Getting Outdoors in Uskumruköy
Getting away from the noise of Istanbul is closer than it looks. In the most natural corners of Sarıyer, Uskumruköy offers ideal ground for walkers and for anyone who likes a picnic. Its proximity to the Black Sea, its wooded terrain and its position beside Zekeriyaköy bring the advantages of living close to nature together in one place. A few hours a week on these paths and in these parks is enough to shed the pressure of the city.
Uskumruköy Park was designed as a place for residents to spend time. The scheme created a walking route around the site, a children's playground and an outdoor exercise area. Because the entrance road is narrow, trees were planted along it to form a shaded avenue. The two existing trees on the site were kept, and species suited to the local climate were chosen for the planting.
- Walking areas: 920 m²
- Children's playgrounds: 507 m²
- Exercise areas: 171 m²
- Existing trees: 2
- Trees planted: 68
Forest Walking Routes
The most popular outdoor activity here is long-distance forest walking. On the Wikiloc platform, the Uskumruköy to Gümüşdere and Uskumruköy to Zekeriyaköy routes are listed among the best open-air trails for walking and mountain biking. They work in both the morning and the evening, on paths that are safe and well lit. The Çayırbaşı to Uskumruköy walk is a long one and is best planned with stops; I have not measured its length. The Uskumruköy to Bahçeköy route joins the Belgrad Forest, where the marked Neşet Suyu trail is 6,200 metres (Sabah).
Evening and night walking events are organised between Uskumruköy, Bahçeköy and Kemerburgaz; for current dates it is worth following the local walking groups. Trekking around Kemerburgaz and Uskumruköy is a real opportunity for anyone looking to get properly out of the city, and the combination of woodland and the nearby Black Sea makes the walking better than it would otherwise be.
- The Gümüşdere route: ideal for forest walking
- The Zekeriyaköy route: suited to mountain biking and trekking
- Çayırbaşı to Uskumruköy: a long route, length not measured
- Uskumruköy to Bahçeköy: joins the Belgrad Forest; the Neşet Suyu trail there is 6,200 m (Sabah)
What Living Close to Nature Offers
The outdoor routes around Uskumruköy show plainly what life close to nature offers in and around Zekeriyaköy. Proximity to the Black Sea, wooded terrain and a position beside Zekeriyaköy bring those advantages together. Uskumruköy Park and the trails around it make the area a natural choice for anyone who wants to be outdoors.
Walkers here experience the quiet of the woods and the cool of the Black Sea together. The parks and routes work for both morning and evening walks, and the trekking events that are organised bring people together.
If you would like advice on property in Zekeriyaköy and the surrounding area, please get in touch.
Sources
I measured the figures in this article from the sources below. The links open each source’s current page; listing counts and prices change over time, so the figures here belong to the measurement date stated in the text.