Riding Through History in Turkey

With surreal landscapes and remote trails laced with ancient history, Steve Thomas takes on a pioneering gravel ride into the depths of Cappadocia in central Turkey.

Had I ridden through a time warp, one that had taken me back to some pre-biblical era cross-haired with the 1970s? No, of course not, I’d simply ridden a few clicks off to the quiet side of the well-trodden central trails of Cappadocia. Already, and with just a few minutes of riding behind me, I was all on my lonesome and deep into truly rural Turkey, a place where several time zones had seemingly stood still and merged and one that was also slightly intimidating in some ways, and yet totally alluring and immersive in most others.

For almost a decade now, I’ve been drawn back again and again to this surreal desert-like area of central Turkey, often for weeks on end. Cappadocia has seen many transient foreign visitors over the years – either invaders or Silk Road traders or sanctuary seekers, and in recent years the region has become a tourism hotbed and an Instagrammers’ and influencers’ prime target – all with good reason. And, on occasion, the odd cyclist also seeks something here.

However, most visitors to Cappadocia simply turn up, take a few railed tours, spend a couple of nights in a cave hotel and then take a balloon ride – all wrapped and ticked off in a couple or three days. This is pure insanity in my mind (which, admittedly is kind of wired sideways).

This time around, as on my many other visits I was here to ride and indulge myself in whatever kind of mixed magic there is lingering here. The difference being that after many years of riding flat bars here I’d finally managed to bring a gravel bike along – which is almost a first for the area (there was a vaguely gravel based tour group here a week earlier), and so there was also a sense of pioneering thrown into the remix.

The creation of gravel paradise

Tens of millions of years ago the distant volcanoes that surround the wider Cappadocia region erupted, and their lava flow covered this crumpled high desert landscape. When combined with the passing of time and the wrath of the elements this led to the creation of one of the most unique landscapes on Earth. For as far as the eye can see, the orange and jaded pinks of the sand dappled landscape cracks into many narrow valleys, and it comes peppered with clusters of wind carved and towering rock pillars, which are known as fairy chimneys, which this region is best known for.

Thousands of years BC, the Bronze Age Hittite people settled here and began to carve out cave dwellings in these soft rocks. Some centuries later, Jews and Christians fleeing Roman persecution sought sanctuary in the remote quarters of Cappadocia. They duly carved out huge great cities with numerous cave churches and monasteries, which you can find etched out around every other twist in these beguiling trails. Many of the churches, even the derelict ones, still have remarkably intact Christian frescos on their walls and ceilings.

Beneath all of this (mostly in areas outside of the 40 square kilometre UNESCO World Heritage Site central heartland) are numerous underground cities, which were created by locals to hide from Arab invaders, and some are now renovated and transformed into tourist sites.

This all adds up to make Cappadocia quite unlike anywhere else in the world, and even the dragon-slaying St George was born here. Needless to say, this means that there is untouched virgin gravel adventure to be found in a sand-like abundance here.

One step beyond

Back pedalling to that sketchy descent and I suddenly realised that despite only being 45-minutes ride away from my cave room in Uchisar, that I had never even been on these trails before. In all those years of riding here, I hadn’t even polished the gritty surface to find what lay beyond the abundant and striking highlights of Cappadocia.

Even with the bold and beating autumnal sun, there was a distinct wind-lashed chill in the air, which made for perfect riding conditions. This may be a desert, but during the autumn, it comes alive with the boldest of seasonal colours, and in that whole day of riding, I didn’t come across anyone else on the trails, only the odd farmer and locals sipping tea and playing backgammon in the village squares. This was such a contrast to the more popular valleys and towns of the main tourist area, and there was a definite sense of epic to the whole experience.

