Highland Migration Has Started

As the weather returns to seasonal norms in the Eastern Black Sea Region, the migration to the plateaus has begun. Starting with hundreds of sheep flocks, the adventurous journey to the plateaus involves shepherds covering long distances.

Details of the Plateau Journey

With the increase in temperatures and the melting of snow at high altitudes in the Eastern Black Sea Region, the migration to the plateaus has started. The centuries-old tradition of shepherds returning from the plateaus around October-November and migrating back to the plateaus with the arrival of spring continued this year as well. Shepherds, who cover long distances in challenging terrain and never leave their animals alone, pass through highways and mountainous areas with hundreds of sheep flocks. The migration journey, accompanied by shepherd dogs due to geographical conditions, is also closely followed by drivers. The sheep in the flock, which hinders the progress of passing vehicles, are filmed by drivers with their mobile phones.

Turgut Dursun, one of the shepherds in the flock of about 700 sheep from the district of Akçaabat in Trabzon heading to the plateaus in Gümüşhane, stated that they will stay in the plateaus for 6 months and said, “We continue our journey. It was time. We set off saying the weather had warmed up, but it snowed. Our journey started from the district of Akçaabat and will continue to Gümüşhane. We started this journey with about 700 sheep. It takes about 4 days. We will stay in the plateaus for 6 months.”

“The hardship is priceless, but we love it”

Mustafa Taylan, another shepherd, mentioned that they set up tents at certain points, saying, “We will reach Gümüşhane by passing through the Zigana Mountain. The journey with hundreds of sheep flocks has begun. The weather is bad, the snowfall has negatively affected us. We set up tents at certain points during our journey. We do this traditionally every year,” he said.

Ali Dursun, expressing that they have embarked on a challenging journey, said, “Summer has come, and we have started our journey to the plateaus where we will stay for 6 months, God willing. It’s a tough journey. They need to find a solution for shepherds like us. We don’t fit on the road. The hardship of this journey is priceless. But we love it. God willing, we will stay in the plateaus for 6 months. We will return to the village again in winter,” he said.