Kızılırmak Basin Gastronomy and Walking Trail
The Kızılırmak Basin Gastronomy and Walking Trail is Turkey’s first eco-tourism project to combine nature, history and regional cuisine, launched in 2011 under the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. The trail follows the Çorum stretch of the Kızılırmak, Turkey’s longest river, linking the valleys, forests, waterfalls and highland pastures of the province’s north.
The Route Network
According to official figures, the project includes:
- 25 trekking routes marked with red-and-white signs over 190 km, reaching 305 km in total with alternative paths (including two long-distance routes of 37 km and 52 km).
- 7 cycling routes totalling 606 km, mostly following village and forest roads.
- A 702-km “Scenic Drive”, starting at the Hirfanlı Dam in Kırşehir and running through Kırıkkale, Ankara, Çankırı, Çorum, Sinop and part of Samsun.
- A 359-km “Culture Route” focused on Çorum’s historic sites: Hattusa, Yazılıkaya, Alacahöyük, the Çorum Museum and clock tower, Kapılıkaya, the Koyunbaba Bridge and Kandiber Castle in Osmancık, Hacıhamza Castle and Mosque in Kargı, İskilip Castle and its rock tombs, the Resuloğlu site in Uğurludağ, and the clock tower in Sungurlu.
All the cycling and scenic-drive routes (1,186 km combined) can also be used as jeep-safari routes.
The İskilip Leg and Recommended Routes
Much of the trail runs through the mountainous parts of İskilip and Kargı districts. Some of the day-hike routes recommended by the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism:
| Route | Length |
|---|---|
| Sorkun–Asarkaya | 6 km |
| Sorkun–Karayanık Waterfalls | 7 km |
| Yalakyayla–Akpınar | 11 km |
| Akpınar–İskilip | 14 km |
| Karaağaç Yaylası–Çukuralıç | 15 km |
| İskilip–Karayanık | 52 km |
| Gökçedoğan Dam Lake–Kızıloluk | 5 km |
| Tepelice–Kargı Tatil Köyü | 9 km |
| Tepelice–Çobanlar | 11 km |
| İnegöl Fire Lookout Tower–Karaca Yaylası | 11 km |
Cycling routes include İskilip–Asarkaya (54 km), Kargı–Saraycık (62 km), İskilip–Elmabeli–İskilip (82 km) and Obruk Dam Lake Loop–İskilip (110 km).
The project’s source material (cultureroutesinturkey.com) also outlines a 7-day İskilip-based walking itinerary: day 1, İskilip–Ahmetçe (7 km, overnight in a village house); day 2, Ahmetçe–Akpınar–Yalakyayla (14 km, camping); day 3, Yalakyayla–Sorkun (11 km); day 4, Sorkun–Asarkaya–Waterfalls–Karayanık (14 km), continuing on through Karaağaç Yaylası, Kargı Tatil Köyü and Kızılcaoluk Waterfall.
Regional Dishes
Foods worth trying along the route include çatal aşı, bulgur aşı, madımak, keşkek, toyga aşı, dried-bean roast, poppy-seed katmer, erişte, yanıç, cızlak, oğmaç, hingal, İskilip dolması, hedik, tel tel, gül burma, hasıda and karaçuval helvası.
When to Go
According to the project’s source, the route is best suited to hiking from April to November. Kösedağ (2,100 m), cited as the route’s highest point, and the Sakaröküz hills are under heavy snow in winter. (Note: it is not clear from these sources whether this “Kösedağ” is the same mountain near Sivas-Suşehri where the historic 1243 Battle of Köse Dağ took place — the two should not be confused; this needs verification.)
Related Pages
Several points along the trail have their own articles on our site: Obruk Dam, Çorum’s Waterfalls (Karayanık and Kızılcaoluk), Başpınar Karaca Highland, İskilip Yaylaları and Kargı Yaylası. For the historic route, see also our Hitit Yolu page.