Discover Çengelköy

Çengelköy brings together a distinct rural setting and its own culinary and community traditions. The village’s high plateau is called Yılanlıca. The road connection is also a useful point of reference for getting there: a 2.4-kilometer village road connects Çengelköy to the D-865 state highway between Giresun, Dereli and Sivas. If you are planning the drive, you can check current road conditions in advance.

Getting There and Accommodation

Nearby Yavuzkemal has shopping and accommodation options. These can provide an additional point of reference when planning a stay; individual providers and their availability may change. So check specific offers for your travel dates. This helps distinguish the search for accommodation from Çengelköy’s local characteristics, without equating accommodation options in Yavuzkemal with any particular hotel.

Village Life and Local Food Culture

On the morning of Bayram, villagers read the Quran together in the cemetery. Afterwards, Keşkek is served to villagers and guests at the entrance to the mosque. This sequence places the dish within a communal holiday custom and gives it a different context from an ordinary meal.

A description from 2019 also mentions the Cartoğlu Değirmeni in Çengelköy and describes how villagers process corn there into groats and corn flour. The mill adds the production of staple foods to the picture of local food culture. The Bayram custom and corn processing are distinct aspects: one takes place on a holiday morning, while the other involves processing corn.

Nature and Culture in the Wider Dereli Area

Beyond Çengelköy, the wider Dereli area offers a range of natural and cultural attractions. Kuzalan Nature Park lies along the Giresun–Dereli road. Its features include waterfalls, travertines, a cave and diverse plant life; the park also has hiking trails, viewpoints and picnic areas. Geological formations and designated places to spend time thus sit side by side.

The Kümbet Tourism Center includes the Aymaç recreation area, Salon Çayırı and surrounding high plateaus. Kümbet is surrounded by spruce forests and has expansive meadows, cool air and high-plateau houses. It is considered one of the most visited natural attractions in Dereli district. Kulakkaya Yaylası lies at an altitude of about 1,500 meters and is one of Giresun Province’s best-known and most visited high plateaus, and has been so for a long time. In spring, its meadows are covered with yellow rhododendrons, called “zifin” in Turkish.

Seasonal activities and events also vary. In the Kurttepe area of the Bektaş Tourism Center, you can ski in winter and grass-ski in summer; check current operating conditions before making plans. The International Kümbet Culture and Arts Festival is held every July in the Aymaç area and draws tens of thousands of visitors. The Bektaş Plateau Festivals are held annually in the last week of July. Since the exact festival dates may vary, it is advisable to check the latest dates before travelling.

On the way to Kulakkaya Yaylası are Despot Kayası and its spring, Erimez Mevkii and Gelin Kayası. Despot Kayası and Gelin Kayası are natural monuments associated with local legends passed down orally; Erimez Mevkii is known for its natural beauty. These places and the seasonal offerings in the wider Dereli area provide a different focus from Çengelköy’s own points of reference, Yılanlıca and village life.

Discover more destinations: Piraziz, Sultanköy Köyü, Yavuzkemal, Çalış, Görele, Şebinkarahisar, Eynesil, Keşap.

For the broader travel overview: Giresun.