Yaylalar: River Landscape and Rural History

Yaylalar can be explored on two scales: its proximity to the Kocaçay and a rural settlement history reflected in its layout and historical classification of the landscape. A recorded mountain biking route adds an active travel perspective. The river course, settlement pattern and route appeal to different interests. If you are looking for a holiday rental, these highlights can help you decide what kind of stay you want: one focused more on landscape and local history, or one with a mountain biking connection.

The Kocaçay: from Asmacık Dağı to the Sea of Marmara

The Kocaçay rises on Asmacık Dağı near Yaylalar. At Eçialan, the river enters Biga District and then flows into the Sea of Marmara. Its course can thus be traced from its source near Yaylalar, through a change of district, to the sea. For travellers who like to understand a landscape through its waterways, this is a striking geographical connection: the river flows from a source near Yaylalar well beyond the immediate surroundings of the village. The mountain, settlement surroundings and Sea of Marmara form a clear geographical sequence.

Settlement history and village layout

A 2002 geographical study counts Yaylalar among the villages with more than one settlement unit; one of these lies outside the central settlement. Kundakçılar is a neighbourhood of Yaylalar. It is therefore useful for orientation not to equate the central settlement area with the entire village. The study describes a rural settlement pattern with closely spaced, irregularly arranged homes and outbuildings.

The village name also points to an interpretation of its settlement history: it is traced to an earlier temporary or permanent rural settlement at the site where it was founded. When Yaylalar was established, mountain slopes or slopes in hilly terrain suitable for keeping small livestock were taken into account. A 2002 geographical study also identifies small livestock farming as important to the village. These historical details give the rural settlement pattern a concrete connection to the terrain and its use.

Hilly landscape and Lapseki District

In a historical geographical classification, Yaylalar is counted among the villages located in hilly terrain within or on the edge of forests. The slopes and connection to the forest thus shape the way the village’s landscape is described. If you are weighing up a rural setting against a more urban stay, this character can help guide your search for a holiday rental.

Across the wider travel area of Lapseki District, forests cover the east, west and south, spanning 59,029 hectares. These include high forest, degraded high forest, coppice forest and degraded coppice forest. The remaining areas consist of pastureland and soils suitable for cultivation. At district level, this means a mix of different forest types and land suitable for agriculture. Streams and smaller rivers in the district generally carry water during the rainy seasons and usually dry up in summer. If you take waterways into account when planning your trip, this seasonal difference is useful to know: the streams and smaller rivers do not carry water to the same extent throughout the year.

Yaylalar on a mountain biking route

A mountain biking route uploaded in 2023 runs from Lapseki via Umurbey, Hacıgelen, Balcılar and Yaylalar, continuing to Kırcalar, Kızıldam, Kocabaşlar and Şahinli before returning to Lapseki. Yaylalar is therefore one of the recorded stops on a route that starts in Lapseki and returns there. The route is a particularly useful planning reference if mountain biking is one of the activities you have in mind. Check the current route and local conditions in advance if you plan to ride it.

Discover more destinations: Hamdibey Bucağı, Altınova, Sarıot, Halileli, Çan, Çanakkale, Taşağıl, Biga

Return to the wider travel overview: Çanakkale.