Zilkale

Zilkale stands on a rock spur at 1,130 metres in the Fırtına gorge, where the valley narrows, some 380 metres above the river, and it is generally dated to the medieval period - most likely built under the Empire of Trebizond, with earlier and later phases argued over, since it has never been properly excavated. It is compact: an outer wall, an inner keep, a possible chapel, cisterns and living quarters, with towers set into the rock and a gate reached by a path. What makes it memorable is not the architecture but the weather. The valley generates cloud constantly, and the castle spends much of its time with mist moving through and around it, appearing and disappearing above forest that runs up the slopes on every side - which is why almost every photograph of it looks the same and why it is the image of the whole region. The road up from Çamlıhemşin is narrow and slow, and continues to the yaylas beyond.

What to look for

• The keep and walls - the medieval fortification on the spur.
• The gorge - the Fırtına valley below the castle rock.
• The mist - cloud moving through the forest and towers.
• The forest slopes - temperate rainforest on all sides.

When to go

June to September; the valley road is difficult and often closed in winter. Mist is constant - a clear view is luck rather than planning.

Practical notes

The climb from the parking area is short but steep and slippery in the near-permanent damp. Walls are unfenced in places. Cloud may hide everything. Facilities are a tea house.

Nearby

Çamlıhemşin is 15 km down the valley; Palovit falls and Pokut plateau are further up.

Key facts