Ahlatlıbel Atatürk Parkı

Ahlatlıbel Atatürk Park is a forest park on İncek Boulevard in the Ahlatlıbel neighbourhood of Çankaya district, in the south-west of Ankara. The park is run by Çankaya Municipality; the municipality's guide describes it as a place that feels far from the city even though it lies within it. According to feature articles in the press, the area was opened to the public as a picnic ground in 2002 and grew over time with sports and event facilities. It takes its name from the Ahlatlıbel neighbourhood; the newspaper Yeni Ankara reports that the name comes from the wild pear trees, ahlat in Turkish, that once grew in the area. Because it is close to the Gölbaşı boundary, some sources place the park in İncek or Gölbaşı; in the municipal record and on OpenStreetMap the park is in Çankaya. The character of the park is set by 180,000 square metres of forest. Most of the trees are black pines; the earth tracks between them are used for walking and running. In and around the forest there are 25,300 square metres of lawn; signs tell visitors that walking on the grass is allowed. Because the park sits on the ridge of a hill, the plain to the south and the skyline of the city can be seen from the clearings in the forest. In winter the frost-covered pine branches and snow-covered lawns make the park worth visiting in every season. The sports facilities are the busiest part of the park. There are three tennis courts, two artificial-turf pitches, three basketball courts and two volleyball courts. The golf area is a facility rarely found in Ankara's public parks. Running and walking tracks, a cycle path and a sports garden fitted with outdoor exercise equipment spread around the edge of the park. The press also mentions paintball and go-kart areas; ask the municipality about how these facilities operate. For children there are safe playgrounds with slides, swings and trampolines. The kite-flying field is one of the best-loved corners of the park; kite festivals are held here in spring. There is a separate dog-walking area for those who come with their pets. Picnic areas are scattered through the forest; sources note that barbecues and samovars are not allowed in the park, so check the current rule with the municipality. Cafeterias and canteens operate inside the park. Çankaya Municipality lists the open-air stage inside the park among its cultural centres under the name Ahlatlıbel Atatürk Park Cultural Area. In summer, events such as concerts, children's festivals and 23 April celebrations take place here. In spring, women's handicraft markets are also set up in the park. The municipality writes that the park hosts an average of 50,000 visitors every weekend; the press puts the annual figure at 2 million. Those who want to avoid the crowds should choose weekday mornings. The park is protected by a 24-hour security service; the municipality keeps a small fire-fighting fleet in the park against forest fires. The park has a car park for 650 vehicles. Sources disagree about an entrance fee; some say a small charge is collected, others say entry is free, so check Çankaya Municipality's page before you go. Toilets and hygiene facilities are available inside the park. EGO buses from Kızılay reach the park in about twenty minutes; feature articles mention routes 192 and 194, so check the current routes with EGO. The buses stop at the stops named Ahlatlıbel or Ahlatlıbel Parkı. Those coming by car follow İncek Boulevard; the park lies on the boulevard. The name Ahlatlıbel also appears in the history of archaeology. The Early Bronze Age settlement of the same name was excavated in 1933 under Hamit Zübeyir Koşay; Wikipedia describes this dig as the first excavation carried out by Turkish archaeologists. That settlement lies not in the park but on the grounds of METU; the finds are displayed in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Combining the park with the road on to the Mogan and Eymir lakes at Gölbaşı makes a full day of nature in the south of Ankara.