Uzungöl

Uzungöl (“Long Lake”) is a natural wonder formed by a landslide in the Haldizen valley, 100 kilometres from Trabzon. With its dense forests and natural beauty it draws visitors from Türkiye and abroad and has become Trabzon's tourism paradise. The nearest airport is Trabzon. By road, buses run to Trabzon and Rize from coach stations all over Türkiye, and from Trabzon and Rize you can reach Uzungöl by public transport or by hire car.

Thanks to its rich plant life, wildlife and scenery, the area was declared a nature park in 1989. Uzungöl has also been named a Tourism Centre by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, although the terrain around the lake limits how much can be built. Every year more visitors come from Türkiye and many other countries to see the spellbinding landscape, which holds every shade of green in the dense spruce forests around the lake. The forests are made up of many other species too and are home to a varied population of wild animals. Its scenery changes with every season, and its air leaves the stress of city life far behind, making it a wonderful place to spend a peaceful, happy day. These are just a few of the reasons why visitors choose Uzungöl.

The dominant tree in Uzungöl Nature Park is the Oriental spruce. Beech, fir, yew, Caucasian alder, hornbeam, hazel, Strandzha oak, wych elm, maple and alder grow here too, with walnut and chestnut along the streams. Uzungöl owes its year-round green to its conifers, but it is the trees that come into leaf every spring that really make its scenery. In autumn the same trees turn red, crimson, yellow and brown, giving visitors a magnificent autumn landscape.

The oldest name for the area found in historical documents is “Saraho”, and the first records date from 1586. According to these records, permanent settlement began after the 1650s. After the founding of the Republic, Uzungöl belonged for many years to the Of district of Trabzon. When Çaykara became a district in 1948, Uzungöl was attached to it.

The water level of the lake varies with the amount of water each season brings. The lake is roughly 1,000 metres long, 500 metres wide and 15 metres deep. Until 2014 Uzungöl was a small municipality (belde) within Çaykara. During that time the municipality built a retaining wall along the eastern shore and a ring road, planting trees in front of the wall to limit the impact on the natural setting and the view. The construction made headlines in local and national newspapers and drew many protests from people who feared it would spoil the lake's natural beauty.

Wild ducks can be seen on and around the lake all year. If you go hiking, your chances of seeing other wild animals rise considerably. As the settlements around Uzungöl have grown, helicopter tours have been run in the tourist season and the number of people has increased, other animals have moved deeper into the forests or to quieter parts of the valley. Trout, frogs, ducks and small aquatic creatures live in the lake, and other trout species have been released into it through projects supported by the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs. The wild animals around the lake have never harmed local people.

The Haldizen valley, which stretches away to the south, is rich in natural beauty. Further up from Uzungöl, the state water authority (DSİ) has built small check-dam ponds along the stream. Here you can fish with a rod, go hiking, and picnic or barbecue by the stream in the places where it is allowed.

About 20 km from Uzungöl, high in the mountains, lie close to ten small lakes known as Yedigöller (“Seven Lakes”), which add to the range of things to do. These open areas are good for camping and nature trips, and some of the hotels in Uzungöl organise hikes to the lakes that start with a safari-style drive.

Uzungöl's climate

As part of Trabzon, Uzungöl shares the wet, mild climate of the eastern Black Sea. Spring in the Trabzon area is mostly misty and rainy. Autumn brings heavy rain, while temperatures change little. Rainfall increases inland. July and August are the driest months, February gets the most snow, and January and February are the coldest months. On the whole, Trabzon's climate can be called mild. Moving inland from the coast, the altitude rises quickly because of the mountains, and the air gets colder. At an altitude of about 1,080 metres, Uzungöl has a harsher climate than the coast.

In summer, temperatures in Uzungöl are around 15°C to 26°C, peaking in July. It rains a lot in summer too, and you may see sunshine, rain and mist all in the same day.

In winter temperatures can fall to -5°C, and it gets colder still in February.

Uzungöl's ecology

Uzungöl has special ecological conditions and a rich plant life of international value, including plants used in medicine and cosmetics. For these reasons it was declared a nature park in 1989 and a specially protected area in 2004.

