Things to Do in Mengen, Bolu: Yaylas, Ponds and Villages

What is there to do in Mengen besides hiking and ATV rides?

Mengen, known as Türkiye's "land of chefs", has four strong options for the hours you are not spending at Yedigöller, on a hike or on an ATV: highland pastures (yaylas), ponds and picnic areas, traces of its chef heritage, and Lake Yeniçağa on the way in. None of them comes with big tourist infrastructure. That is exactly their value: there are no crowds and the day moves at your own pace.

This guide brings together the places named in official sources and the rules that apply to them (picnics, fires, angling), with a seasonal table at the end. We have a separate guide to walking routes, ATV rides and horse riding: nature walks and ATV routes around Mengen. For the summer months, see also our guide to a cool summer holiday in Bolu.

What kind of place is Mengen?

A short introduction makes the suggestions below easier to read:

Topic	Details	Source
Distance to Bolu city centre	56 km	Mengen District Governorship
Distance to the Ankara-Istanbul highway	20 km	Mengen District Governorship
Area	874 km²	Wikipedia (Turkish), Mengen article
Average elevation	615 m	Wikipedia (Turkish), Mengen article
Small town (belde)	Gökçesu	Wikipedia (Turkish), Mengen article
Landscape	A forested district with high pastures	Mengen District Governorship
Transport	Regular minibus services between Bolu and Mengen	Mengen District Governorship

The Mengen District Governorship's introduction to the district also notes that the area is an old settlement, but that the remains around it have never been the subject of a scientific excavation. In other words, Mengen is not an archaeological-site itinerary; it is best explored through its forests, highland pastures and villages.

Which highland pastures (yaylas) are there in Mengen?

According to the Governorship, the district's main yaylas are: Soğucak, Akçakoca, Bürnük, Sırıklı, Çukur Yayla, Çorakkadirler, Göl Yaylası, Aktepe, Ağalar, Küçükkuz, Civcivler, Mamatlar, Elemen and Afşar.

What to know before heading up to a yayla:

• The road is often a forest track. Beyond the end of the tarmac it can be muddy after rain. Don't push it in a low-clearance car or the day after heavy rain; before setting off, ask in the village or where you are staying about current conditions.
• Don't expect ready-made services. A yayla is not a visitor attraction but the villagers' summer settlement. Take your own water and food.
• Yayla houses and pastures are in private use. Don't enter fenced areas, don't walk through flocks, keep away from sheepdogs and ask before taking photos.
• Check the summer bans. In 2026 the Bolu Governorship banned entry to the province's forested areas between 15 July and 30 September (Habertürk, 15 July 2026). Yayla roads pass through forest, so read that year's decision before you go.

The best time is late spring and early summer, once the snow has gone: the grass is green, the tracks have dried out and the air is cooler than on the valley floor.

Ponds and picnic areas: Şirinyazı, Ödek, Kemal Savaş, Hızarderesi

The Governorship lists the Ödek, Kemal Savaş, Şirinyazı and Hızarderesi ponds as the district's main picnic areas. Of these, Şirinyazı was the only forest park in Mengen named in the 2026 summer decision:

Place	What is known	Note
Şirinyazı Forest Park / pond	On the 2026 list of forest parks where controlled picnics were allowed during the summer ban; the only site in Mengen	Permitted hours 10:00-20:00; the list is republished every year
Ödek pond	One of the district's picnic areas	Ask locally about facilities and access
Kemal Savaş pond	One of the district's picnic areas	As above
Hızarderesi pond	One of the district's picnic areas	As above

Under the 2026 decision, picnics with stoves, barbecues, grills (mangal), camping gas and samovars were allowed in the listed forest and nature parks only between 10:00 and 20:00 during the ban; in forested areas not on the list, all fires were banned. Lighting fires directly on the ground, fireworks and sky lanterns are banned near forested areas altogether. Outside the ban period the same logic applies: only light a fire where one is meant to be lit, and never leave embers burning.

Can you fish in Mengen's ponds?

You can cast a line in the ponds, but the rules are set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Communiqué No. 6/2 on Amateur Fishing. The key points for inland waters in the communiqué, valid from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2028:

1. An Amateur Fisher Certificate is issued for five years by provincial and district directorates. Under the communiqué it is currently not compulsory to hold one or carry it while fishing; however, the Ministry may make it mandatory by species, place or method.
2. A maximum of 4 rods, with no more than 3 hooks per rod. For trout the limit is 2 rods with 2 hooks each.
3. The amount you may keep is 5 kg in total for species limited by weight, regardless of the number of fishing days.
4. Using live fish as bait in inland waters is banned, and so is moving a caught fish alive to another body of water.
5. Selling an amateur catch is banned.
6. You may not fish within 100 metres of fish farms in lakes, ponds and reservoirs; in drinking-water reservoirs, fishing within 300 metres of the water intake is banned.
7. There is no time-of-day limit, but closed seasons by species and region are set separately in the communiqué's tables.

