Sink Village

Sink is an old village with a pleasant climate in Shemiranat County, Tehran Province. It lies in Lavasan District and Lavasan-e Kuchak Rural District, on the southern slopes of the Alborz range, within the area of Mount Chaharchashmeh. The village is about 20 kilometres northeast of Tehran, and thanks to its favourable location it has long been one of the area's traditional summer pastures (yeylaq). The village grew up on both sides of the Afjeh River, and its position on the mountain slopes beside the river gives it an agreeable climate. Sink is bordered to the north by the foothills of the Alborz range and the village of Afjeh; to the west by the villages of Anbaj, Hanzak and Naran; to the east by Barg-e Jahan and Niknameh; and to the south by Sabu-ye Kuchak, Sabu-ye Bozorg, Sahel and the Latiyan Dam. It is also an ancient settlement whose name appears in the books Tara'iq al-Haqa'iq and Marʿashi's History of Ruyan and Tabaristan, and Majd al-Molk Sinaki, a statesman and writer of the Qajar era, came from Sink. According to the 1385 (2006) census, the village had a population of about 116 people in 39 households.

Besides its lush nature and mountain-retreat setting, Sink has a notable history. Based on artefacts found during excavations at some points in the village, its origins have been traced back to pre-Islamic times and the era of Zoroaster. The oldest part of the village consisted of two alleys with about eight mud-brick buildings, and its historic bathhouse was demolished in 1344 (1965) and a new bathhouse was built on the same site. Among the village's natural features, the Afjeh River, green slopes with dense vegetation, orchards and farmland are the most important attractions. The village orchards contain trees such as cherry, walnut, apple and sour cherry, while plants such as wild artichoke, valak and wild leek (tareh-ye kuhi) grow on the surrounding slopes. Farming and animal husbandry have long been the traditional occupations of the villagers, and crops such as pulses and wheat were once grown on the village lands; however, in recent years, with the sale of part of the farmland and orchards and the growth of villa construction, agricultural activity has declined. The Afjeh River, the green orchards, the garden lanes and the surrounding slopes also offer good opportunities for walking, nature tourism and photographing rural scenery.

To reach Sink from Tehran, take Shahid Babaei Expressway in eastern Tehran, and after reaching Lashgarak Road, continue until you enter Imam Khomeini (RA) Boulevard. At the end of the boulevard is the Lavasan–Sink road, which leads to the village. If you are travelling without a private car, taxis stationed at Tehranpars Fourth Square (Falakeh-ye Chaharom) run to the village. The best time to visit Sink is from spring to late summer: in spring the fruit trees blossom and the slopes turn green, and from mid-spring to late summer the weather is mild and pleasant. Autumn also gives the village a spectacular look as the colours of nature and the trees change, and its winters are cold and snowy. On hot summer days you can relax in the area around the Afjeh River, but you should keep away from the riverbank itself. To protect nature and village life, do not enter farmland for picnics or strolls, and avoid damaging orchards, vegetation and cultivated fields or leaving litter in the natural environment.