers away from the village of Ölüdeniz. Although the route is actually quite short, it is very varied.
From Sun City we walk a very short distance on a dirt road, then turn right onto a hiking trail that will take us through the hills. We have to pay attention to actually turn right, it is easy to overlook the beginning of the trail. The trail is marked with dots of different colors, mostly blue but also red and yellow.
The trail winds up the first hill and after a few hundred meters it takes us to a first panoramic point from where we have a beautiful view of the sea and the forest around us.
The ground is quite rocky and there are many stones, so it is helpful to wear sturdy shoes and use walking sticks.

We pass through a forest with mainly pines. It is therefore advisable to pay attention to the presence of nests of the Pine processionary.

Pine processionary - Take care!
The pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is a moth of the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae in the family Notodontidae, known for the irritating hairs of its caterpillars, their processions, and the economic damage they cause in coniferous forests. It is one of the most destructive species to pines and cedars in Central Asia, North Africa and southern Europe.
The species is notable for the behaviour of its caterpillars, which overwinter in tent-like nests high in pine trees, and which proceed through the woods in nose-to-tail columns, protected from predators by their severely irritating hairs.
The species is one of the few insects where the larva develops in winter in temperate zones. Global warming is causing the species to affect forests progressively further north. The urticating hairs of the caterpillar larvae cause harmful (and in some cases allergic) reactions, in humans, dogs, horses and other mammals.
(source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_processionary )

It is advisable not to touch the nests or to sit under them.
The landscape on this stretch is beautiful and there are often impressive trees. After about 1,5 kilometer we reach an open space that is covered with grass. At the beginning of February it is full of anemones. This place is suitable for putting up some tents. We turn left at this point. From here on there is no more dotted signalling to help us find our way. That is not a problem because the path is quite easy to find. At this point we have already started our descent.

The trail eventually ends up on roads of foresters (about 2km from the beginning). They probably made new dirt roads for the tree felling, which are not yet on the maps. These dirt roads are very easy to follow so the rest of the route is quite easy. It should be taken into account that there may be work in progress, with the risk that the roads will be closed for a while. But normally it's just a matter of asking nicely and you can move on.
On this stretch we still walk through forest with beautiful trees and we occasionally have a view of the high mountains that can be found close to Ölüdeniz. In clear weather we can see the hang gliders sailing down (you can go up with a cable car).
However, we keep our feet on the ground and eventually end up at the sea. There is also a beach nearby. So if we have our swimming gear with us, a dive in the water is very tempting!

Some additional information:
The route is designed in a counter clockwise direction.
There is no drinking water along the trail.
The track is moderate from a technical point of view.

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