Terry Richardson waxes lyrical on the vivid waters, verdant mountains and high adventure of Turkey's Turquoise Coast Sitting with my back against the crumbling, sun-warmed stone wall of an abandoned house, I look down over a steep hillside across the shells of dozens more roofless, derelict houses. Each one, stripped of its windows, stares blankly down on the impossibly idyllic valley spread at its feet, its green fields criss-crossed with dry stone walls and lightly wreathed in early morning mist. Among the desolate houses, the red-tiled roofs of a couple of substantial churches poke their heads proudly above what was, until the 1923 exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey, the prosperous Greek town of Levissi.story_article_left1Today known as Kayakoy, the eerie ruins of this ghost village are just one of the many sights on Turkey's sublime Turquoise Coast that still send a shiver down my spine. Especially when I know what awaits the visitor atop the ridge above the atmospheric ruins - a stunning vista south over the coruscating waters of the Mediterranean.Defined by its deep, turquoise-blue waters, pine-fringed coves and bays, white-sand beaches, dramatic cliffs, towering limestone peaks, stunningly situated ancient sites and low-key resorts, Turkey's southwest coast has long been a destination of choice for the discerning traveller.What is it that makes this compact area, located in the sun-blessed eastern half of the Mediterranean, so special? I'd have to go back to the punk years of 1977 to recall my first visit to the region, a time when the now fully fledged resort at Oludeniz comprised little more than a wooden hut on the beach.But I really fell in love with the place in the late '90s, while helping fellow Brit Kate Clow and a team of volunteers hack back sections of spiky vegetation and paint red and white flashes on suitably located rocks. Our purpose? To help Clow fulfil her ambition of creating Turkey's first long-distance walking trail. The dream has now been fully realised and thousands of walkers enjoy the 500km-plus Lycian Way each year, making a valuable contribution to the rural economy in the process.The fabulous landscapes of the region inspired the Lycian Way, but they also provide an exhilarating backdrop to even the most indolent of holidays. Well into May, the upper reaches of the mountains are wrapped in a snowy mantle. With the melting of the snows, alpine and other spring flowers emerge from their winter rest, carpeting slopes and upland pastures in vivid hues.Cedar trees cling to the slopes above 2,000m, sweet-scented pine forests clad the lower slopes right down to sea level. Soaring to almost 3,000m in places, these mountains are cleft here and there by gorges of prodigious depth and length, while lesser valleys are filled with tumbling, crystal-clear streams.mini_story_image_vright1The coastline is dominated by stretches of spectacularly rocky cliffs, while the waters offshore are invitingly deep, blue and clear. There are, though, plenty of beach-fronted coves and bays giving easy access to the sea, most famously at the lagoon of Oludeniz, near Fethiye. The long, turtle-nesting beaches of Iztuzu (near Dalyan) and Patara (near Kalkan) are among the best in the Med.The Lycian Way weaves through striking landscapes but also meanders through some of the ancient world's most dramatically situated and interesting ruins. Despite my having studied ancient history and worked on the walking route, I'd scarcely heard of the Lycians, an indigenous Anatolian people who lived here in the first millennium BC. Given that the mountainous terrain has helped spare it from the unsightly tourist development scarring many Mediterranean shores today, I am amazed that the ancient Lycians so obviously prospered here.Imagine my excitement on first discovering the remains of their once handsome stone cities, set on remote hilltops, tucked into secluded valleys or nuzzling up to the clear blue waters of the Med: sites with cliffs peppered with rock-cut tombs; necropolises of stone sarcophagi with lids shaped like upturned boats; theatres built into steep hillsides, their ancient seats crazed with age and mottled by lichen; the scent of aromatic Mediterranean plants and shrubs heavy in the air; and the sweeping sea and mountain views.It's a fully immersive experience, as I discovered in the company of a group of fellow adventurers. "Go on, jump," urged our leader, a young blade working for one of the many adventure travel companies in nearby Kas. I looked with trepidation at the mountain pool 4m below me. Used to rock-climbing and winter walking expeditions, I'm not exactly risk-averse. But leaping into the opaque brown waters of a small pool of unknown depth seemed dicey. Then I glanced