Even
though it's been a while since my trip to Korea, I would love to share some
highlights from my experience on hiking (or where my love for this activity began).
Dobongsan (740
m), the second highest peak in Seoul도봉산
Dobongsan
is located in Bukhasan National Park in Seoul. The mountain is also home to
Cheonchuksa Temple, the oldest temple in the region, and several other temples
including Mangwolsa and Hoeryongsa, as well as a number of beautiful valleys
called Donong, Songchu, Obong and Yeongeocheon. Furthermore, it is easily
accessible by public transport (The entry to the trail is nearby the metro line
7, station Dobongsan).
Why
did we choose the second highest
peak? Well, the friends from Chung-Ang University, who already took the hike in
the park, suggested that the view to Seoul from Dobongsan is far more stunning
than from Baegundae peak. And as for our first try ever, we didn’t want to go over the top, so it was a nice alternative.
We
decided to take a hike on an early morning at 7 am, as we knew that it would be
unbearable to hike on the midday due to high temperature of 27 degrees celcius
(according to the forecast). The trail contains mainly rocky and steep areas, mostly
without the ropes to hold onto, therefore, it is essential to choose the safest pace
without following the crowd. With a normal pace, we reached Dobongsan at approximately
9 am (it took around 2 hours). Also, you have to be extra careful on the peak
itself as it has limited space even for a small crowd of people, which was
extremely difficult for a person with a fear of heights like me. As we went down, there were already lots of gatherings of people in certain parts of the trails, so we were glad that we encouraged ourselves to wake up earlier for this activity. Surprisingly, we got a couple of corns from the kind hikers as a gesture of encouragement, which was a nice energy boost for the further journey. However, it took a bit more than 2 hours to go down due to the (almost) unbearable heat and swollen legs. Despite all the pains, we were so satisfied with the experience.
To
be fully prepared, here is a list of the stuff that is essential to bring to
the hike:
- 1
liter of water per person (if it’s a warm/hot day you might get thirsty pretty
often)
- Snacks
- Soju
(it is a part of Korean hiking experience to drink this traditional liquor, so
if you’re confident that it might boost some additional energy, give it a try!)
- Comfortable
outfit (breathable clothes)
- Hiking
shoes (sneakers might work but it may be too slippery on steep and rocky areas,
so hiking shoes with a high level of grip
would be the best alternative for safe and more comfortable hiking experience)
- A
hat from the sun
- Hiking
sticks and/or hiking gloves (gloves make it easier to climb the steep rocky areas
on the trail, meanwhile sticks help to climb down, as legs might not work as they
used to compared to the start)
- Comfortable
bag for all the goodies
Just
in case you forgot to bring something, you can buy anything you need on the way
to the park (especially if you’re heading from the metro line 7, station
Dobongsan). There will be open local street food kiosks selling fish cakes, and
other delicious dishes, farther you might see all the hiking equipment you
might need (from the hiking shoes, jackets to hats and gloves). Just in
case you finished all the snacks on the mountain, you can recover on the way
back by stopping by one of the fish-cake selling Korean grandmothers as a treat
for a great hike.
Hallasan (한라산) (1,947.06
m), highest peak in South Korea
Hallasan
is located in Hallasan National Park in Jeju Island, South Korea. It is a
shield volcano and also known as the highest peak in the country. The latest eruption
of the volcano happened in 1007.
There
are 5 hiking trails on Hallasan:
- Gwaneumsa
Trail (관음사 탐방로) - 8.7 km
- Eorimok
Trail (어리목 탐방로) - 4.7 km
- Seongpanak
Trail (성판악 탐방로) - 9.6 km
- Yeongsil
Trail (영실 탐방로) - 3.7 km
- Donnaeko
Trail (돈내코 탐방로) - 9.1 km
Only
the Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak trails lead to the summit. The Donnaeko, Eorimok
and Yeongsil courses only go as far as Witse Oreum (윗세오름), as the rest of the trail leading to
the peak has been closed off since 1994 in order to restore and protect the
vegetation.
We
chose Gwaneumsa Trail, which is considered to be one of the most sophisticated ways
to reach the peak, and we were ready for challenges. Unlike Dobongsan, Gwaneumsa
has a safer trail for the hikers – less rocky areas.
The
first zone seems to be of the moderate difficulty as it has a simple path surrounded
by green sceneries, so the first part will be a nice intro to the hike. But you
have to be prepared for lots of stairs, I mean, LOTS. As for the amateur hikers,
it was way too many stairs for our unprepared bodies, and the legs literally
stopped working on the latest part of the trail. However, as you see the breath-taking
views on the way, it outweighs the hard-work to the peak. In the middle of the
trail, there will be a Samgakbong shelter. It is a small building, where you
can take a rest, crunch some snacks, and recharge the energy.
And
as I mentioned before, it is essential to have at least a 1 liter of water per
person, especially on a warmer day, as there will be a spot for portable water
base 2.6 km until the peak. Therefore, you have to be equipped with water for 6
km, particularly if you get thirsty considerably often.
As
soon as you reach the peak, the crater lake on Hallasan called Baengnokdam (백록담), meaning "white deer lake"
will instantly welcome the climbers. And the feeling of fulfillment and pride that
costed through blood, sweat, and tears made it all worth it to
see this spectacular wonder of nature. And just in case you want to share your
highlights of the hike with your friends on Instagram or any other social
platform you can freely use WiFi (yes, there is a WiFi on the peak). Going back, somehow, seemed like it will never end, as the path seemed the same. Maybe because
we were too tired, and everything became blurred out. It took some time for
legs to recover after the trip, but the satisfaction for the hard-work and the beautiful
views we were able to witness compensated the pain.
To
conclude, South Korea has very developed hiking culture, especially among the
representatives of the older generation. Even though, my first steps in hiking
weren’t easy, but it was satisfactory, and I am more than glad that I
experienced it in the country I adore.
I hope that there will be more
opportunities in the future to continue my exploration Korean mountains and to share
those moments with you! Hopefully, it was helpful and gave at least a glimpse
of the hiking culture in Korea.
