Walks in North Cyprus

Northern Cyprus is such a beautiful country that you will want to get out of your car and take steps closer to the natural wonders of the land!

There are so many beautiful walks to take...around old walled cities, up deserted mountain tracks, along to breathtaking castles and over sand dunes and along beaches.

Naturally enough it would be impossible to list all walks! But Alison Dowey, a local resident in North Cyprus has produced a handy book entitled Walks in North Cyprus which lists 24 walks of up to 10kms which you can enjoy. The book is inexpensive and yet invaluable and can be purchased from the Green Jacket Book Shop in Kyrenia.

You’ll find most of the expatriate community in North Cyprus has a copy and some of the hotels and holiday villages also have a copy for you to peruse. Personally I’ve taken many of her suggested walks and quite a few besides and I can tell you that walking in North Cyprus, particularly in the autumn and beautiful spring is a rare and true pleasure.

Walking to Buffavento Castle from the car park on the main road is one of the tougher walks - really only because it’s such a hike to get up the last few thousand feet to the castle right at the end! But this walk is one of the best there is for those who want good terrain, indescribable views, the chance to picnic along the way and where you won’t bump into too many people. Most people choose to drive the track but then they miss the flora and fauna, they miss most of the views including spotting massive cave entrances high up above in the mountains, and they miss the satisfaction of saying they’ve done it! If you do make the walk and you reach the foot of the castle do not be put off. Yes it is a long way up but it is so worth it. The views from the very top afford you unrivalled glimpses of almost the entire island of Cyprus!

In the spring there are organised flower and orchid walks as the island of Cyprus is home to some of the most beautiful and rare species of orchid and wild flower, including 130 endemic plants of which 19 are only found on the North of the island and one, Casey’s Larkspur, which is the rarest plant on the entire island of Cyprus, is only found on the northern part of one tiny rocky peak about 1.5km southwest of St. Hilarion Castle!

Visitors to North Cyprus in the summer will find it almost impossible to believe that twice a year the island is a riot of colourful flowers...even the Mesaoria plain, usually a botanical desert, comea alive in spring! To find out about the flower walks check local press for details in late February and early March, alternatively head out east from Kyrenia and follow the coast line. Go past Alagadi beach and then stop anywhere along the road (pull off the road) and head up any one of the many paths that take you up into the mountains. You will come across a plethora of plants and flowers and at times may find yourself up to your knees and even armpits in beautiful blooms!

If you’d like to walk along the shore you can of course travel up the Karpas and walk along the beautiful beaches of the peninsula, alternatively you can try the Alagadi beach and reservoir walk which takes you along the well known summer sunbathing spot of turtle beach or Alagadi I and up over the sand dunes and down onto Alagadi II, past the lion shaped rock and high up onto the cliffs from where you can sometimes glimpse the Turkish mainland and where in spring you will find a rocky garden of untouched flowers where you can sit and take a breather before heading down the other side of the cliffs to the next bay. Here you join a track which takes you away from the coast, under the road and up to the pretty dam which is more like a lake. If you want to continue walking from the dam go back to the track and keep heading upwards, the dam will be behind and below you, and in front of you you’ll be afforded beautiful views of the Mediterranean.

If you continue your path you’ll find yourself among olive groves and sometimes you’ll come across goats and sheep quietly grazing in the shade of the trees.

If you prefer walks in North Cyprus to lead to refreshment opportunities and landmarks consider taking the old crusader paths around Ozankoy to Bellapais. Starting off from the Mosque in the pretty old town of Ozankoy some 10 minutes outside Kyrenia you’ll walk a fairly steep path to the beautiful Bellapais Monastery, after spending a couple of hours enjoying all Bellapais has to offer...including unrivalled views of sea, coast and mountain you can sit beneath the Tree of Idleness and lunch at your leisure before indulging in a little retail therapy and then winding your way back down to Ozankoy through the overgrown and deserted crusader paths.

Alternatively you might like to stroll around the walled city of Famagusta or wander through the ancient streets of Nicosia taking in the ambience the excitement of city life and the sights, sounds and aromas of the markets, bazaars, cafes and Mosques.