Not a Disaster, but could have been!

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Clunegapyears

07/09/2025

A bit of a disappointing and difficult day.

The Horma Valley board walk was shut due to the earlier heavy rain. Disappointing but sensible as the wood was slippery. What we could see was lovely.

Drove to Valla Canyon. The deepest gorge in Turkey and the 2nd highest in the world. No. 1 is Arizona. The last part of the approach was tight with cars parked along the road. J guided me past with an inch either side. The tiny car park was full. Nowhere to turn. Fortunately someone indicated for us to keep going forward as it looped back to the wider part of road. Two attempts to get up the slippery slope. So that was our visit to the deepest canyon!

*Valla Canyon from a distance as we couldn’t stop close by*

Once out of the crammed parking, we aborted Valla and followed the sign to Cide on the coast, where we planned to sleep. The road got progressively worse. More track than tarmac.

And then it got worse and worse. Big earth movers, as they attempt to widen and improve it. There were some very anxious moments as there was mud from trucks and the heavy rain, and steep bends. About an hour and a half in, we stalled. Literally. Just no way was Jez going up a particularly muddy steep bend. Nothing for it but to reverse (down mud) to turn around. Trundling our retreat, I was amazed Jez had got up some of the slopes. We didn’t think to take pix of the particularly bad sections.

We have come back to the large and solid parking at Horma. Exhausted from the stress, with aching shoulders and jaw from being clenched. But so thankful Jez didn’t slide off the track. I’ve checked with a bus driver on our exit route for tomorrow!

Horma Now Open … Wow

08/09/25

We showered and filled with water. Wandered across to the canyon entrance with Google translate on the phone …is the gorge open all the way to the waterfall. Yes. So we got to walk some the most spectacular nature we have seen in Turkey. Capodochia was amazing too.
3km each way along a board walk to a waterfall. Narrow in places, sheer and super deep, up to 230m in places. I couldn’t stop grinning. Or taking photos. It completely fed my soul.

We then drove the orange roads (A-roads) to Cide, where we had attempted to reach yesterday. Still quite bumpy at times, but a relief after yesterday.

Described as a pretty fishing village. A few boats in the harbour but other than the mountains behind, it had nothing to recommend it. Many restaurants have closed up. Seems Sept 1st is the end of summer. Bought some washing up liquid and snacks and left, taking the coast road east. Oh dear, this road is c.250km to Sinop and is another orange roads, but being resurfaced with spray and a ton of chip. Bendy and narrow. Taking 2 of us to peer around right hand bends.

We’ve spent the night on a small quiet beach other than the mosque, which bellowed very loudly at 4.00 am. Another small camper. Russian … I googled that Turkey is still visa free for Russians.

We made the decision to continue along this coast road as the scenery is pretty. It reminds me of N Devon. But we will skip the 200+ detour S to Ilgaz national park … looks good, but we do want to make Georgia and are conscious our visa free allowance is 90 days in 180.

Amasra, not quite Amazing

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Clunegapyears

06/09/2025

An old town with Byzantine and Genoese castle wall remains. Little other interesting architecture. But pretty with a stone bridge to an island. Harbours either side. We followed overgrown paths up to the Temple of Poseidon. Hunted the stone blocks, as it was even more overgrown than the paths. Views and being away from the tourists was worth the climb.

*Corrie was not a fan of the English Setter, although she is half that breed*

Tourist prices for all the tat. Pretty enough, but we just don’t like the commercialism or the tourists! We had a very good lunch.

*My sea bream was perfectly cooked, so that was amazing. I kept trying for decent fish in Morocco, but it was always over cooked.*

Slow drive from Amasra down to a National Park. Narrow roads. Subsidence and pot holes. Bends, hills and adverse camber. And biblical rain. My shoulders were tight. A few gins were purely medicinal.

*Corrie chilly, so her ganzie came out. Don’t think I’ll need to shear her fur again*

Discovered the roof light resealing done in the UK had been bodged. It leaked in heavy rain whilst driving. Fortunately for me, onto J’s side of the bed. Another trip to the motorhome repair in Ankara on our return trip, I think.