Dropping off the hillside and skimming the sand laced trail edges and the call to prayer broke through the chilled air, and I knew that the village of Ibrahimpasa lay down in the valley ahead, which was a relief as that was my intended watering stop. I’d been here a few times before and had always been mesmerised by its laid-back charm and imposingly steep valley sides and clinging structures. It was a regular Sunday morning, and it soon became clear why this place is often termed the “sleepiest village in Turkey.”

Swooping through the narrow streets and the local farmers looked on with a sense of bemusement and a friendly grin. I guess they hadn’t seen a gravel bike before, although my screeching and silence shattering disk brakes might have had something to do with it.

Climbing back out of the steep sided valley and an old lady with a mule disappeared around the corner as I panted by. It was decision time, and as much as I was drawn towards heading due south into the even greater unknown, some grain of semi-sensibility got the better of me. I veered left on a wide and corrugated trail, destination Ortahisar, one of the prettiest towns in the area, which is also crowned by a huge rock castle.

Slowly but surely, the surroundings took on a more modern aura, which signified that I was heading back into the more popular area of Cappadocia, so I decided to head back via Goreme, which meant that I could add a little surreal single-track spice to garnish the day’s ride.

Hitting the not-so-straight but very narrow trail, within a few knuckle-widening twists and shouts, I was back in the Cappadocia that most know – that of the Star Wars-like scenery.

Sure, riding these fabled and history laden trails of the central area is an experience not to be missed – the trails are technical, and the scenery is mind blowing. However, for me the true adventure and beauty of this place is what lies beyond, which stretches almost to virtual infinity, and is all but untouched by modern day two wheeled crusaders.

My advice is to add this place to the top of your gravel adventure bucket list and to go and tick it off in style and as soon as you can. Whatever you do, don’t rush a trip here, and be sure to step off the beaten path to where true adventure of both the physical and spiritual kind is guaranteed. 

Travel Tips

Getting there and around

• Turkish Airlines usually has the best regular flight options from Australia to Istanbul and on to Kayseri and Nevsehir (Cappadocia).
• Check the baggage fee small print online, as they often have a waiver on bike carriage to Cappadocia, but check-in staff are rarely aware of it.
• There are regular shuttle minibuses from the airports to hotels in the region. Car rental options are also available here, but they are best arranged in advance via the main booking sites.
• Argeus Travel are the local cycling specialists and can arrange all you may need – on and off the bike. Check out www.argeus.com

Guidelines

• There are a few cycling guides, organised tours and rental bike options through Argeus, although do be aware that gravel is very new in Turkey – but the Argeus guides are avid road and MTB riders, they know how to pin the right rides together.
• Cappadocia has no high-end bike shops at all, although general spares and repairs are available in Nevsehir at DMK Bisiklet Ve Spor.
• Tubeless tyres with sealant are the way to roll here, as some trails have many small thorns on them.

Where to stay

• Accommodation of all levels with budget rooms from AU$55
• Goreme is the main tourist hub and has countless bars, restaurants, hotels, but it can be very busy. Uchisar is small hilltop town and the Kale Konak hotel here is my preferred hangout (double rooms from AU$170 www.kalekonak.com).
• For a bigger and more living local town feel, head to Urgup, where Serinn House (from AU$135, www.serinnhouse.com) is well worth a look.
• Be aware that booking.com and some other sites cannot be accessed inside Turkey, although you can book through them from outside or by using a VPN, for booking locally try hotels.com.

Seasonal Guide

When to ride

• Spring and autumn (April-June and September – October) are the best times to ride here when the days are sunny and mild with chilly evenings.
• Mid-summer is also good, although during July-August, it does get very hot.
• Winter is perhaps the prettiest time, but it gets seriously cold, and conditions are not reliable for riding.

Other considerations

• Australians need an e-visa to visit Turkey.
• Turkish food is of a very high standard.
• Alcohol is widely available in hotels, bars and many restaurants.
• ATMs carry a hefty commission fee.
• You can get a local SIM card on arrival at Istanbul Airport (or use your roaming), and coverage is great in Cappadocia.