black sea
Black Sea Grand Route — August 9, 2015
I joined a guided Black Sea tour with Seyahat 53, covering Amasya, Ordu, Samsun, Trabzon, Artvin and Gümüşhane — a long green corridor shaped by rivers, cliffs and endless clouds.
It was my first real confrontation with the North’s quiet power — less showy than the Mediterranean, but deeper, colder and heavier in spirit.
Yedigöller National Park — July 11, 2016
A one–day escape into Yedigöller (Seven Lakes) near Bolu.
Dense forests, silent water surfaces and soft light — a place that feels designed for slow walking and empty thoughts.
Seben Dam Fishing Trip — July 29, 2016
An overnight trip to Seben Dam for fishing — together with someone I had met during the Black Sea tour.
Still water, cold mornings, and long waiting hours. Not for catching fish — for calming the mind.
Safranbolu — July 16, 2017
I explored the historic town of Safranbolu, visited Bulak (Mencilis) Cave, stood on the Crystal Glass Terrace, and walked through Ottoman streets that feel preserved rather than restored.
Sinop Technical Journey — October 1, 2017
Our private minibus departed early morning, heading to Boyabat, where we first visited a hydroelectric power plant.
The evening ended in Karakum, Sinop, with live fasıl music and a seafood dinner — horse mackerel, whiting and bonito — overlooking the Black Sea.
The next day, guided by our Sinop-born friend, we explored the coast, walked the promenade, tasted traditional taka pastry, had ice cream at Şen Patisserie, and admired the oleanders and palm trees lining the shore.
We continued to Hamsilos Bay, one of Türkiye’s rare fjord-like natural formations, then reached İnceburun, the northernmost point of the country.
Lunch was at the famous Teyze’nin Yeri, known for its butter-and-walnut mantı.
Before returning, we stopped at Boyabat Castle, where we were offered traditional Sırık Kebab — a fitting farewell to the Black Sea.
Amasya — August 31, 2020
I returned to Amasya years later for military service — meeting the same cliffs, river curves and wooden mansions that had stayed unchanged in my memory.
Gölcük & Abant — October 17, 2020
A peaceful autumn walk through Gölcük Nature Park and Abant Lake, where fog, pine forests and silent waters closed the season gently.
Düzce — October 28, 2021
Before the Black Sea line fully faded into autumn, we turned inland toward Düzce, a region shaped more by water than by roads.
We followed a quiet green corridor through Topuk Plateau, stopped at Çamlıpınar Pond, and had a countryside-style breakfast at Kuray Çamlıpınar Konukevi — simple, rural, and unhurried.
The day unfolded through a chain of waterfalls and wetlands:
We walked the misty paths of Samandere Waterfall Natural Monument, continued to Aydınpınar Waterfall Nature Park, watched migrating birds at Efteni Lake, and finished the route at Güzeldere Waterfall Nature Park, where water and forest almost completely erase the idea of a city.
Dinner was in Düzce city center, and the night ended quietly at a hotel in Sakarya — marking a soft green closure to the Black Sea route.
