Gangwha Goryeosan Mountain at Incheon City in Korea- Hike

1. Date and Time : Sept 14, 2018.  10:30~13:00 (2 hours and 30 minutes including half an hour break).

2.  Location : Gangwha District at Incheon City in Korea.

3. Distance and Course :

About 5.74 km. Course is to start Baekryeonsa Temple Parking Lot  => Baekryeonsa Temple => Junction to Paved Road => Oryeongi Pond => Summit and Observation Point (436m Altitude) => Azalea Observation Point => => Back to Baekryeonsa Temple Parking Lot. Please see attached “Gangwha Goryeosan Hiking Course”.

4. Particular and Summary :

Goryeosan (436m Altitude) is 4th highest mountain out of 6 high mountains in Gangwha district which comes after first one Manisan (472.1m), second one Heolgusan (466m) and third one Jingangsan (443)m. There are three well known temples at the mountain, Baeryeonsa tempole, Cheongryeonsa Temple and Jeoksoksa temple. This mountain is contained and originated with spiritual energy at Goryeo Dynasty which is inclusive of holly pond at top. It is legend story fishes living at the pond was influencing to China sometimes at old days. Five different color lotuses were strangely blossoming at to the Oryeongi pond. Cheochuk Monk picked up these lotuses and threw away at the sky at 4^th Year Jangsuwang King in Goguryeo Dynasty and constructed five temples according to lotus dropping location as follow. But there are only three temples at present as stated above.

l  White Lotus : Baeryeonsa Temple

l  Blue Lotus : Cheongryeonsa Temple

l  Red Lotus : Jokseoksa Temple

l  Yellow Lotus : Hwangryeonsa Temple (Disappeared and no records)

l  Dark Lotus : Heukryeonsa Temple (Disappeared and no records)

There is one more legend as Yeongaesomum, Daemakrigi (chief and top official) was borne somewhere Goryeosan area and trained their army at the mountain and used to come to Oryeongi pond for feeding water to his horse.

You could meet the Nakjodae (Observation for Sunset) situating at west which you could meet while you are heading to Jokseoksa Temple through beautiful pine tree forest and reed bushes. Please note brown orange color sunset picture is one of eight sceneries at Gangwha District. There are pink color azalea blossoming in April every year at the mountain which looks like burning with pink color at the mountain. Azalea Festival is holding every year in April by Gangwha District.

You could read more details at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaTFE0cEeTs&t=2s

5.  Access :

There is various ways to connect Subway Line connecting to Seoul Subway Station which you could reach from everywhere. Please change to Arex (Airport Express) line and move to Geomam Station taking 37 minutes at 6^th stop. You could refer to map of “Transportation from Seoul Subway Station to Gangwha Bus Terminal”. There is no public transportation from Gangwha Bus Terminal to Baekryeonsa Temple. Therefore you should take taxi at the terminal taking 15 to 20 minutes which you would better book the taxi for your return since no taxi available at the Baekryeonsa temple area.
But you would reduce this transportation time to 5 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save one hour for the transportation. 

6.  Overall Remarks.

      It was very fine and good day for hiking, sky high and clean air with beautiful cloud. I was first of all looking around Baekryeonsa temple situating foot of Goryeosan Mountain looks so nice and wonderful. I kept so beautiful temple scenery at the photo as well as at the video linked above. I came out from the temple and turned right to hiking start point at the wooden stairs and found a bit high sloped uphill. I walked up the stairs and continuously ascended somewhat heavily inclined uphill road for about 10 minutes from the start and reached 3^rd wooden stair road and kept walking over the stairs and found junction connecting to paved road leading to summit and Azalea Observation Point. I turned left at the junction and walked on a bit easy walking paved road for few minutes and found Oryeongi Pond which is explained detailed story at above article 4 “Particular and summary”. As I walked up a little more after Oryeongi Pond, I met Observation point where I could see Azalea observation Point which is crossing over front valley. I saw so beautiful nature view at the Observation and took several photo and videos. I crossed over the valley through wooden deck road and reached Azalea Observation point and continued to walk for half an hour and found the  Gocheonri Dolmen Site. They said “Dolmen is tomb for chief lead at old days, maybe bronze age. Principal structure is two big supporting stone wall and covered with big flat stone”. Please see at the Photo attached. I walked back through ascending road as soon as I looked around the dolmen and took a photo.