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!

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.