Before you go, ask the Mengen District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry which rules apply to which pond and what closed season is in force that month. Fishing at Yedigöller is a separate matter: the national park has its own permit fee and season; details are in our summer holiday guide.

Traces of the land of chefs

What makes Mengen famous across Türkiye is its tradition of chefs, and this identity starts at the edge of town. According to a DHA report of 3 September 2016, a 15.5-metre chef statue was erected at the entrance to the district; it was unveiled at the opening of the 31st International Mengen Chefs and Tourism Festival and announced as the world's largest chef statue. It makes a good spot for a quick photo stop as you drive into Mengen.

For the festival's recent status (not held in 2025, cancelled in 2026) and for the cuisine itself we have two separate posts: Mengen cuisine: what to eat and the festival section of our summer guide. The easiest way to get to know Mengen's cooking, though, is at the breakfast table: a Turkish village breakfast is included with every stay at Nesilce.

Villages and the weekly market

Rural Mengen is made up of the small town of Gökçesu and dozens of villages. Driving the village roads with no particular goal is one of the least planned but most remembered things to do here. A few courtesy rules:

• On narrow village roads, never park in a way that blocks the way through.
• Ask before photographing gardens, barns and houses.
• Village fountains are shared water; don't wash cars there or leave litter.

The public market held in the town centre is a good chance to see the season's village produce. Its day and opening hours change from time to time, so check with Mengen Municipality (0374 356 12 01) before you go.

A stop on the way: Lake Yeniçağa

If you come off the motorway via Yeniçağa, you pass the lake right next to the town of Yeniçağa, about 20 km from Mengen. According to the Turkish Wikipedia article on the lake, it is a tectonic lake of about 2.6 km² at an altitude of 989 m; around 100 bird species have been recorded there and it is counted among Türkiye's Important Bird Areas.

For birdwatching, binoculars, quiet movement and an early start are all you need. The shore is reedy and soft; don't get too close to the water's edge on wet ground. For stopover ideas if you are coming from Ankara, see our Ankara to Mengen and Yedigöller route.

What to do in Mengen, season by season

Activity	Spring (April-May)	Summer (June-August)	Autumn (September-November)	Winter (December-March)
Yayla trip	From late May, as the tracks dry out	Best period; check the summer forest ban	September-October, until the first rains	Not recommended; tracks are snowbound
Ponds and picnics	Good	Hours and site rules from the Governorship's decision apply	Lovely as the colours change	Short walks; picnics impractical
Angling	Check closed seasons by species	Good, mornings and late afternoons	Good	Cold, short days
Birdwatching at Lake Yeniçağa	Migration season	Early mornings	Migration season	Depends on snow and ice
Villages and market	Good	Good	Harvest season	Good, short days
ATV, walking, horse riding	Good	Mornings and after 17:00	At its best, but slippery underfoot	Depends on conditions

Three sample half-day plans

1. A slow morning: Breakfast, then a short walk around the pond at Şirinyazı, back before noon. The lightest plan for a day when you are not going to Yedigöller.
2. A yayla afternoon: If the weather is dry, drive up to a yayla chosen with local advice, with a cold picnic; come back down before the evening chill sets in.
3. An arrival-day route: Leave the motorway at Yeniçağa, take a half-hour birdwatching break at the lake, stop by the chef statue at the entrance to Mengen and check in at 14:00.

ATV rides, nature walks and horse riding can also be arranged around the resort; as they depend on the weather, ground conditions and demand, please mention your dates and ask in advance.

How to book

Nesilce Tatil Köyü is in Mengen, about 48 km from Yedigöller National Park. For couples there are standard bungalows (2-3 guests) and hotel rooms (2 guests); for families and groups, duplex bungalows (4-6 guests). You can see the room types on our Bolu bungalows page, ask about availability by phone or WhatsApp via our contact page, or book through our official listings: Airbnb · Hotels.com.

Sources

• Mengen District Governorship: Introduction to the district (yaylas, ponds, transport)
• Habertürk, 15 July 2026: Entry to forests banned in Bolu
• Official Gazette, 11 August 2024: Communiqué No. 6/2 on the Regulation of Amateur Fishing
• Haberler.com / DHA, 3 September 2016: A 15.5-metre chef statue erected in Mengen
• Wikipedia (Turkish): Mengen
• Wikipedia (Turkish): Yeniçağa Gölü

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If you are planning a few quiet days in Mengen, call us on +90 507 922 11 18 or send us a WhatsApp message about your dates.