Whilst in Cappadocia we walked two challenging valleys. Ihlara is a gorge 15km long and up to 150m deep. The Melendiz river runs through it, although it is famous for its rock churches and buildings. While inhabited from the 3rd Century, the churches were built from the 7th Century onwards. We walked the top half of the canyon, with stunning scenery, birdlife and the bonus of wild asparagus to keep up our strength.
Love Valley is a dry river valley within walking distance of our hotel. The challenge for walkers is the route into the valley and picking the right paths once in the valley. Unlike Ihlara, which has steps down and a clear path, Love Valley was a scramble down ill-defined paths and several junctions where the correct route was unclear. About 7km long, the main features are phallic rock formations (hence the name) created by erosion of the volcanic material, with the rocks look almost white in the strong sun.
Shilli-Fully Travels 