Green Bay

Apart from the low key hum of Turkish music half way through the night we slept pretty well. After a breakfast of bread and jam we pulled out the brompton bikes for a cycle in to Unye. Along the seafront and in to the centre with Mac n Tosh in the baskets. Everyone was highly amused and wanted to take our picture. In return, we were showered with gifts of tea, sweets, hazelnuts and all accompanied by lots of belly laughs. 

Tosh nice & comfy in the basket

The port town was an important junction of the Silk Road and the coastal highway during the Ottoman period. The labyrinth of well-kept winding streets and lanes kept us occupied for a good few hours. I just love tooting around all the bazaars and shops. 

Now that’s a big kebab

Certainly the Black Sea coast boasts few of the usual tourist attractions. Combined with the initial impression that is of a more neglected, industrial and plain coastline than its southern counterparts. Neither does the Black Sea suffer from the usual resort hawkers pushing everything from carpets, leather jackets, boat trips and meals.  It goes without saying that the excess rash of hotel developments, discos, bars and boutiques that has broken out along Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean holiday rivieras is entirely absent here. 

Elman & Kaan hazelnut traders

Instead you find bustling cities, thriving villages and an undeveloped coastline. The tourism facilities may be second rate, but when travelling in the comfort of your own Motorhome the facilities are a dream.  Wild camping is permitted, fresh water is readily available, toilet blocks are dotted everywhere and beach shower facilities are plentiful. Like minded travellers should find Turkey’s northern coastline beguiling, moody and intimate. Every bit as different, in short, from the White Sea. The Turkish name for the Mediterranean, as their contrasting names imply.

Back on the road and the 112km journey to Giresun was excellent. There were water buffalos, attractive little harbours, scraps of scruffy shingly beach and buses which had been driven into riverbeds to be lovingly washed. Apart from the bottleneck at Dolunay and Fatsa the journey was pretty traffic free. 

Every garden lined with hazelnuts

At Bolaman, the D010 runs inland and doesn’t touch the coast again until 7km short of Ordu. It’s a spectacular stretch, traversing one of Turkey’s longest road tunnels (3.82km), and the diversion inland created a lovely alternative route on the modern coast road. Craig did debate the idea of tracing the headland, aptly named Cape Jason but the dirt tracks were a little too rugged. Here there is  a tiny chapel to mark the spot where Jason and the Argonauts braved the waters around the cape en route to Colchis (now in Georgia) in search of the golden fleece. One of Craig’s favourite childhood films. 

Bridge to Giresun

At Giresun we parked up on a new precinct area with gardens, fresh water, fountains and toilets. With a full moon we had great light over the bay and down to the city. Mac n Tosh particular liked the little green patch with plenty ball games. 

Our Bumble wild camping spot Giresun N040.914599, E038.404311