Lately I’ve been spending more time reading than traveling. I can’t fully explain why, but I feel a need to refresh my energy, my travel style and my writing, and books have been supplying the ideas I was missing. Where once my shelves held only travel guides and maps, I now find myself drawn to stories that offer insight into life and place.
This year the books I’ve chosen share a clear theme: they are written by women with a deep connection to Turkey, and they explore the lives of people who live there. One of the most memorable recent reads is Ayse’s Trail, and I strongly recommend it.
The Lycian Way Book
Written by Atulya, a friend of Ayse, Ayse’s Trail tells the true story of a Turkish woman who defied societal expectations. The book arrived by courier just as I was about to leave on a Blue Cruise along Turkey’s Mediterranean coast — the region through which the Lycian Way runs — so the timing felt perfect.
The Lycian Way is a long-distance trekking route of more than 500 kilometres, following a coastline studded with ancient ruins dating back to the Lycian civilization, which flourished until roughly 500 BC. Their former capital, Xanthos, is a UNESCO site mentioned often in the book. While I sailed the coast, Ayse walked it — not once or twice, but eight times.
Why Did Ayse Trek the Lycian Way?
Trekking the Lycian Way itself is a formidable achievement. The route can be dangerous and has claimed lives, so the book explains how Ayse managed the physical demands, but its greater focus is on why she set out. Ayse was a 38-year-old Turkish woman, expected by her community to be a worker, wife and mother. In 1990 she left an abusive marriage and, despite facing social ostracism and rejection from her family, moved to Turkey’s west coast to build a new life.
For many Turkish women at that time, and in some communities even now, divorce carried heavy stigma. Leaving an abusive relationship often meant enduring judgment, gossip and isolation. Ayse’s decision to leave and to make a life on her own was therefore unusual and courageous.
She eventually settled in Olympos, supporting herself by knitting swimwear and crafting bracelets for visitors. Driven by a deep urge for freedom and discovery, she began walking the 500-kilometre Lycian coastline. The book alternates between chapters about her earlier life and chapters describing her solo treks, blending personal memoir with vivid landscape and local detail.
Harpagos the Persian General
Atulya also weaves historical narrative into Ayse’s story. The author introduces Harpagos, a Persian general who marched along the same coastline centuries earlier during the Persian conquest of Lycia. The Lycian people resisted fiercely, preferring death to subjugation, but Harpagos’s campaign ultimately led to their downfall. The book offers a carefully researched, fictionalized account of his campaign — “Harpagos’ Trail” — and juxtaposes that history with Ayse’s footsteps across the same terrain.
This parallel enriches the narrative: as Ayse covers the ancient paths, she follows routes walked by many before her, and the book invites the reader to reflect on continuity, resistance and the layers of human history that shape a landscape.
Who Will Enjoy This Book?
Ayse’s Trail will appeal to many readers. It blends personal memoir, physical challenge, natural description and historical context. Hikers and armchair travelers alike will appreciate the evocative scenes of coastline and ruins, while readers interested in social issues will value Ayse’s courage and the portrayal of a woman navigating cultural expectations.
Where to Find It
Ayse’s Trail is available through major book retailers and in select outlets in Turkey. It is a compelling read for anyone interested in the Mediterranean coast, long-distance walking routes, or modern Turkish life as seen through the story of one determined woman.
Follow the author, Atulya K. Bingham, on social media for updates and further insights into Ayse’s story and related projects.