Pokut Yaylası, Highland hamlet and plateau in Rize province, Turkey
Pokut Yaylası is a highland hamlet and summer plateau in the Çamlıhemşin district of Rize province, northeastern Turkey, sitting at around 6,660 ft (2,030 m) among forested mountain slopes. It consists of roughly 37 to 40 timber houses, most of which are used seasonally by families from the nearby village of Ortan.
Pokut Yaylası has been used as a summer grazing ground for around 200 years, when families from the valley below began spending warmer months here with their animals. Over time, the temporary camps gave way to permanent timber houses, though many now stand empty outside the summer season.
The road up to Pokut Yaylası is rough and unpaved in sections, so a high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle is strongly recommended. The plateau is best visited between June and October, when the access road is clear of snow and the weather is mild.
The name Pokut comes from Armenian and means 'windy valley', which hints at the languages once spoken across this part of the Black Sea region. On certain foggy mornings, the plateau appears to float above a sea of clouds filling the valley below, a sight that draws many photographers to the spot.
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