Babadag, Oludeniz, Turkey...

Jonathan Knight - I'm going to Antalya (Side) in the next few weeks, is there any decent bike gear to be bought out there ? I know the markets stock the usual t-shirts etc but was hoping for some kit to bring back after the Tour of Turkey passed through the region. Cheers bud.

Heading out at 6am is a good idea. I've been living in Antalya, Turkey for the last few months and I find it too hot/humid to cycle in the day so it's either very early or late that are best. Put on sun cream - I've had sun burn on the back of my neck even leaving at 6:30 am. Given my experience of Turkish drivers I thought cycling here would be a nightmare but the traffic where I am is nothing compared to my old commute through London.

I’ve had a couple of family holidays close to Oludeniz, and although many of the roads at first seem ideal for cycling, with testing ascents and wonderful scenery, I saw very few people actually riding them, because it’s just so damn hot. I hate to pee in your soup but hydration and exposure are very real challenges there, and I’d advise much caution before venturing out solo on any unshaded routes. Bitter experience tells me that a proper case of exercise-induced sunstroke is alarmingly easy to succumb to and guaranteed to knacker the holiday vibe. Your missus will want to kill you and you’ll feel so bad you’ll wish she would.

Oludeniz and the bowl it sits in is in a particularly exposed position, so think very carefully about tackling an isolated 10 mile upward effort if you’re unfamiliar with the local conditions. As an alternative, try the long road across the peninsular from Oludeniz to Fethiye via Kayakoy, or the climb out from Calis Beach up into the hills to Yesil Uzumlu. They’re less dramatic, but equally less likely to nastily catch you out, and no less beautiful into the bargain. Sorry to come over like a boring doomhead - you’re going to a fantastic part of Turkey where the folks are almost universally lovely and excellent food is both abundant and dirt cheap. Hope you enjoy the hell out of it.