Safranbolu & Tolkali Gorge

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Clunegapyears

05/08/25

Nothing fantastic, but a lovely day.
Awoken at 6.00 by a freight train, friendly driver hit his horn, not so lovely. Googled and there is a passenger train on this line 3 times a week. It was built in 1936 to connect a port with the coal field east of Ankara. Different wagons so now shifting a lot of different stuff. And frequently as trains every 2 hours 24/7. And they were seriously long and slow.

Drove to Safranbolu. It’s a UNESCO city. On the silk route. Most visit Turkey sites, list it as a must do.

Nice as original Ottoman buildings and cobble streets, which were actually slippery due to use. We could have feasted on saffron flavoured Turkish delight samples as we passed shops, but we shared a kofte dish. A cat attacked Corrie and drew a little blood.

*The houses are original and most now seem to be either shops, hotels or restaurants*

*I went into an Ottoman house. The same as we saw in Albania … men and women celebrated weddings in different rooms*

*My fave part was actually not in the guidebooks – a small park with miniature clock towers from across Turkey*

Short drive to a Tokatli Gorge. A short gorge walk, accessed via rickety steps, a glass viewing platform and an aqueduct.

*J not happy with heights, but suffered the Crystal Terrace. The sign on the glass by his knees, forbade ‘prancing*

*The aqueduct that used to feed Safranbolu*. *The centre part had been filled in.*

We stayed the night in the car park near the aqueduct and watched folk go through the broken gate to cross it and pose for selfies. Interestingly, a big sign displays the ambulance number.

We were joined by a young Turkish couple and daughter in their camper. With his basic English and Google Translate, they gave us lots of tips for the N coast.

Air Bag Repair

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Clunegapyears

03/09/25

Chores chores chores. Unpacked. Momentarily lost the V5 which would have put paid to Georgia and Armenia. But found once we cleared up.

*Whilst I did a marathon laundry session, J cleaned inside*

*A few gins (Dublin duty free) on a deck over the campsite lake followed by a BBQ.*

Very peaceful. Just what we needed after such a busy 6 days.

Airbag Repair

04/09

Early up. Services and the best part of an hour back to Ankara. This time to fix our rear air suspension. I knew I was having to put air in more regularly, but one airbag had completely collapsed over the 6 days whilst we were away. The garage doing our long list of repairs had spotted it.
They had arranged for us to visit an air suspension specialist. Just how helpful is that.
Sure enough, one airbag was expelling air like a whale does water.

*They took the wheel off and removed the airbag to fix it*

A couple of hours later, they asked me to drive around the block. We hadn’t paid at this point … can’t see that happening in the UK. But my goodness the handling and smoothness over bumps is SO much improved. I guess with hardly driving Jez last year, I hadn’t really been aware of how bad it was. Fingers crossed it stays good.

We are now back touring. Stopped tonight a little off the main road in peace and quiet. There is a near train line, but the P4N entry says they are infrequent. They were also super friendly. They parped their horns and waved as they slowly trundled past.

*Corrie able to be unchained and collecting fur burrs*

*Corks. Yes, they deter fruit flies and flies*

Ankara

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Clunegapyears

Walking the Sights

01/09/2025

Once J arose from his slumbers in the Ankara hotel, we did our own walking tour around Ankara. We liked it as by far fewer tourists than Istanbul.

*The Hittite symbols were once the Ankara emblem*

*The Ethnographical Museum which house Ataturk’s body until the mausoleum was built*

*And again. The Victory Monument. The folk at the bottom* *are 2 soldiers and a woman carrying a cannon ball to recognise the part women played in the war for independence*

*The* Column of Julian was built to honour Julianus, the last pagan Roman emperor. He declared war on the Persians and passed through in 362. The city folk were so excited at his visit (all of them?!), they *erected the obelisk. It is now in University grounds, but the nice guard let us through*

*Melike Hatun Mosque, only opened in 2017. Complete with exhibition halls, a congress centre, civilisations museum, meeting halls etc. Oh and a 5 storey car park. I like the elegant lines of it.*

*Genclik Park / Youth Park constructed from 1936 was one of Tutkey’s first urban parks. This is complete with an amusement park, a pond a theatre and various halls and cafeterias.*

*We walked back in the dark through the market, which was being closed up. Much preferred to Istanbul’s spice market crowds*

Supper local to the hotel. J keen, but I dissuaded him from the £30 (cheapest). bottle of wine. We imbibed back at the hotel room.

