At nineteen hundred metres, the road gives up and the ski hotels begin. Uludağ is both a mountain and a resort, a cluster of hotels, lifts and restaurants built on the broad shoulder of the peak, with the summit another six hundred metres or so above. In winter this is the busiest ski area in the country, and the slopes are full of people from Istanbul and Bursa; in summer, the hotels are quiet, the meadows are green, and the mountain belongs to hikers and the odd motorcyclist.
The climb is the real event. From Bursa, the road runs up the north face of the mountain in a ceaseless sequence of bends, passing through orchards and chestnut woods, then pine, then the tall firs, before emerging onto the open slopes near the top. The surface is generally well maintained, as you would expect on a road used by skiers, but the gradients are steep and the corners tight, so engine braking and clean lines matter. Fog is common at the top, and temperatures can be many degrees colder than in Bursa, with a biting wind. Even in summer, you may need a warm layer and waterproofs.
The mountain has a history that goes back a very long way. In antiquity it was known as Mount Olympus, the Mysian Olympus, to distinguish it from the one in Greece, and hermits and monks lived in the forests in the Byzantine period, so there is a story to the place beyond the hotels. On clear days, from the summit area you can see across the Marmara Sea and, on a very clear day, the hills around Istanbul, which is a reward worth waiting for. The alpine flora is rich, with flowers appearing as soon as the snow retreats.
Practical matters are straightforward. There is no reliable fuel at the top, so fill up in Bursa or in Kestel, eleven kilometres from the mountain's base. The hotels have restaurants, and there are a handful of cafes and kiosks that serve tea, grilled sandwiches and the sort of hot food that suits the cold. In winter, snow tyres or chains are required on the road, and the surface can be icy. The summer months, from June to September, are the best time for a ride, and midweek is much quieter than the weekends.