Guide
The city forest was laid out and opened to the public in 2005. It lies at Erikli yayla in the Teşvikiye area of Çınarcık, within the boundaries of the Çınarcık forest district. Coming from Yalova you follow the Çınarcık and Teşvikiye route toward Armutlu and Gemlik; coming from Bursa you reach it by the now asphalted road through the villages of Hayriye and Selimiye and past Delmece yayla.
Ninety-five hectares hold waterfalls worth the walk, a two-kilometre footpath, a multi-purpose hall, children's playgrounds, sports grounds, seating and rest areas, toilets and washrooms, fountains and drinking water, picnic grounds, a suspension bridge, viewing terraces and the twin Erikli falls, among lime, chestnut, oak, hornbeam, beech and pine.
Because of what a city forest is for, visitors are not expected to light fires; the point of the place is recreation. Entry is free, and there are privately owned spots near the forest for those who want to grill.
Beech, black pine and oak are the main forest trees here, with smaller amounts of chestnut, hornbeam, ash, maple, plane, alder, lime, wild cherry and wild plum. Among the shrubs and herbs are broom, wild ivy, thyme, hypericum, beautyberry, strawberry tree and Christ's thorn. The animals and birds recorded include bear, wild boar, fox, squirrel, lizard, jackal, badger, hedgehog, hare, tortoise and snake, along with turtle dove, wood pigeon, quail, partridge, blackbird, starling, coot, woodcock, sparrowhawk, rock partridge and woodpecker.
