PART 5: Hemshin, Hamshen, Rize Turkey The Main Valley

The fairy tale fortress of Zilkale is a 1.5 hour hike from the farm, or a half-hour minibus ride on a road which reasonable people consider undrivable. It is straight out of the dreams of a 19th century romantic-a moss-covered ruin soaring on a wild crag in the forest high above the cascading Fırtına. On a wet day, with clouds hiding the valley base and wisps of vapor enveloping the fortress, it is one of the most unforgettable sights of all Turkey. Its history, like much else in this land, is shrouded in mist.

One speculation traces it to Justinian's Lazic Wars in the 6th century; another points out to the Genoese who, very improbably, may have tried in the 13th century to develop Hemşin as a trade route. The strategic rationale for building such a fine stronghold on a dead-end valley is elusive and one is tempted to muse that the whole setup may have been created for the sheer scenic effect.
From Zilkale a brutally steep stretch of road leads to Çat, at about 1300 meters, where leaf forests give way to conifers and the snow-capped mountain peaks finally come in full view. Çat is a perfect base for short
day hikes. The village itself consists of a few timber chalets, a general store and a pleasant little inn called Hotel Cancik, complete with bar, backgammon boards and a fantastic collection of old Turkish cigarettes spanning 50 years above the counter.

Situated at a fork in the valley, two separate routes are possible from Çat. The right fork will take you past the ruins of Zilkale's sister castle, Varoş-kale up into the Tatos Range and the Verçenik Peaks (3711 meters). More than a dozen glacier lakes are to be found in this region, two of them in a dramatic setting in the great circus at the top of the Tatos massif. One should not attempt to go beyond Varoşkale without a good guide, as this is serious mountaineering country and the weather can be extremely variable.
The left fork is ideal for the layman. A two hour hike will bring you to Elevit (2000 meters), a typical yayla village of stone houses encircled by treeless hills and an endless horizon. There is one pension in Elevit run by cantankerous old Mesut Bey: If you are not careful he will charge you $20 for a meal and bed, spartan at best. In 15 minutes the price may have been brought down to a fourth of the original and you may have made good friends with Mesut Bey. No vehicles go beyond Elevit. Tirevit, an even older yayla community at 2200 meters which consists entirely of houses made with great yellow blocks of stone, is an easy 2 1/2 hour hike. Covkun Golü the most accessible of all glacier lakes, is a 45 minute walk past Tirevit. Also above Elevit is the Star lake (Yıldız Gölü), where at 8:00 on a clear morning mysterious stars glitter upon the surface of the water. A 3 1/2 hours hike, it is a splendid camping site. For the really ambitious, a hard 6 hour trek from Elevit climbs to the eagle's nest of Haçevank at the edge of permanent snow. At 2800 meters, this is the highest village in the Black Sea region, inhabited in July and August only. From there, another 6 hours will take you across the Capug Pass (3200 meters) and Başyayla to Varoşkale, where you can catch a minibus back to Çat and Şenyuva.
Pokut: A more accesible and highly picturesque yayla settlement can be reached directly from Şenuva, where a dirt road served by minibuses will take you to Pokut. Pokut is a much-photographed locus classicus of the Hemşin yaylas. It sits just above the tree line, a collection of weathered wooden chalets grouped together on a grassy knoll which has one of the most striking panoramas of the Kaçkar peaks. Houses have been paintstakingly constructed, the foundation consisting of cement-free slabs of stone and the upper half made of timber. Doors and window frames are painted cheerly blues and reds, where turbaned grandfathers and colorfully scarved Hemşin beauties greet your arrival. Happy cows decked out in ponpons moo their acknowledgement In Pokut you can stay at the cozy hostel run by Fikret Demirci and Memiş Akay. A rambling wooden farmhouse, it is heated by an antique wood stove and can sleep up to 25 - as long as everyone brings a sleeping bag. Beds may be available if you get in touch in advance. This can be attempted at Çamlıhemşin or at Güen Pastryshop, run by a brother, in downtown Trabzon. The two bosses are quintessentially Hemsinli-gar¬rulous, moody, poetic, in love with the mountains-and famous drinkers. At a certain point in the evening, Fikret will bring out the tulum, the Hemşin version of the bagpipe, and hold forth with its maddening Dionysiac screech. The two have quite serious dreams about developing Pokut as a center for mountain excursions. Boar, wild goats, roe deer and large numbers of bear roam these hills and hunting expeditions Can also be organized in advance. Other yayla settlements in Hazindag, Samistal, Amlakit and Palovit can be reached on hikes
of varying length from Pokut.
Ayder and Kaçkar: Reached easily by minibus from Çamlıhemşin, Ayder is known regionally for its mineral hotsprings located in the center of town. Recognized as a cure for every sort of bug and pestilence, the springs attract a primarily local clien¬tele, the unfortunate result being a slew of breeze-block cement hotels. The Saray Hotel, a great sagging house of dark timber, exudes an air of faded grandeur and recommends itself as a creative alternative to its cement counterparts. The baths are located in a small domed building by the river. It opens to women 9 to 5, and men from 7 pm onwards. The protector of the baths and Ayder's one-man police force is the rifle-toting Bekçi Ahmet. An exuberant presence around town, Ahmet is known to sneak into the baths with his friends during the offhours between 5 and 7 to avoid the crowds. Thus for men the best time to show up is during this period, as Ahmet invariably runs an open house during his ablutions. The bath itself is excellent for dispersing the aches and pains of overworked limbs.
The other major attraction of Ayder is its location at the base of the Kaçkar Peak. A three hour hike leads through the yayla settlements of Aşağı and Yukarı Kavrun to the foot of the mountain. The peak, while not a particularly difficult one for the professional, is certainly not a feat to be attempted by amateur hiker. The latter, in exchange, could well under¬take a hiking and camping tour de force, the spectacular trek which crosses the Kaçkar range at 3200 meters over into Artvin. This is a two day expedition from Ayder. It involves a four hour hike to Balakçor, where several different paths can be taken to tackle the mountain. After a night spent in the very different scenery of the south slope, it is an easy walk down to the large village of Hevek (Yaylalar). There, with luck, a minibus can be found to take you to Barhal to get your first taste of the medieval splendors of Artvin land.
 

PART 1: A Unique Land
PART 2: The People of Hemşin
PART 3: Migrations
PART 4: Çamhhemşin
PART 5:The Main Valley