Aydın Tiryaki

28 June 2026

İnebolu

My walking route covers the stretch from the bridge over İnebolu Stream all the way to the bridge at Kızılkara Stream. I would like to share the scenes I encountered and my observations along the way.

There are two pavements along this route: one on the sea side, and the other on the opposite side of the road. The seafront pavement is smoother, cleaner, and better maintained. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the pavement on the other side.

Let me begin with the seafront pavement.

As I mentioned, this side is in better condition. Of course, there is damage caused by the rough waves of the Black Sea, and there is little that can be done about that in the short term — it requires much larger projects.

My walk along this stretch was generally uneventful, though there are details that need attention at certain points. One thing caught my eye: at one spot on the pavement, a small pile of sand — most likely left over from a recent construction project and gradually diminishing over time — was still sitting there. It was in a state that could easily be cleaned up, yet the slight slipping sensation it caused underfoot as I walked over it, and noticing it only in that moment, was far from pleasant.

As I continued walking, another frustrating issue was that the sea was blocked from view at many points. Unfortunately, for a large part of the route, one has no choice but to walk without being able to see the sea at all. Compared to last year, the number of obstructed spots has increased somewhat — which is a positive development in terms of new facilities being established, but it is certainly open to criticism in terms of the reduced visibility of the sea.

Everything proceeds normally along the walk past what we used to call Kütük Kafe — now known as Huzur Kafe — and then past Keyifli Balık. But right beyond that point, it becomes clearly visible just how much the Black Sea has worked away at the coastal strip over winter, and what enormous damage nature has inflicted. The devastation is truly extensive. Due to this damage from the sea, the waves have completely swallowed the pavement in some places, and one is forced to step down onto the road to continue. It is a well-known fact that the Black Sea is rough and very difficult to contend with. However, the real problem that caught my attention here was that the fill material in some areas was genuinely very weak. It is plainly evident that the sea did not need to exert much effort to take over those sections — it claimed them with remarkable ease.

As we approach Kızılkara Stream, the sorry state of the railings alongside the walking path is striking. I remember how carefully those railings were built last year, how fine they looked. Yet where we stand today makes it abundantly clear: in İnebolu, works done against the sea require not only aesthetics but also structural robustness. Those railings, which were truly beautiful last year, have now completely disappeared in many places, and the area currently poses a serious safety hazard. Urgent work is needed in this section.

After reaching the Kızılkara Stream bridge, I made the return journey along the pavement on the opposite side of the road. Allow me to share my observations along this stretch.

This pavement is in a truly poor state on every count. Some sections are practically an obstacle course. In the parts that are passable, every conceivable form of pavement encroachment and misuse is present. The entire opposite pavement needs to be thoroughly reviewed from start to finish — the section from İnebolu Stream bridge to Kızılkara Stream bridge must be completely rebuilt from scratch, not patched over with minor repairs. The restorations carried out after natural gas excavations, intended to prevent mud and soil from accumulating, are entirely devoid of any aesthetic consideration. The asphalt patches applied as fixes are so sloppy and in such poor condition that words fail to describe them.

To highlight specific points: heading toward Kızılkara, the pavement in front of a large chain supermarket has been constructed with a slope to allow vehicles to exit easily. As a result, it has completely lost its character as a pavement — it is impossible to tell where the road ends and the pavement begins. On top of that, since vehicles park flush against the road, one is forced to step onto the road there as well. I brought this matter to the attention of staff inside the supermarket; naturally it is not directly the supermarket’s responsibility — it relates to the building’s structure — but it is nevertheless an unpleasant situation that causes real hardship to pedestrians.

Beyond that, I would like to address the matter of certain cafés placing tables and chairs on the pavement. Personally, I have no objection to this in principle. As long as they do not encroach too heavily on the pavement, tables, chairs, seating areas, or municipality-placed benches along the edges add colour and a pleasant atmosphere to the space. However, when this reaches the scale of full pavement encroachment — as I witnessed in some places — it must absolutely be monitored and addressed. My recommendation on this matter: placing tables and chairs on pavements should be encouraged in an aesthetically tasteful manner, but pavement encroachment must under no circumstances be permitted.

On the other hand, it is entirely unacceptable that certain businesses along the route — such as white goods service centres — have been using the pavements as their private storage areas for years. The situation created by these businesses, which are not few in number, is both visually unappealing and seriously obstructive to the primary function of the pavement. While a degree of informal use of pavements may be considered natural in a town setting, rules must be established to make this look considerably more aesthetic and orderly. In its current state, it is truly a sorry sight.

Another major problem presents itself at a point close to İnebolu Stream bridge. Here, due to the boundaries of private property and the inability to touch a fountain located on the corner (whether it is of historical significance I cannot say with certainty), the pavement narrows to nothing. A corner has completely blocked off the pavement. At the same spot, the presence of a municipal rubbish container and vehicles parked flush against the pavement force pedestrians to walk directly into the flow of traffic. This particular point — right across from the car park at İnebolu Stream bridge, familiar to everyone who passes through — requires urgent attention. If a pavement is not planned here or cannot physically be constructed, then at the very least barriers should be placed along the road edge to prevent parking, and a safe, separate walking area should be left for pedestrians. In other words, a properly structured barrier crossing could be implemented to ensure the safety and comfort of those on foot. Alternatively, while our respect for private property is absolute, the existence of clear public interest here justifies pursuing expropriation as a means of resolving this problem at its root. This is a truly conspicuous and dangerous situation, and I wish to draw particular attention to it.

Finally, I would like to share one observation and suggestion regarding İnebolu’s traffic. As far as I know, İnebolu does not use traffic lights at pedestrian crossings — though I cannot be entirely certain whether such a system exists anywhere in town at present, and I would not wish to state anything incorrectly. However, a traffic light system could be installed at the junction on the Boyranaltı side of the bridge over İnebolu Stream, in the interest of pedestrian safety. Let that serve as my final recommendation concerning this route.

Boyranaltı is the beauty of İnebolu — everything that could diminish that beauty must be put right.

COLOPHON

This article captures the impressions of a walk taken at sunset on the evening of 27 June 2026. The observations were dictated verbally to Gemini on 28 June 2026; Gemini served as writing assistant, and this text — which reflects solely the author’s own views — was composed with Gemini’s writing assistance. Claude’s role was limited to the translation of this article into English.

| aydintiryaki.org | YouTube | Aydın Tiryaki’nin Yazıları ve Videoları │Articles and Videos by Aydın Tiryaki | Bilgi Merkezi│Knowledge Hub  | ░ Virgülüne Dokunmadan │ Verbatim ░ | ░ İnebolu’da Boyranaltı Kaldırımlarında Yürümek │Walking the Boyranaltı Pavements of İnebolu ░ 29.06.2026