Ataturk Mausoleum and War of Independence Museum

02/08/2025

A 2.5km walk in a different direction to the Peace Park, which housed the Ataturk Mausoleum and independence museum. With all the recent travelling, I didn’t know what to expect as I’d not read up. Just knew the Aged Ps rated it and one of the motorhome repair guys said it was good.

Wow wow and triple wow. Perhaps we should experience more sights blind.

*The Peace Park has trees gifted by different nations. Great Britain’s submission was a cherry tree*

We climbed some steps between manikin still guards to the main square. Three corners displayed Ataturk’s state cars.

*Two Lincoln and one Caddy. Beautifully restored. Two were armour plated after assassination attempts*

Three different uniformed guards on duty; naval, army and air, I guess. They seamed to change the guard every 2.5-3 hours before total cramp set in. Seriously, the only movement was a slight rise and fall of their chests. Once in position, they were inspected … actually just their feet repositioned. I wondered if the inspector was tying their shoe laces together so they couldn’t move.

*At one changeover, the Last Post was played. It always makes me moist*

*Tomb of a subsequent PM foreground and Ataturk’s Mausoleum*

*The mausoleum. But actually Ataturk’s body is below behind closed doors*

The museum was free and the audio guide was only 36p. Totally NOT rip off the tourist. The gift shop and cafe were also very reasonably priced. Despite the queue, they controlled the speed of entry so it was manageable.

I knew how revered Ataturk was. Legally you can’t criticise him. And what an inspirational military leader he was. He’d figured considerably when we toured Gallipoli. At Amasya we’d seen where his manifesto was written and where he’d launched the Latin alphabet. There are images of him everywhere, with his blue eyes looking up as if he has divine inspiration.

*This image had alienated me to be honest*

Anyhow, I learned so much.

There were 3 large painted panoramas. One was Gallipoli, which we have visited.

I remember reading that Mustafa Kemal, before he obtained the surname Ataturk, inspired his forces by telling them it was their duty to die. Other soldiers would replace them to fight for the soil of Turkey

I had not realised quite how carved up Turkey was in 1919. And the citizens had no rights. The Sultan basically protected himself. Resistance was widespread but localised. Mustafa Kemal, war hero, consolidated efforts. The Greeks saw an opportunity to gain ground into Antalya which had been Greek centuries before. But Kemal coordinated the attack on Greek lines. Culminating in the population exchange of 1923/4. Atrocities committed on both sides, so I can completely now understand the Greek Turkish animosity that still exists. When we told Greeks we were coming to Turkey the standard response was a) why and b) be careful. Yet they share so much in cuisine and human nature. We have been bowled over by Turkish kindness and generosity.

The galleries and Audi guide told the stories of the wars and reforms really well. Ataturk (was given this name, when he introduced the law for everyone to choose a surname) was part of a government but had his enemies. There were various assassination attempts, but he died from sclerosis at 58. Apparently he like raki.

His legacy was total reform across all sectors. His main foci were agriculture, education and industry. Previously, Turkey had imported wheat. Women got the vote in 1930.

Lunch in Ankara then a taxi (couldn’t find the correct bus stop) out to fetch Jez. The guys did so much work in such a short space of time. We didn’t mind handing over £1000 (in £4 notes) as they deserved it and have been such a pleasure to deal with.

We’ve decamped to a lakeside basic campsite to do laundry and sort ourselves out. Back to Ankara on Thursday as one of our rear airbags is deflating.

Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Not a Disaster, but could have been!

Amasra, not quite Amazing

Safranbolu & Tolkali Gorge

Air Bag Repair

Ankara