Seoul, South Korea is a vibrant city where old meets new and the traditional meets the modern. One of the best ways to experience this interplay is along the old city wall. There is a trail, the Seoul Seonggwak trail (서울성곽길), that follows what is left of the wall and follows fairly closely to where the wall use to be.
The old city of Seoul was once surrounded by a fortress wall. There were four main gates that were built in accordance with the traditional practice of geomancy. There were also several other smaller gates. Today only three of the four main gates remain. Seodaemun was destroyed during the Japanese occupation. The two most prominent gates are Namdaemun, or Sungnyemun, and Dongdaemun, or Heunginjimun.
http://seoulcitywall.seoul.go.kr/front/eng/sub01/sub0101.do
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Bukhansan Dulle-gil
My favorite thing about Seoul, South Korea is that there is great access to nature. It is easy to access nice trails by subway and bus from anywhere in the city in less than two hours. One such trail is the Bukhansan Dulle-gil. As mentioned on the Korean Tourism Page, the trail is divided into twenty-one sections. Many of the sections are quite easy and great for families with children. The sections to the south of Bukhansan are especially easy and often have boardwalk sections. Some of the sections around Dobongsan are a bit more challenging but are still very much doable as a day hike. The trail weaves through forests and neighborhoods giving a mix of sites and experiences. Each section of the trail has a totally different "feel" to it.
My wife, one year-old daughter, and I recently hiked about half of the Dulle-gil in three parts. We hiked an average of thirteen kilometers a day. The first day, we started with section 10 at Ipgok samgari (입곡삼가리). You can catch buses 704 or 34 from Gupabal Station (Line 3). Getting to the trail head was not difficult but it is on the main route to Bukhansan National Park so the bus was packed with other hikers. It may be wise to start with a different section if you don't like crowded buses. We finished our hike at Obong Information Center at Songchu (송추) Parking Lot. The trail was a nice mix of forest and small neighborhoods. Overall, the hike was fairly easy and bits of it were along the highway.
The second day, we started back at Songchu Parking Lot. You can catch bus 704 (different from the first day) at Seoul Station and get off at Pureunmaeul Apartment (푸른마을아파트). We continued Section 13 and ended with Section 15 near Hoeryong Station (희룡역). As with other hikes in Korea, there is are a lot of military installations along the way. The north side of the trail is particularly spotted with outposts and even some trenches. In these sections, the trails were mainly on the mountain, rather than around it, which made the hike a bit more difficult than the first day but also more scenic. We crossed over several ridges and gave our calf muscles quite the workout.
The third day, we started with section 16 at the Hoeryong Information Center which is just a short walk from Hoeryong Station (희룡역) Exit 3. We were feeling a bit lazy and decided to end after Section 19. Section 16 was a bit difficult as it continued in the mountains and over several ridges. Section 17 brought us out of the mountains and into several neighborhoods. Along the trail we passed by Camp Jackson, an American military facility. The trail goes right by the small arms firing range so don't be alarmed when you hear gun fire and even announcements that may or may not be directed towards hikers. Section 18 goes back into the mountain area. There are several temples along the trail and is a noted area of easy walking and relaxing views. There is even a barrier-free (wheelchair and stroller friendly) section near Dobongsa (도봉사 Dobong Temple). Section 19 leads to a twin tower observatory that presents a nice view of the surrounding area, including the mountain. It is a moderate hike, but it can feel difficult when hiking with a one year-old on your back.
Of the three days, the third day was our favorite. The trails were a bit more challenging at times but the scenery made up for the fatigue. We enjoyed the views and greenery. Our daughter enjoyed walking a bit of the easy parts and absolutely loved touching trees and leaves along the way.
For more information on the Dulle-gil, the aforementioned Korea Tourism page is quite helpful. Another helpful site, especially regarding transportation, for the southern half of the trail is http://ecotour.knps.or.kr/dulegil/index_e.asp. We also purchased a Dulle-gil map at one of the information centers for about 1,000 won. It has nice descriptions of each section as well as a difficulty rating and transportation info.
My wife, one year-old daughter, and I recently hiked about half of the Dulle-gil in three parts. We hiked an average of thirteen kilometers a day. The first day, we started with section 10 at Ipgok samgari (입곡삼가리). You can catch buses 704 or 34 from Gupabal Station (Line 3). Getting to the trail head was not difficult but it is on the main route to Bukhansan National Park so the bus was packed with other hikers. It may be wise to start with a different section if you don't like crowded buses. We finished our hike at Obong Information Center at Songchu (송추) Parking Lot. The trail was a nice mix of forest and small neighborhoods. Overall, the hike was fairly easy and bits of it were along the highway.
The second day, we started back at Songchu Parking Lot. You can catch bus 704 (different from the first day) at Seoul Station and get off at Pureunmaeul Apartment (푸른마을아파트). We continued Section 13 and ended with Section 15 near Hoeryong Station (희룡역). As with other hikes in Korea, there is are a lot of military installations along the way. The north side of the trail is particularly spotted with outposts and even some trenches. In these sections, the trails were mainly on the mountain, rather than around it, which made the hike a bit more difficult than the first day but also more scenic. We crossed over several ridges and gave our calf muscles quite the workout.
The third day, we started with section 16 at the Hoeryong Information Center which is just a short walk from Hoeryong Station (희룡역) Exit 3. We were feeling a bit lazy and decided to end after Section 19. Section 16 was a bit difficult as it continued in the mountains and over several ridges. Section 17 brought us out of the mountains and into several neighborhoods. Along the trail we passed by Camp Jackson, an American military facility. The trail goes right by the small arms firing range so don't be alarmed when you hear gun fire and even announcements that may or may not be directed towards hikers. Section 18 goes back into the mountain area. There are several temples along the trail and is a noted area of easy walking and relaxing views. There is even a barrier-free (wheelchair and stroller friendly) section near Dobongsa (도봉사 Dobong Temple). Section 19 leads to a twin tower observatory that presents a nice view of the surrounding area, including the mountain. It is a moderate hike, but it can feel difficult when hiking with a one year-old on your back.
Of the three days, the third day was our favorite. The trails were a bit more challenging at times but the scenery made up for the fatigue. We enjoyed the views and greenery. Our daughter enjoyed walking a bit of the easy parts and absolutely loved touching trees and leaves along the way.
For more information on the Dulle-gil, the aforementioned Korea Tourism page is quite helpful. Another helpful site, especially regarding transportation, for the southern half of the trail is http://ecotour.knps.or.kr/dulegil/index_e.asp. We also purchased a Dulle-gil map at one of the information centers for about 1,000 won. It has nice descriptions of each section as well as a difficulty rating and transportation info.
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