Yavuzkemal Webcam – Watch the Kulakkaya Plateau in Giresun

The Yavuzkemal Webcam is a moving camera on Kulakkaya Yaylasi, the highland resort that Yavuzkemal Municipality looks after in the mountains of Giresun Province, Turkey. It swings between a handful of set views: the resort’s main street with its tall arched lamp posts and yellow cafe umbrellas, a large wooden chalet with balconies under a steep roof, and a grassy slope backed by a dark wall of conifers. In winter the same street turns into a cobbled lane lined with timber houses and shops, cars parked along it and snow banked along the edge. The plateau sits around 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) up, so cloud can settle on it and turn the picture white for hours, leaving only the nearest roofs and treetops. When it lifts, the timber buildings and forest come back into view.

About Kulakkaya Yaylasi and Yavuzkemal

Kulakkaya Yaylasi lies inside the boundaries of Kulakkaya village in Dereli District and is run by Yavuzkemal Municipality, which is why the stream carries the town’s name. The plateau spreads between roughly 1,500 and 1,700 meters (4,900 and 5,600 feet), and the summits around it top 2,000 meters (6,560 feet), among them Caldag at 2,030 meters (6,660 feet). Giresun, on the Black Sea coast, is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) away, and the Dereli district center about 15 kilometers (9 miles).

The Turkish government declared Kulakkaya a tourism center by Cabinet decision on 20 September 1991, and the Dereli district governorship calls it the best-known and most visited plateau in Giresun. The settlement mixes traditional wooden houses with newer concrete buildings, some packed tight along the street and others scattered over the meadows. The surrounding forest is Oriental spruce, Scots pine, fir and beech, and the conifers on the camera’s slope view are the edge of it.

Yavuzkemal itself is a small town of 2,361 people (2022) at 1,475 meters (4,839 feet), west of the Aksu River and about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Dereli. A Turkmen tribe called Kirik founded it in the 14th century under the name Nahiye-i Kirik, and it became a township seat in 1998. The town center lies around 7 kilometers (4 miles) south of the camera, out of frame.

Weather and Climate at Kulakkaya Yaylasi

Winters at this height are long, cold and snowy. January highs hover around 0 C (32 F) and nights fall to about -7 C (19 F), and from December to March the average daytime high stays below 4 C (39 F). That is when the street in the camera’s view is edged with snowbanks. Spring comes late. April still has near-freezing nights with highs around 10 C (50 F), and May reaches 13 C (56 F).

Summer is cool and damp. July and August average highs of 18 to 19 C (64 to 66 F) with nights around 10 to 11 C (50 to 52 F). The plateau gets around 1,560 millimeters (61 inches) of rain and snow a year, with May and June the wettest months at roughly 190 to 210 millimeters (7.5 to 8.2 inches) each. Low cloud can sit on the meadows for a whole morning and reduce the picture to grey outlines of trees and rooflines. Autumn is short: October averages 13 C (55 F) highs and 4 C (39 F) lows, and by November the nights are below freezing again.

Things to Do Near Kulakkaya Yaylasi

The best-known outing from the plateau is Kuzalan Nature Park, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. It takes in Mavi Gol (the Blue Lake), the Kuzalan waterfall and the Goksu travertines, a run of mineral terraces in Pinarlar village. Closer to Kulakkaya, the road up passes Despot Rock and its spring, the Erimez area and Gelin Kayasi (Bride’s Rock), and the Alcakbel forest has a picnic area for day visits. Belen Hill is the local viewpoint, looking out to Caldag.

Kulakkaya has hotels, motels, bungalows, mountain houses for rent and camping grounds, and Yavuzkemal, a short drive south, has shops for supplies. Nature walks, picnics in the forest and photography are the usual pastimes. Giresun, 45 kilometers (28 miles) north, has its castle hill and harbor, and flights land at Ordu-Giresun Airport on the coast.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What can you see on the Yavuzkemal Webcam?

The camera pans between set views of Kulakkaya Yaylasi: the main street with its arched lamp posts and cafe umbrellas, a large wooden chalet, and a grassy slope below spruce and fir forest. It moves on its own, so the view on screen changes from one visit to the next.

Where is Kulakkaya Yaylasi?

Kulakkaya is a highland plateau in Dereli District, Giresun Province, in Turkey’s Black Sea region. It is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Giresun city, 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Dereli and around 7 kilometers (4 miles) north of Yavuzkemal town.

Does the Yavuzkemal Webcam show the town of Yavuzkemal?

No. The camera is on Kulakkaya Yaylasi, the plateau resort the municipality runs, and the town center of Yavuzkemal is about 7 kilometers (4 miles) to the south, out of sight.

How high is Kulakkaya Yaylasi?

The plateau lies between about 1,500 and 1,700 meters (4,900 and 5,600 feet) above sea level. Caldag, the highest summit nearby, reaches 2,030 meters (6,660 feet).

What is the weather like at Kulakkaya Yaylasi?

Summers are cool and wet, with highs of 18 to 19 C (64 to 66 F) in July and August. Winters are cold and snowy, with January highs near 0 C (32 F) and nights around -7 C (19 F).

Why does the Yavuzkemal Webcam look white or foggy?

Cloud can settle on the plateau at this height, especially on damp days, and the camera is then inside it. Only the nearest trees and roofs show until it lifts, which can take several hours.

Where can you stay at Kulakkaya Yaylasi?

The plateau has hotels, motels, bungalows, rented mountain houses and camping grounds. The peak season runs from May to August.

How do you get to Kulakkaya Yaylasi?

By car from Giresun, follow the Kayadibi and Erimez road to Yavuzkemal and continue up to the plateau. Minibuses run regularly between Giresun and Dereli, and flights land at Ordu-Giresun Airport.

Source: Hasan Yayinda