Ballıkayalar Climbing Festival Begins

Ballıkayalar Nature Park, whose natural beauty has been preserved by the efforts of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, is located in an important region for mountaineering, camping, trekking, rock climbing and canyon sports. Local and foreign climbers will come together at the Ballıkayalar Climbing Festival, Turkey's longest running rock climbing organization, organized by the Metropolitan Municipality. Gebze Ballıkayalar Nature Park in Tavşanlı Village of Gebze also hosts a rich bio-diversity.

CONCERT, INTERVIEW, ENTERTAINMENT WORKSHOPS AND AWARDS

"Ballıkayalar Climbing Festival", organized by Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Youth and Sports Services Department, Youth Services Branch Directorate, Scouting and Outdoor Sports Unit, will take place in Ballıkayalar Nature Park on 28-29 May 2022. Honey Rocks Climbing Festival, which will be held with the support and participation of mountaineering clubs operating in Kocaeli; It will bring together professional rock climbing climbers, amateurs and nature lovers in a concept that includes concerts, talks, entertaining workshops and an award-winning competition.

7 thousand TL for the first place

During two days, under the coordination of the referees assigned by the federation, Rock Climbing competitions will take place in 4 categories as Youth-Women-Men and Masters on routes determined with the participation of senior climbers. In the organization to be held, citizens over the age of 15 will experience climbing accompanied by expert trainers. Applications for the festival will be received via Google Form. Ballıkayalar Climbing Festival, which is planned to hold the Qualifying and Semi-Final Competitions on the 1st day and the Final Competitions on the 2nd day, will end with the winners receiving their awards after the final races. The first place will receive 7.000 TL, the second 6.000 TL, and the third 5.000 TL gift certificate.

BALLIKAYALAR CLIMBING FESTIVAL PROGRAM EVENT

Sahne (cream)
• Saturday, May 28, 2022, 16:00 – Coşkun Aral Talk
• 28 May 2022, Saturday 20:30 – Can Gox Concert

Events: 28-29 May 2022
• Trekking – Scout in the Forest (3 sessions per day)
• Pedal Board Event (Gökalp Hidden)
• Climbing Wall (under 15 years old)
• Survivor Track (under 15 years old)
• Move Board Event
• Climbing Experience in Ballıkayalar (over 15 years old)
• Slackline
Phenomenon: 28-29 May 2022
• Saturday Mountaineers (vlog and social media posts)
Rock Climbing Race (Athletes will participate)

• May 28 – Qualification and Semi-Final Race
• May 29 – Final Race
• 29 May – Award Ceremony
Categories Awards
• Women (18-40 years old) First prize 7.000 TL gift voucher
• Men (18-40 years old) Second prize 6.000 TL gift voucher
• Master Women (over 40 years old) Third prize 5.000 TL gift voucher
• Master Men (over 40 years old)

THE NATURAL BEAUTY IS MAINTAINED

Ballıkayalar Valley, which includes Ballıkayalar Nature Park, whose natural beauty has been preserved by the efforts of the Metropolitan Municipality, which was declared a "Nature Park and Natural Protected Area" in Tavşanlı Village of Gebze, is 1,5 kilometers long and 40-80 meters wide. Ballıkayalar Valley, where mountaineers descend and climb, is a karstic gorge with its geomorphological forms developed as a result of the melting of limestones. There are lakes, waterfalls and observation terraces on the travertines reaching Ballıkaya Stream in the valley. There are walking areas on the east and west ridges of the canyon, where there are flats suitable for setting up tents for camping.

TURKEY'S FIRST ROCK CLIMBING GARDEN

Ballıkayalar Nature Park, which provides opportunities for activities such as trekking, canyoning, rock climbing and camping with its natural structure, is a frequent destination for nature athletes and photographers. Being Turkey's first rock climbing garden, the area has more than 100 climbing routes with different difficulty levels. Ballıkayalar is a cultural heritage for our mountaineering and rock climbing history. With its traditional and sport climbing routes, “Honey School” was born in our mountaineering culture, the first and only climbing region became a school and became known with its own style. Another important feature of the region is that many of the athletes who have left their mark on our mountaineering and sport climbing history in thirty years come from the "Honey" school.