Off to Yenice for a silent, serene getaway

Yenice is Karabük’s westernmost district. In 1461 Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror captured it from the Genoese. Nearby are the provinces of Bartın, Zonguldak, Kastamonu and Bolu. The sea of greenery that is Yenice is 257 kilometers from Ankara and 417 kilometers from İstanbul.

Yenice is 85 percent forest. In the spring, the Yenice forests bring with them a feeling of peace tinged with the sound of flowing waters, wandering lambs and birds and the staggering grandeur and beauty of its lush green trees. In the fall, the colors yellow, red, orange, green and mahogany blend together splendidly, and a departing visitor thinks of no more than the next opportunity to come here.

Those who want to see Yenice can spend the night in Safranbolu, adding a whole new dimension to their travels. You can reach Yenice from Safranbolu by train (departing from nearby Karabük) or car, and if you leave at first light, you’ll traverse the 40 kilometer distance quickly. No matter how you travel, the road to get there is also stunningly beautiful for nature lovers.

Despite its proximity to metropolises such as İstanbul and Ankara, the spotlight has yet to swivel toward Yenice and its forests when it comes to tourism. Administrators are working hard to change that though, with the Yenice District Governorship, supported by the Karabük Governorship, bringing the main and back roads and trails and outdoor activities and facilities available up to international standards, also marking with signs and placards areas and routes available to nature lovers.

Karabük Governor Nurullah Çakır said that as a result of all the work and resources invested into Yenice, there are now 396 kilometers of trail to be navigated by visitors. “We are overjoyed at the success of creating a guidebook and signs and trails that appeal to visitors and hikers of every experience level at the Yenice forests, making it ready for tourism.”

The walking trails of Yenice forests are categorized into three types: short ones for walks of a few hours, four-to-six-hour trails for day trips and long winding paths for two-to-six-day hiking trips.

Yenice District Governor Mehmet Fatih Çiçekli was assigned to his position two-and-a-half years ago, and he’s a real nature lover. Already having an appreciation of forestry gained from his father and grandfather and knowledgeable in woodwork, Çiçekli say he was captivated when he began his service and saw the beauty of the Yenice forests. “Before I came to Yenice I had no idea of these beauties. I didn’t have a clue about the nature here,” he says. The young district governor aims to turn his district, home to nearly 10,000 people but constantly greeting newcomers, into one that makes money from tourism, not just forestry, as is the case now. Çiçekli pushed to make Yenice tourism-friendly, seeking the aid of Karabük Governor Çakır.

Putting together a team of experts, he developed 396 kilometers of trail in the forests and, not stopping there, had a special log house built on the outskirts of Şeker Canyon. The facility is a spot where those who come to see the beauties of the area can stop and drink tea, taking in the sights and listening to the birds sing. “We’re opening these places so that the Yenice district can serve its people. By bringing out the tourism potential of these beauties, we will both help our residents financially and introduce this hidden treasure to the world,” he said.

Things to do in Yenice

Hiking or walking forest trails, swimming in lakes and near waterfalls, bicycling through silent greenery, experiencing the freedom of the Keltepe summit, enjoying the solitude, picnicking at Gökdere Nature Park and the Fındıkaltı picnic area, taking pictures in perfect weather, rock climbing, thinking under monumental trees -- these are only a few of the activities to be enjoyed in the forests of Yenice.