Gyeonggi Gwangju Namhansansung Fort Castle in Korea - Hike

1.     Date and Time : May 4, 2018 10:30~15:30 (5 hours including break one hours).

2.     Location : Kwangju at Gyeonggi Province in Korea.

3. Distance and Course : About 6.8km. Course is to start Namhansansung East Gate =>Songamjeong => Jangkyeonsa Temple=> North Gate=> Sueojangdae-Supreme Commander Post => West Gate => South Gate=>East Gate.

4.     Access :

There is various ways to connect Subway Line No.8 which you are supposed to get off at Sanseong Station and changing to local bus line, No. 52 at bus stop ID:05-092 where you are supposed to walk about 200m and 10 minutes after Gate 2 at Sanseong Station. Please refer to the map of “Changing Subway Line 8 to local Bus No 52 at Sanseong Station”. Please get off at Bus Stop ID:38-532, last Bus Stop after 5 stops and refer to the map of “Get Off at Namhansansung Bus Stop ID:38-532, Last Stop”. When you get off at last Bus Stop, you could find four way rotary junction nearby and try to turn left where you could reach Namhansansung East Gate. Please refer to the Map of “Going to East Gate at THE Namhansansung Rotary Junction”. You could get back through reverse course walking, changing bus to subway and so on. Please keep in your mind Sanseong Station View when you take bus 52 at Bus Stop ID:05-092, Shinheung Jugong Apartment Back Door.

4.     Overall Remarks.

Namhansansung (NHS), about 25 km from Seoul at South East direction was constructed at Joseon Dynasty period between 1392 and 1910 performing as a temporary capital when enemy attacks Seoul and to protect Joseon Dynasty. There is some evidence relating to 7 century but several times repaired and renovated works since then. It was one of major reconstruction works in 17 century especially to protect from Chinese “Cheong Country” and was mainly made and maintained by Buddhist Monk. Many facilities in military, religious and commercials are still left over inside Fortress Castle. As a conclusion, Namhansansung is a typical and symbolic icon for Korean’s independence and unique color. It is easy and simple to walk around NHS since you just follow the well-organized road inside the castle. You could take an opportunity to see not only well maintained unpolluted beautiful nature but also Korean’s historic story.         

5.     Detailed Course Information

There are some possibility you may visit to NHS which you may visit only one Gate or two Gates or three Gates or four Gates depend on your interesting like East Gate, North Gate, West Gate and South Gate. But I made my mind to cover all fours gate from East Gate to South Gate. When you walk to the East Gate from Bus Stop-NHS, last bus stop, you would follow major road of NHS extending to East from center of NHS downtown where you could see elementary school and police substation, Jungang Parking Lot and so on. When you reach the East Gate, you could see stone stairs at left of the Gate and start to move up somewhat steep hill and soon see “Songamjeong” which Hwanjinhee story are introduced near to big rock as see at the photo. Hwanjinhee was a nationally well-known high intelligence female entertainer. Detailed story is at the introduction photo. When you walk about 20 minutes from the start, you could meet first landmark saying as 2.1km to North Gate and Mangwolsa Temple-900m. I decided to skip the visit to Mangwolsa due to far distance and instead take look “Jangkyeonsa Temple” which is available nearby around the landmark. I kept walking inside the Castle about 25 minutes and met bypass road due to castle maintenance works and turn left at the junction at the photo and very soon return original road as shown at the photo. You could meet Dondaejangteo after 2 to 3 minutes walking from the bypass road which is East Gate Commander Post. There are Breastworks at the same Dondaejangteo site which is designed easily to attack enemy under lower level of the castle and easy view point. Please read more at the phot. You should keep walking inside the castle for about 20 minutes and meet Ammun, secrete small gate which is designed to prepare between the Gates and to use for secret activity like food supply and guerrilla activity and so on. You could meet North Gate after 25 minutes walking from the Ammun-Secret Small Gate which is very good matching with surrounding colorful trees. I return Castle Road again after short visit to North Gate and kept walking up the hill inside the castle about half an hour and met landmark saying as 800m to West Gate. When I went out the landmark area, I saw so nice view of castle at the higher hill and left nice view on the photo as you see. When I keep walking inside the castle about 40 minutes, I met the West Gate after passing the North Gate via landmark as 300m to West Gate. I kept walking alongside castle for an half an hour after West Gate and found Sueojangdae, Supreme Commander Post and headquarter. This is highlight which you should not miss visit during your visiting to NHS which only presently remaining Commander Post among five commander post in NHS. When you walk for about 40 minutes, you could reach South Gate which is a splendid and main gate among fours gates, East, North, West and South. You could find landmark near around the South Gate saying as 2.1km to East Gate. You could start to way down from the South Gate and meet “Mangwolsa temple” after 25 minutes from the South Gate which I decided to skip at beginning and tried to leave nice photo of Mangwolsa and succeeded to take a photo, even far remote. I was almost reaching East Gate where I left this morning and returned after total 5 hours walking.