Grivan Village

Grivan is a mountain village in Aladagh Rural District, in the Central District of Bojnord County, North Khorasan Province. It lies in a pleasant valley between the low Gini mountain range and the high peak of Salook. The village is regarded as one of the summer pastures and tourist spots of North Khorasan. It is a fertile, prosperous land with a mild, gentle climate, green orchards and pastures, abundant springs and diverse vegetation. The people of Grivan speak Khorasani Turkic, and farming and animal husbandry are the main activities of the local inhabitants. A wide variety of field and orchard crops are produced in the village, including wheat, barley, chickpeas, beans, lentils, mung beans, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, garlic, cherries, sour cherries, apples, pears, peaches, various kinds of plums and walnuts. Grivan lies about 38 kilometres from Bojnord, and its history of settlement is also linked to the ancient mound of "Emam Ghulaghi", about two kilometres from the village's present site. The remains of this mound show that a developed settlement once existed there and that it had a water supply network made of clay pipes.

Grivan's most important natural attraction is "Sarcheshmeh", also known as "Bash Bulagh", which lies southwest of the village on the eastern slope of Salook and is one of the most abundant springs in the Bojnord area. Its water is shared among farmers through channels and canals and plays an important role in the prosperity of the region's farming and orchards. Around Sarcheshmeh stand ancient juniper trees (known locally as "archeh" or "arar"), more than 500 years old. In the past this area was the summer retreat of the rulers of Bojnord, and today it is one of the region's natural recreation spots. Zoo Valley is another sight worth visiting in Grivan, and on the slopes and heights south of the village there are many small and large springs and waterfalls. The peaks of Salook and Aq-Janqar lie southwest of the village, and areas such as Siyah-Khaneh, Aq-Dagh, Jorf, Telustan and Tarnu, as well as the valleys of Kandzu, Hang-Gerran and Bi-Namadi, are other natural landscapes around Grivan. Colourful vegetation, flowers and ornamental and medicinal plants, green pastures and scattered juniper woodlands, together with the abundant springs, create varied scenery in this area. The surrounding heights are also home to species such as wild ram, Urial wild sheep, ibex and wild goat, goitered gazelle, leopard, wolf, fox, jackal, wild boar and hyena, and to birds such as chukar partridge, quail, eagle, falcon and lachin.

The route to Grivan village follows the Bojnord–Esfarayen road. At kilometre 24 of this road, before the village of Asadli, turn onto the side road on the right. After about 14 kilometres, passing through the villages of Emamverdi, Dartum and Qapaq, you reach Grivan. Grivan's nature is especially beautiful in spring and summer, when the springs, pastures, valleys and the colourful vegetation of the heights create spectacular scenery, so spring and summer are good times to visit and enjoy nature in the area. When visiting Grivan and the surrounding heights, do not leave litter or make loud noise, do not damage vegetation or water sources, and if you light a fire, extinguish it completely before leaving. Because wildlife and herders are present on the heights, keeping a suitable distance from animals, not disturbing wildlife and respecting protected areas are important principles of responsible nature tourism in this region.