Walking and Wildlife

Walking in our area is a truly wonderful experience, especially during the winter and springtime months when everywhere is green and flowers abound; it’s like having your very own giant rockery and the peace and quiet to enjoy it.

Stopping for a moment to examine a flower or the fantastic colours and patterns of the mosses and lichens that are to be found in abundance will reward you greatly.

Sitting quietly for a while to listen and observe the wildlife is bound to delight you as you begin to pick out the gentle swaying of the praying mantis or the antics of a trio (or more) of courting tortoises. Exploring here is not for the hasty.

The area around Okçular, Kocadere and Kizildere Valleys and the back trackways to the neighbouring village of Kemaliye are rich in all manner of plants and creatures; some are common, others are rare and exotic. From the critically endangered endemic Alkanna mughlae, previously only recorded at two sites in the world until its discovery in Kocadere where it grows in profusion, to the stunning sight of millions of multi-coloured Anemone coronaria carpeting the whole area; from the endangered Fire Salamander to the plentiful Syrian Squirrels, badgers and elusive wild boar; from the delight of watching buzzards soaring to the wonder of watching the emergence from its hairy chrysalis of Europe’s largest moth the Greater or Viennese Emperor Saturnia pyri there are few places where such variety is so easily accessible. Respected Field Biologist Paul Hope (who has written a foreword for our book) was astonished by the sheer diversity and number of species in and around Okçular; if you love any aspect of nature you will not be disappointed when you pay us a visit.

‘Okçular Village - a Guide’ contains lists of flora and fauna that you can expect to find at the appropriate season of the year together with detailed walking notes and accurate, hand-drawn maps to guide you. It is an essential companion as well as a highly entertaining read. There is now a companion book of maps and directions covering a wider area; ‘Backways & Trackways’ will widen your horizons by bringing you in to contact with the ‘real’ Turkey. To get your own copies or to send a copies to friends or family anywhere in the world, click here.

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