The Journey

800 steps

A bit more catching up to do..... Earlier this month saw us off on yet another trip with Adventure Korea, this time to Seoraksan National park. This time 'us' included Kat's mum who had come to visit for a couple of weeks.

The weekend took us hiking in both inner and outer Seoraksan, a mountain range that boasts one of Korea's highest mountains. Seoraksan is situated in Gangwon-do province, it is Korea's most famous national park and one of the most beautiful. The Seoraksan mountains stretch over an area of 373 square kilometers with their highest peek reaching 1078 meters.

After an early start we arrived at Seoraksan around lunch time and were supplied with a lunch of bebimbap (a traditional Korean dish consisting of vegetables and rice). However everything, including the rice, was cold and after eating a particularly chewy mushroom I was put of eating any more.

On the way to the start of the hike we were given two hiking options. One option was to hike to the top of Ulsanbawi rock, a difficult but rewarding climb that included scaling over 800 steps. Or we could take a cable car followed by a 20 or 30 minute hike to the Gwongeumseong Fortress. Where, due to it's high altitude of 1,200 meters, you could (apparently) enjoy a stunning bird's eye view of the Seoraksan Mountains.

 
Looking up at Ulsanbawi rock.

Despite being slightly daunted by the thought of 800 steps and a little concerned that the course was recommended for experienced walkers I chose the Ulsanbawi rock hike and we set of through the beautiful scenery.

Along the hike there was a temple and a large rock (Heundeulbawi), which can be moved! As we passed we took a well earned rest and attempted, successfully, to move the huge five meter high rock.

VIDEO - rocking the Heundeulbawi rock - http://www.mediamax.com/j150vsc/Hosted/DSCF4115.AVI

The walk got tougher when we reached the bottom of Ulsanbawi rock. Confronted by hundreds of steps set at a very steep angle into the rock and with the weather, it had been snowing gently for most of the day, closing in around me it took dogged determination to overcome my fear of heights and reach the top. More than once on the way up the steps I thought I'll give up in a minute and go back down; after all with the weather being so bad it was unlikely that I would see anything from the top.

 
Emily fighting against the snow at the bottom of the 800 steps.

But after persevering I arrived at the top of Ulsanbawi rock and the snow that had plagued my assent suddenly disappeared, then clouds broke offering spectacular views across the Seoraksan National Park, down to the East sea and along the mountain range that looked a bit like scales jutting out the back of a dinosaur.

 
Looking across the mountain range.

 
Looking down towards the East sea.

 
Emily, me, Kat's mum and Kat at the top of Ulsanbawi rock.

After taking in the view it was time to begin the decent. I was pleasantly surprised that the steps bothered me more on the way up than on the way down. Although by the time I reached the bottom my legs were certainly feeling those 800 steps.

 
Looking down some of the 800 steps on Ulsanbawi rock.

After descending to ground level we were taken to our hotel in the Osaek area and before dinner we had time to relax, soak aching muscles and share our experience of the day's hiking in the hotel’s hot spar. It is the norm for Koreans to use these spar's naked, but being prudish Westerners we wore our swimming costumes and were relieved to find the spar full of other people on the Adventure Korea trip all wearing swimming costumes.

The spa had two pools one with hot water and the other with cold. You are supposed to sit in the hot water as long as possible then submerge yourself the cold, but both Kat and Emily had problems dipping more than their little toe in the cold water. However after a bit of coxing and me sitting happily in the cold water for about five minutes they managed to get in, all be it for a very short time. The spar room also had a long thin bath like pool which is apparently where the Koreans sit to wash and along one wall of the spar was showers and soap, also meant for washing.

After our spar we went out for dinner, there were a number of restaurants near the hotel but the majority of the Adventure Korea group ended up in the same restaurant, where the evenings drinking and merriment began. Feeling exhausted from our early morning and long walk we gave the Soju a miss and shared a beer whilst eating Samgyopsal (like Galbi but pork) and a spicy mushroom noodle soup thing.

After dinner we headed to bed, but not before meeting some people in the hotel lobby and becoming embroiled in their drinking game, which I lost and ended up having to down the most disgusting concoction of Soju, beer and another flavored Soju type drink - yuck!

As we headed to bed word spread that Nori bus was kicking off (Nori means song in Korean). It is a very popular past time here to spend an evening at a singing room (called a Nori bang) with friends. So as we went to bed the majority of people headed to 'Nori bus' for a spot of karaoke. Getting back to our room we could here the bus loud and clear and from some of the attempts at singing I could hear I was glad there was bricks and mortar separating me form the noise.

On Sunday we hiked the Jujeongol course, which runs through a valley in inner Seoraksan. The course begins at a natural spring where we sampled the Osaek Mineral water. As we lined up for a taste of the water people emptied their water bottles in anticipation of filling them with fresh tasting spring water. But after tasting the water I was glad I hadn’t followed suite, it tasted a little like carbonated water that was far past its best!

The Jujeongol course took us through a scenic valley, across some interesting bridges, to the beautiful Yongso waterfall. We arrived at the waterfall around the mid day and had some free time to explore the area. Being slightly adventurous we decided to follow some others and climb on top the waterfall to have our pictures taken. As we walked towards the waterfall we came across a rather alarming piece of bridge (see pick below).

 
Looking back along the valley on the Jujeongol hike. 

 
Me crossing the river.

 
If you look closely you can just about make out us on top the waterfall (I'm on the left and Kat and Emily are on the right).
Notice the bridge on the right. Part of it was still attached and we had to walk across the attached part to get to the top of the waterfall.

 
The Yongso waterfall.

After exploring the area around the waterfall we headed back to Oseak for lunch consisting of rice and side dishes before packing up, boarding the bus and heading back to Seoul after a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

• Posted by j150vsc on 24/02/2007.
• j150vsc's site