Iznik Lake Bicycle Tour 2015 / Iznik Golu bisiklet turu 2015
After cancellation of the Aegean bike tour at the beginning of May we decided to do a small tour total 150 km around Iznik Lake.
We took fast ferry of Ido from Yenikapi(Istanbul) pier to Yalova at 12:30.
It was 70-75 minutes journey.
Ticket price depends on "early bird get the worms"
There is a bazaar at Yalova very close to pier.
We bought some fruits after reaching our starting point.
Some people warned us about the steepness of the road through the Orhangazi.
Not that bad.
The tough part of the route started from Opet(gas station at the exit of Yalova) and continues to Luk Oil (peak before descending till Orhangazi city center) around 8-10 km.
We prefer to turn the lake like clockwise.
Turned left from the Iznik lake sign at the Orhangazi city center.
Till Iznik the road has safety line and is good to ride.
At first few kms you could not see the lake.
Single lane road till Iznik.
At the entrance of the Iznik there are tables on the right side near the lake.
We stopped and ate something there.
After an hour we continue to ride the whole beach.
At the end of the beach before the small river pass we put our tents on the beach.
It was Saturday night and till 02:30 people will be around and having fun, drinking and because of noise we cant sleep well.
Also we are very close to road.
Woke up early at 06:30 and few people are already started to fishing.
Shot some photos for Yogakultur and RunningIstanbul
We ride to city center did dome shopping and went to seaside to have breakfast.
After breakfast we started to ride the other half of the lake and decided to go to Gemlik.
After 5 km, road started to became narrow.
At this side of the lake (south ) there are more camping areas but very few shops and you can ride so close to lake.
Around Narlica there is a short but tough steep part.
We passed from old town which also smells old.
At the whole road we saw 6 dead snakes on the road, dogs, kirpis,
There was a road repair job close to main road (Yalova-Bursa ) that's why its a bit complicated to reach the road to Gemlik, but no problem to Orhangazi.
Till Gemlik the road is good but being a highway to Bursa; cars and trucks are passing fast.Attention!
When we reached to Gemlik we fired our stove and cook some pasta with salad at the seaside in a park and we were sure that we looked a bit strange to people.
Took easy ride to Kumla side of the city and found a olive tree garden to camp.
There were people doing picnic at the time we reached there.
So we decided to put our tents after they left.
We were tired and sleep early but heard some voices of people and a dog late night.
We woke up early and did some yoga.
Ride back to Kumla city center and eat a lot at breakfast and drink a lot of tea.
Bought some fruits and started to ride back to Yalova.
First 10k is a bit continious steep but not hard to ride.
At Orhangazi city center be careful while riding.
When you got out centre there will be again continious steep road till the lukoil gas station at the peak.
The safetly line is not bad and also trucks are passing slowly because of the steep.
We catched a cyclist on this steepy part of the road.Had a small talk and passed.
After Lukoil the road turns to downhill.
Be careful at tis part around 10k you will be fast, and at safety line there were some small rocks.
Last 5 km to Yalova we stoped for some fun photo.
Then the cyclist that we met catched us.
His name is Oscar and came from Holland.
He retired 3 weeks ago and decided to ride at Turkey.
Last 5 km we ride to Yalova together, and at Yalova we helped him for the ticket issues and he ordered some food to us and we ate together.
After he left with the ferry we ride to Yürüyen Köşk.
Drink some tea and sit for some charge for our smartphones.
Close to ferry pier there are some stone tables to do picnic.
Good place to eat something, and we perefer to stay there and ate something till the ferry time at 19:30.
Short but cool 3 days of bike touring.
Starting from Yalova and turning around the İznik Lake and ride back to Yalova route can be a daily bike tour.
Highly recommended!
What is next?
Have you read Bandırma-Çanakkale and Çanakkale- Izmir bike tour of us?
We took fast ferry of Ido from Yenikapi(Istanbul) pier to Yalova at 12:30.
 |
| IDO Ferry from Yenikapi to Yalova |
It was 70-75 minutes journey.
Ticket price depends on "early bird get the worms"
There is a bazaar at Yalova very close to pier.
We bought some fruits after reaching our starting point.
 |
| First few kms from Yalova to Orhangazi |
Some people warned us about the steepness of the road through the Orhangazi.
Not that bad.
The tough part of the route started from Opet(gas station at the exit of Yalova) and continues to Luk Oil (peak before descending till Orhangazi city center) around 8-10 km.
