Perşembe Yaylası

The Perşembe Plateau is a wide upland plain in the Aybastı district of Ordu, lying at an elevation of about 1500 metres. The Ordu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism gives its distance from Aybastı as 17 kilometres. The plateau was declared a tourism centre by a Council of Ministers decision in 1991. What sets it apart from the other plateaus of Ordu are the meanders traced by the small streams that wind back and forth across the middle of the plain. The meanders are the signature of the plateau. The stream running through the meadows keeps changing direction on the almost level plain and draws loop after loop. The KÜRE Encyclopedia writes that the plateau was shaped by thousands of years of erosion and stream action. The Provincial Directorate presents the meanders as a formation without parallel in the surrounding region and mentions registration work aimed at protecting them as world heritage. Seen from the slopes above, the loops shine on the green ground like a silver thread. The human story of the plateau is also old. The KÜRE Encyclopedia reports that Turkmen tribes are known to have used it as summer pasture from the Middle Ages onwards and that the plateau kept its importance in the Ottoman period. The same source relates that a battle between the Danishmendids and the Empire of Trebizond in the early twelfth century took place on this plateau. The Culture Portal notes that there are historic tomb towers on the plateau and lists the Çiseli Waterfall and Karga Tepesi among the places to see. According to Anadolu Agency, there is also a natural lake and a waterfall at the entrance to the plateau. Plateau life continues today. In summer, grazing animals and flocks of sheep on the meadows around the meanders are the most familiar sight on the plateau. Anadolu Agency reports that a market is set up in the centre of the plateau where local people sell the produce they make themselves. Guesthouses and apartment lodgings are reported to be available on the plateau for those who want to stay. The misty, cool air is one of the main reasons that draw visitors escaping the summer heat up to the plateau. July is the liveliest time on the plateau. The Provincial Directorate writes that the plateau festivities held every July include competitions, folk dance shows, concerts, wrestling matches and horse races. The Mayor of Aybastı told Anadolu Agency that the oil wrestling and culture festival held in 2023 was the 915th edition. According to news reports, football tournaments and off road vehicle races are also held during the festivities. The plateau becomes very crowded on festival days, so those looking for quiet should choose a date outside that week. The plateau also suits outdoor sports. The Provincial Directorate presents it as an ideal place for picnics, off road excursions and paragliding. The best way to see the meanders is to walk up one of the surrounding slopes and look down on the plain from above. Early in the morning, as the mist lifts from the valley, the loops slowly come into view and the finest light for photography arrives at those moments. When walking on the meadows, take care not to startle the animals, not to drive onto the pastures and to protect the vegetation along the stream banks. Winter is a season of its own on the plateau. According to a CNN Türk report, when snow falls the plateau turns white, visitors go sledging, and the meanders caught among the snow offer a completely different view. However, winter conditions can be harsh at this altitude, and the road may close from time to time. Before setting out in winter, check the road conditions with the authorities and prepare your vehicle for winter driving. The plateau is most easily reached by private vehicle. Simply follow the road that climbs towards the plateau from the centre of Aybastı, and the Culture Portal writes that most of the road is asphalt and the rest is gravel. The KÜRE Encyclopedia notes that the plateau lies about 100 kilometres from the centre of Ordu. Those who want to come by public transport should get current information in the district about reaching the plateau once they arrive in Aybastı. Since the air cools in the evenings even in summer, remember to bring warm clothing.