Sünnet Lake Nature Park

Overview

Bolu is a province of lakes and forests. About two thirds of it is forest, and it has some 200 lakes and ponds. Sünnet Lake, a forest lake in the Göynük district, is one of them. From Bolu, join our Sünnet Lake tour.

Why Visit Sünnet Lake

Sünnet Lake is one of the ten nature parks of Bolu province, together with Gölcük and Sülüklügöl. The lake sits in a forest, so it stays cool in summer and turns colorful in autumn.

A Lake Made by a Landslide

The lake lies between the hills of Erenler and Korudağ, east of Göynük. A landslide once blocked the valley, so the water filled in behind it. Today, the lake covers about 18 hectares (44 acres) and reaches about 22 m (72 feet) deep. It sits at about 1,050 m (3,440 feet), roughly 105 km (65 miles) from Bolu and 25 km (16 miles) from Göynük.

Also, Bolu has many lakes beyond this one. Abant, Yeniçağa, Çubuk, Yedigöller, Karagöl, Sülüklügöl and Karamurat all count among the province’s main lakes, so a lake tour can fill several days. For two of them in one day, join our Yedigöller day trip with Lake Abant.

What to Do in the Nature Park

Sünnet Gölü became a nature park on July 11, 2011. The park suits hiking, cycling, kayaking and picnics. So bring walking shoes for the shore path, and plan a slow lunch under the trees. Then, on the way back, stop in Göynük for the tomb of Akşemseddin and the timber houses of the old town.

Göynük, the Town Next Door

So the lake and the town make one easy day. Göynük lies about 98 km (61 miles) from Bolu, and for centuries it supplied the Ottoman palace kitchen, so locals still call it the back garden of the palace. Then, in the old town, see the hexagonal tomb of Akşemseddin, the teacher of Mehmed the Conqueror, built in 1464, and climb to the Victory Tower of 1922. Try Göynük dik börek, a sweet pastry registered in 2020. However, if you want more lakes, Bolu has nine other nature parks, among them Gölcük, Karagöl and Sülüklügöl. On the drive in, notice how the forest closes around the road, since about 65 percent of Bolu Province is forest.

How to Visit Sünnet Lake

The lake lies near Göynük, so we see both on the same day. For lakes closer to Bolu, see Gölcük, Lake Abant or Yedigöller.

Would you like to see Bolu with a local guide? Our Sünnet Lake tour stops in Göynük on the way to the lake, and for Abant and Yedigöller there is our Abant and Yedigöller day trip.