We prefer to turn the lake like clockwise.
Turned left from the Iznik lake sign at the Orhangazi city center.
 |
| Still no view of İznik Lake |
Till Iznik the road has safety line and is good to ride.
At first few kms you could not see the lake.
 |
| We have time and we need to cool down |
At the entrance of the Iznik there are tables on the right side near the lake.
 |
| Tired and happy |
 |
| yummy yummy with our 13 years old willy |
We stopped and ate something there.
After an hour we continue to ride the whole beach.
At the end of the beach before the small river pass we put our tents on the beach.
It was Saturday night and till 02:30 people will be around and having fun, drinking and because of noise we cant sleep well.
Also we are very close to road.
Woke up early at 06:30 and few people are already started to fishing.
Shot some photos for Yogakultur and RunningIstanbul
 |
| Bike yoga with www.yogakultur.com Foto: Bahadir Elverdi |
 |
| Lake, bike and yoga Foto: Bahadir Elverdi |
 |
| Discover Istanbul by Running / Foto: Yoga Kültür |
 |
| Where to go, what to do? |
We ride to city center did dome shopping and went to seaside to have breakfast.
 |
| Hey guys do some yoga w/Yoga Kültür |
 |
| I like the history if its climbable:)) Multi-sport rocks! / Foto: Yoga Kültür |
 |
| We need good photos to remember / Foto: Yoga Kültür |
After breakfast we started to ride the other half of the lake and decided to go to Gemlik.
After 5 km, road started to became narrow.
At this side of the lake (south ) there are more camping areas but very few shops and you can ride so close to lake.
Around Narlica there is a short but tough steep part.
We passed from old town which also smells old.
At the whole road we saw 6 dead snakes on the road, dogs, kirpis,
There was a road repair job close to main road (Yalova-Bursa ) that's why its a bit complicated to reach the road to Gemlik, but no problem to Orhangazi.
Till Gemlik the road is good but being a highway to Bursa; cars and trucks are passing fast.Attention!
When we reached to Gemlik we fired our stove and cook some pasta with salad at the seaside in a park and we were sure that we looked a bit strange to people.
Took easy ride to Kumla side of the city and found a olive tree garden to camp.
 |
| Camping in the olive tree garden at Kumluca |
There were people doing picnic at the time we reached there.
So we decided to put our tents after they left.
We were tired and sleep early but heard some voices of people and a dog late night.
We woke up early and did some yoga.
 |
| Thanks to Yoga Kültür for the photo and yoga teaching |
Ride back to Kumla city center and eat a lot at breakfast and drink a lot of tea.
 |
| Eat a lot monsters. Today is the day!! |
Bought some fruits and started to ride back to Yalova.
First 10k is a bit continious steep but not hard to ride.
At Orhangazi city center be careful while riding.
When you got out centre there will be again continious steep road till the lukoil gas station at the peak.
The safetly line is not bad and also trucks are passing slowly because of the steep.
 |
| On the way back to Yalova |
We catched a cyclist on this steepy part of the road.Had a small talk and passed.
 |
| We belong to nature, nature does not belong to us Photo: Ekin Akman a.k.a Yoga Kültür |
After Lukoil the road turns to downhill.
Be careful at tis part around 10k you will be fast, and at safety line there were some small rocks.
Last 5 km to Yalova we stoped for some fun photo.
Then the cyclist that we met catched us.
 |
| Fast and light |
 |
| We all are horses :)) |
His name is Oscar and came from Holland.
He retired 3 weeks ago and decided to ride at Turkey.
Last 5 km we ride to Yalova together, and at Yalova we helped him for the ticket issues and he ordered some food to us and we ate together.
After he left with the ferry we ride to Yürüyen Köşk.
 |
| Yürüyen Köşk at Yalova |
Close to ferry pier there are some stone tables to do picnic.
 |
| Picnic area at Yalova close to Pier |
 |
| Think and act aesthetic |
 |
| We all have different memories |
 |
| Headstand at Yalova Bike&Yoga |
Good place to eat something, and we perefer to stay there and ate something till the ferry time at 19:30.
Short but cool 3 days of bike touring.
Starting from Yalova and turning around the İznik Lake and ride back to Yalova route can be a daily bike tour.
Highly recommended!
What is next?
Have you read Bandırma-Çanakkale and Çanakkale- Izmir bike tour of us?