Uzungöl lies southeast of Trabzon at the foot of the Soğanlı Mountains. It is a natural dam lake, formed roughly 500 years ago when a landslide blocked the Haldizen stream. The lake is about 1,100 metres above sea level, and its oval shoreline is about 7 km long. The forests are mainly Oriental spruce and Oriental beech. Plant diversity increases with altitude, and a flower you see lower down may appear in a different colour higher up. This rich vegetation has drawn the attention of researchers and botanists, and about 160 plant species grow around Uzungöl.

As for animal life, there are around 20 species of wild mammals and game birds in the area, including brown bear, roe deer, wolf, jackal, fox, wild boar, lynx, badger, marten, otter, chamois, wild goat, Caucasian black grouse, marbled polecat, barn owl and hare. The area is also very rich in birds, with nearly 150 species, about 50 of them seasonal migrants. This makes it an excellent place for birdwatching. In winter, when the lake partly freezes, you can still see some 15 different species.

Tourism and culture in Uzungöl

Uzungöl's tourism has grown a great deal in recent years. About 30 years ago it was an unknown spot of fields, and private investors turned it into a tourist centre. Since it became a Tourism Centre, the natural setting has changed with new development. Thanks to the animals local people raise, regional food can be found very fresh here, and the highland pastures (yayla), with the folklore of the local culture, are at the heart of tourism. A car makes it much easier to reach the places that are hard to get to.

Demirkapı (Haldizen) village, Uzungöl itself, Arpaözü village and Yaylaönü village, with their cold springs, clean air and cool climate, are places where the tradition of summer life on the highland pastures is still very much alive. In summer, festivals are held on the Black Sea pastures, attended by local people and visitors alike. Highland festivals are an important tradition here, as in many parts of the Black Sea. The celebrations held in the middle of July (called “Çürük” in the old local calendar of Sürmene, Çaykara and some villages of Of) are known as the Yayla Ortası (mid-pasture) festivals. Since 28 July 1986 the area has hosted these festivals, also called Çürük Ortası. The Uzungöl festival began on 2 August 2003 and has been held every year since. August is the liveliest month for tourism here, and it gets busier every year.

The traditional houses of Uzungöl are distinctive examples of eastern Black Sea domestic architecture, shaped by environmental, cultural, social and personal factors, and they show the variety of the region's local cultures.

Uzungöl Mosque

The mosque is the symbol of Uzungöl. It seems to greet visitors from its spot just below the village of Şerah, next to the Kemer Bridge, the only bridge across the Haldizen stream at Uzungöl, in the busiest and most central part of the village. With its grand appearance, it has become Uzungöl's landmark.

The mosque, which welcomes visitors all year round, was built in 2002. Its minarets come into view 600 metres before you arrive, and its silhouette reflected in the lake makes a picture you won't forget.

Uzungöl's history

According to some sources Uzungöl's history goes back to 1683, according to others to 1586. Ottoman archives from before the Republic show that the area was then known as Şerah and was taxed, which means people were already living here. Another record notes that there were 26 households in the Çaykara area in 1643.

In the Ottoman census of 1643 there were no households in the Şerah area, while in 1681 there were 12, some in Şerah village and some in Şekersu village. This population came to Uzungöl from the Çaykara area. In other words, this untouched area, which for years was used only as a summer pasture, was settled under the Ottomans, and the population has kept growing ever since. Later, as people noticed its natural beauty, entrepreneurs opened guesthouses and trout farms with restaurants. In the Republican era Uzungöl became one of Türkiye's most important tourist areas. It first grew famous among domestic visitors and then drew travellers from abroad. Today most foreign visitors come from the Arab world, and as their numbers grow every year, hotels and restaurants keep multiplying in Uzungöl, the pride of Trabzon. Its fame has also spread to Europe, and visitors now come from many European countries. Summer and winter alike, there are plenty of activities for making wonderful memories.

Regional food of Uzungöl

Trout

Uzungöl is fed by the Haldizen stream and by water coming down from the mountain peaks. Trout raised in the clean, clear water of the Haldizen are fried in butter made entirely by local people. The fish grows in such natural conditions that its taste stays with you, and you won't find trout like it anywhere else. If fish isn't for you, try the world-famous köfte (meatballs) of Akçaabat, a district of Trabzon. And if you want to eat completely natural, healthy food for a day, local people sell milk, cheese, fresh vegetables and much more.

