Updated Hike - Seoul Bukhansan Mountain Hike in Korea-Baewundae Summit Course.

1.    Date and Time : Sept 27, 2018 11:0~17:00 (6 hours including break one hours).

2.    Location : Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul.

Distance and Course : About 10.69km. Course is to start NPS Bukhansansung Information =>Daeseomun => Muryangsa Temple => Daedongsa Temple => Ammun Gate => Baekwundae Summit (856.5m Altitude) =>Back to NPS Bukhansansung Information through the ascending course. Please refer to “Bukhansan Baekwundae Hike “Course Information” attached herein and to the link at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvu1LsaJMCg

3.    Access

There is various ways to come to Bukhansansung Information by means of public transportation. But I suggest you may use Subway (Line No. 3 or 6) Line connecting to local Bus line (No. 34) which you get off at subway-Bulkhwang Station and exit Gate 8 and walk about walk total 200m at exit direction as explained at Change Map attached. Please take Green Color Bus No. 34 at Bus Stop (ID:12-021) and move (16 stops and about 26 minutes) and get off at Bus Stop (ID:12-233)-Bukhansansung Entrance. You may carefully check each Bus Stop ID at 2 or 3 stops before arrival as explained at Get off Map. Please note each Bus Stop has always independent ID number as shown at photo-Bukhansansung Entrance Bus Stop. You may simply return to your original position through reverse clurse as stated above.

I could estimate total transportation as 3.0 hour for one way from Subway Yongsan Station to Bukhansansung Entrance Bus Stop which comes 6 hours for round transportation. But you would reduce this transportation time to 4 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save two hour for the transportation. 

4.  Outline and Summary

      Inside the Samgaksan (Bukhansan) (Mt.) national park, there are lots of clean valleys among major rock peaks made of granite. It gives a beautiful view, and there live over 10,300 species of animals and plants inside. Also, it offers various historical and cultural relics including Bukhansanseong (Fortress) which has the history of 2,000 years since the era of 3 States and over 100 temples and shrines. It provides various views and places to learn ecology, culture and history. Samgaksan (Bukhansan) (Mt.) has various flowers blooming one after another in spring time, making it a land of fairy tales. There cannot be any other paradise when you are resting upon a valley with thick forests and clean waters in summer. In autumn, when you are following the road next to Bukhansanseong, Historic Relics No. 162, you can feel the solitude of the autumn itself. And in winter, the snow covered Insubong (Peak), Baegundae, and Mangkyeongdae will give you the mystic taste of purity and divine nature.

5. Detailed Course Information

As shown at the photo of the Bus Stop-BWD Entrance, you will meet the three way junction at the same direction as the Bus is running and move about 10m forward from Get Off Bus Stop and turn right at the Junction and walk to Bukhansan (BHS) direction about 510 m and 10 minutes from the junction where you could meet three way junction again just in front of  BHS Information Booth at left. You could easily and comfortably walk on Paved with concrete block about 10 minutes and meet Landmark branching to Baekwundae Summit and Uisanbong Peak. But I took a straight direction where it said as 4km to the Summit and meet Yongamsa temple after another 10 minutes walking. You keep walking on the same road about 15 minutes and meet Daeseomun, Main West Gate at Bukhan Sanseong Fort Castle as you see at the Photo. It was early spring last year when I came over this road which was cherry blossom road. But It was very green trees and grasses which were preparing for season change to winter soon. I could feel very fresh and clean air on the way and somewhat emotionally excited under so nice weather. As I walked through such an excellent road for about 10 minutes more, I reached the Muryangsa temple which looks more elegant than in spring due to well matching or harmony to autumn. When I finished quick around the temple, I saw fantastic view of Wonhyeobong Peak, Yeomchobong and Jangkunbong on the road at left and took a photo and video. I kept walking up on the road for about 5 ~6 minutes and met the Junction between 2.6km to the Summit at left and 4.1km to the Summit at right. I choose left course and moved for 2 ~3 minutes and reached changing road becoming narrow and steep path mostly with stone stairs and ascended this raod for about half an hour and touched three way junction again as left direction leading to 400m to Bukmun (Great North Gate) and as straight direction leading to 1.6km to Baewundae Summit. I moved up straight and continued to cross wooden bridge at valley and climb rocky steep hill for 20 minutes and reached landmark stating as 1.3km to the Summit. I came across somewhat steep rocky narrow path with steel rope support and kept walking the similar way for about a quarter minutes and touched break and rest place and somewhere around middle between junction to junction and took a short break. I continued to ascend similar road and wooden stairs for half an hour and reached junction staying as 400m to the Summit or to the other Peak. I took a Summit Course and ascended on the wooden stairs for about 5 minutes and reached Ammun Gate Junction where I could take left course climbing up to the Summit or where I could go straight down to Uiedong Course which I took last time. When I climbed over the big rocky road and saw so beautiful Mankyungdae Peak as you see at the photo and looked up to straight and found so nice view of Baekwundae Summit with many people walking up and down through narrow sloped path. There was small peak at the middle and top which I could see remotely at the photo. I turned left again and found so nice and fantastic peaks surrounding the Summit and left the picture at the photo along with some others. When I climbed on this rocky road, I was jammed time by time depend on up-jam or down-jam and ascended for about 10 minutes and found so close and impressive view of Insubong Peak at right and kept moving up to the Summit and touched down the Summit ( 836m Altitude) after about 10 minutes endeavor. I decided to descend the mountain due to crowded at small summit area as soon as the Summit. I willingly took a photo to Dobongsan Mountain on the way down which is located at North East from Bukhansan Mountain as you see at the photo. I returned NPS Bukhansan Booth via Ammun Gate Junction after 3 hours from the Summit.

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.