around at the expectant if not yet impatient thrill-seekers queuing behind me, the youngest scarcely out of her teens. I jumped. Exhilarated, I hit the water with a mighty splash, barely dipping beneath the surface before my buoyancy jacket propelled me, safe and sound, back up. Abseiling down waterfalls and sliding down zip wires were to follow but, once you get over the initial nerves, canyoning is a blast.story_article_left2For the active visitor, the Turquoise Coast is heaven. Kas, an attractive former Greek fishing village turned resort, is well geared up for outdoor activities. The waters here are some of the clearest in the Med and scuba-diving among reefs wreathed with pretty fish and mysterious shipwrecks is very popular. Nearby Kekova, with its sunken Lycian remains, islet-studded coastline and calm waters, attracts sea-kayaking groups. The mountain-biking is spectacular here, especially the long descents from the Lycian uplands to the coast thousands of feet below.Pretty Kalkan is another noted diving venue, with the same clear waters and mixture of natural and man-made wonders as Kas. Northwards the tiny resort of Patara has canoeing trips on the Esen river and horse-riding. Farther along the coast is Oludeniz. Above this iconic, much-photographed lagoon-cum-beach looms the prominent peak of Babadag, the perfect take-off spot for tandem paraglide descents to the soft sands of the beach almost 1980m below.One of the best ways to explore this fabulous region is from the sea. Fethiye may lack much in the way of beaches, but is the natural start point for "Blue Cruises" along this unspoilt coastline. As well as admiring the fantastic scenery from the deck of the boat, there are uninhabited islands to explore, hidden bays to swim and snorkel in, and freshly caught fish dinners to enjoy. Sign up for a day, a few days or a week or two and get used to life aboard a traditional wooden gulet.On my first walking holiday in this part of the world I remember perching on a low, rickety stool in a village tea house. Without my asking, a glass of steaming black tea appeared in front of me. The serving boy laughed when I attempted to pay and pointed to a grizzled old-timer in the corner who had paid for the aromatic brew. He raised his glass to the crazy foreigner who had not only chosen to visit his mountain village, but had foolishly done so on foot.mini_story_image_vright2Many locals in this area are descended from the Yoruks, semi-nomadic pastoralists. A traditional code of hospitality to strangers is still ingrained in these people, whose way of life has changed immeasurably over the past few decades, and really contributes to the holiday experience for most visitors.Restaurants here err on the side of the simple and traditional, with good-quality Turkish fare predominating. All the ingredients of a fine Mediterranean spread, such as aubergines, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, rocket, parsley, onions and garlic, are grown locally. Citrus fruit, grapes and pomegranates are major crops, as are olives and walnuts. Fresh trout is a big attraction in mountain villages, sea bream and bass in the coastal resorts. The local yogurt is thick, creamy and delicious, while goat's cheeses are crumbly and tangy. A local standby is gozleme, a large flatbread stuffed with goat's cheese and parsley or a spicy potato mix, cooked over a wood fire.Ending a trip to this captivating part of the world is never easy. But on my last visit I set myself a puzzle. Making my way out to the atmospheric, ancient site of Knidos, at the tip of the long, bony finger of the westward-pointing Datca Peninsula, I sat among the ruins and watched the sun sink into the sea. But as this spectacular peninsula is held to mark the dividing line between Homer's wine-dark Aegean and the blue Mediterranean, just which sea was it setting over?As dusk swallowed up the fallen columns of the once proud city of Knidos, it was a question left unanswered.sub_head_start IF YOU GO... sub_head_endGETTING THERE: The main airport serving the Turquoise Coast is Antalya Havalimani Airport. You can get there via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines from Johannesburg and Cape Town. A test booking for October turned up a return fare of around R12,000.TAKE A HIKE: The Lycian Way is a 540km 29-day trail from Fethiye to Antalya in southern Turkey. The route follows the coast of Lycia on a network of footpaths, mule trails and Roman roads. Accommodation on the first part of the trail is in pensions or small hotels, and campsites or village houses on the later part of the route. Best time to go is in spring or autumn, although it is also doable during the mild coastal winter. See cultureroutesinturkey.com/the-lycian-way.-The Sunday Telegraph..