Lahana çorbası (cabbage soup)

Don't leave Uzungöl without tasting its delicious lahana çorbası, a soup of black cabbage (Black Sea kale). The cabbage is finely chopped and boiled, sautéed in oil with onions, then cooked with water. Made with cabbage grown in Uzungöl's fertile soil and fresh mountain air, it tastes like nowhere else.

Mıhlama (muhlama), or kuymak

Mıhlama, also called kuymak, is a Black Sea speciality of cheese and natural cornmeal. The cheese is mixed with cornmeal and water and cooked in sizzling butter until it melts into long, stretchy strands. An essential of eastern Black Sea cooking, kuymak is served at breakfast, on tables laid for guests and in tourist restaurants.

Etli karalahana sarması (stuffed black cabbage)

This is one of the dishes local people eat most in the eastern Black Sea. Black cabbage leaves gathered on the pastures or in the fields are blanched, then wrapped around minced meat mixed with onion. It is served with homemade yoghurt.

Mısır ekmeği (cornbread)

Try mısır ekmeği, the cornbread no eastern Black Sea meal is complete without. It comes with almost every dish and can be baked in the region's wood-fired kitchen stoves (kuzine). Cornmeal, water and salt are slowly kneaded together, and the mixture is poured onto a griddle (sac) over embers and baked.

Other dishes to try in Uzungöl include pickled green beans (fasulye turşusu), ezme lahana (mashed cabbage with beans and cornmeal), sautéed pickled beans (fasulye kavurması), papa or haşıl (a cornmeal porridge), kete (a buttery pastry), hamsili ekmek (cornbread baked with anchovies) and sac kavurma (meat fried on a griddle).

Desserts

Sütlaç, rice pudding, is the most important dessert to try in Uzungöl. Made with rice and milk, it is baked in the oven and has a thick, creamy texture. Other desserts include laz böreği (a custard-filled filo pastry), pekmez (grape molasses) and pestil (dried fruit leather).

Hiking in Uzungöl As we described above, Uzungöl is home to a wealth of plants and trees. The best way to get close to this rich landscape and discover it is to go hiking. Its vegetation and wildlife make Uzungöl a perfect hiking destination, and walking is also the best way to see these natural wonders and take superb photographs. Uzungöl lies in the Haldizen valley, between the Soğanlı Mountains on one side and the Kaçkar Mountains on the other. Hike up the slopes and you reach the highland pastures. On the way you climb above the clouds, and having the clouds at your feet is a wonderful feeling.

Many tours run in Uzungöl in summer, and you can join one to go hiking. You can also plan your own route with your group, go for a hike and camp. The paths that climb into the mountains on either side of the lake are the starting points. These routes take you past many pastures, ponds and a great variety of landscapes, and they suit botanical walks and birdwatching. From Uzungöl, at 1,080 metres, you can also arrange trips higher up to Yedigöller behind the mountains and to the nearby pastures of Yaylaönü, Şekersu, Haldizen and Garester.

Things to keep in mind when hiking: wear a tracksuit and trainers, or hiking boots if you have them. Never forget to carry water. Mobile coverage keeps improving, but these areas are high up and the signal can weaken or drop altogether, so agree on a meeting point. Take some food if it isn't too heavy. Never hike alone, and always tell your group your route. Before choosing a route, ask someone who has been there before; it will save you time and energy.

Paragliding in Uzungöl If you want to see Uzungöl and the area from above and try something new, get ready for an exciting flight by paraglider. Among aircraft, the paraglider is environmentally friendly and ergonomic, and it gives one of the best sensations of flying. Paragliding lets you see your surroundings in 360 degrees from a bird's-eye view and feel as free as a bird, and Uzungöl is one of the most beautiful places to do it. Watching the lake and the mountains from the air is a pleasure of its own.

The flight starts from a level grassy field at 1,900 metres and ends at the helipad near Uzungöl at about 1,050 metres. You stay in the air for 10 to 15 minutes on average. The paragliding season in Uzungöl runs from May to September. If you want to fly, you can do it with the necessary equipment and an instructor pilot. Around 50 flights a day take off in Uzungöl, and you can have your flight filmed to keep the memory. What is a paraglider? It is an unpowered aircraft made with technology derived from aerospace research. With it you can rise hundreds of metres into the air and travel for kilometres. Can I fly if I'm afraid of heights? The fear of heights is usually felt when you look down from a tall building or a cliff. In paragliding you take off from a slope and see everything in 360 degrees during the flight, so people generally don't feel that fear.