5.  MOSQUE - KEMERKAYA - CIGMIS - DEREKOY (UMITCAN ROUTE)

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DISTANCE: 20.39 KM.

TOTAL RECEIVED  ALTITUDE: 498 M.

TOTAL  LANDING: 741 M.

MAXIMUM  ALTITUDE: 378 M.

MINIMUM  ALTITUDE: 34 M.

ROAD: PATH, FOREST ROAD AND RIVER BED

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WATER: Water is available in the Masjid Area, at 6 km and 11 km of the road, when you leave the point where you exit on the Yörükkeçidere - Dumanalan road and go 60-70 meters to the right and in Çığmış Mahallesi.

ACCOMMODATION : Village in Derekoy  It is possible to camp and stay at the trout farm at the exit. (Ismail Bey – 0535 262 26 50)

CAMPING: You can safely camp at many points on this track.

Grocery Store/MARKET:  There is a grocery store in Derekoy.  

TRANSPORTATION: There is no public transportation.

COMMUNICATION: Except for a small part of this track in the valleys, it is possible to communicate with mobile phones.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Just before coming to the bridge, we enter the forest road across the road in front of the Masjid and walk along the stream bed. After the road continues for a while by rising from the stream bed, it will take us to a wide, flat and open area. This plain is very old, but its traces follow a certain tractor path.  We will cross the length and descend into the creek bed. A not very deep stream awaits us here. After crossing the stream, we immediately enter the path rising from the opposite side. The path will turn into a forest road after a while, and after a while it will lead to another road, a 3 road junction. We continue on the new road to the left. About 1 km. Then a fork in the road awaits us. Here, the road offers us two different alternatives. Continuing on the road by seeing Kemerkaya, a natural wonder, at the risk of entering the water up to the chest level, or continuing the way we came without entering the water.

      a. Kemerkaya Option:

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Kemerkaya is an alternative track that is a natural wonder of approximately 1.5 km. At some point, it is necessary to enter the water up to the chest level. Therefore, it is not recommended to go through cold winter days. We recommend you to see it in the spring and summer months.

From the point where the sign is (the sign has not been installed yet), we leave the road to the left and enter the forest. With a very short walk, we descend to the creek bed with a small slope at the beginning and a very steep slope towards the end. Kemerkaya is just on your right… It is a natural wonder created by the flowing stream by piercing the rocks. After this point, it is 1.5 km. We begin an epic trek. In a very narrow canyon, this road, formed by huge rocks rolled into the stream bed and the stream flowing through them, continues by climbing and descending the rocks, sometimes from the left of the stream and sometimes from the right of the stream. From the point where the canyon widens, we leave the stream bed to the right and come to a fountain. This is the meeting point with the main road. From this  Then we will continue as the only way.

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      WARNINGS FOR KEMERKAYA

     ** Do not go on cold winter days and heavy rainy weather.

     ** Do not go solo.

    ** 1.2 - 1.3 m at one point. Know that there is depth. (The distance to be crossed at this depth is about 1 meter.) Other sections are at maximum laptop depth.

     ** The water is rocky, so press carefully and with control.

     ** Some of the rocks outside the water can be slippery, be careful. Do not jump on rocks.

    ** Don't let these warnings scare you. As long as you are careful, you can safely pass male/female, young/old.

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     SUGGESTIONS TO USERS OF THE KEMERKAYA ROUTE

   ** Crossing the Kemerkaya route takes some time and requires effort. Therefore, they will use this alternative route, and they should plan not to reach Dereköy, but to go to Çığmış or to set up camp under Yörükkeçidere Village.

     ** Those who will come from the Mescit can leave their backpacks at Kemerkaya junction and go down to Kemerkaya and return by the same route. (After passing Kemerkaya, walking for 500 meters will be enough to see almost all the beauties.) Those coming from Çığmış side, on the other hand, carry their backpacks at the fountain located at the entrance to the Kemerkaya route.  They can leave and go to Kemerkaya and return to the same point from the main route from the top. (In this option, approximately 3 - 3.5 km. more will be walked.)

     ** Groups of 3 people and more can pass without getting wet by transferring their camp loads in the section where the depth is 1.2 - 1.3 meters.

    ** The fountain in between is a fountain that normally flows in summer and winter. However, it may not flow from time to time due to the hose carrying the water coming out. You can reach the water at the point where the hose comes out by walking 60 - 70 meters towards the back of the fountain.

      b. Path option.

At the point where the sign is located (the sign has not been installed yet), do not leave the road, approximately 1 km. We continue.  1 km. then we turn left from the road and descend towards the creek bed. Approximately  500 meters Then we come to a fountain. This is the junction point with the alternative route coming from Kemerkaya. From now on, we will continue as the only way.

Our route will continue by following the creek bed in front of the fountain. After a short walk, the stream will leave the bed and rise. About 6 km. We will follow this road with wonderful views. That is, until you get to the Yörükkeçidere – Dumanalan road, which is a larger road. Our route will continue on the left road. However, those who need water can turn right from here and meet their water needs from two fountains located 60-70 meters off the road.

After leaving the road, we turn left and continue. First we will cross a bridge. Then we continue towards the farm on the right of the road. At the point where the farm ends, we leave the road to the right and start climbing. After leaving the road, we slowly rise from the scrub and stony area, and after a very short walk, we cross the waterway formed by a small water current and climb slightly to the right from the clearing area opposite. When we get to the top of this hill, we will turn right. We will pass a water trough made for animals and continue towards the wooded area just in front of us.  When you reach the wooded area, you will see a road, from this point we turn right and continue on the road. This very short road will end in a few hundred meters. Just before we reach the finish point, we leave the road to the left and climb slightly to the right of the clearing area we came out of. From now on, the road will climb through some maquis, rocky and wooded areas, and when we finally reach the summit, it will take a new road through a rocky path among the scrubs. At this point, you will also see Çığmış village. We will descend on the new road and towards the village. About 1 km. Then we will come to a flat and open field. The road will turn right from here and enter a new path. This path will now take us to the village of Çığmış and will take us to the village center where the mosque and coffee shop are located.

The road continues to Dereköy by turning sharply to the left from the point where you came out. Right after we turn, we will enter the path that goes to the right from the road, and from there we will take an upper road. After following this road for a while, we will leave the road from the wooded area and enter a new road. This road will take us to a wide open area on the ridge. Along this ridge, we will pass through the open area, sometimes through the scrubland and 2 km. At the end of a mile walk, we will descend from the right to the stream bed below. The path will lead us down to the creek bed. Turning left from the stream bed, we will continue for a while and finally reach the lower road of Dereköy, turn right and proceed towards the village square.