This is how I feel about my life right now…

All kinds of special and happy, right?

I am back into full on hiking mode, though whether it is the most sensible of things to do we are yet to discover, for I am also in full pain mode right now with both my knees and ribs killing me from my tumble in the street the other day. Sleeping hurts, getting up hurts, bending hurts, driving hurts. Today I’ll find out if hiking hurts too, I guess?

While I really wish to experience as many aspects of Korean culture as possible, visiting the hospital for potential broken ribs is not really on my to do list. I do know that if my life was a Korean drama, it would be straight off to the doctor with me, but being British, I would have to be on death’s door for me to make the trip. I am also aware, even if I have suffered some damage, there is nowt that could be done apart from rest, as ribs must heal on their own. And I really have no intention of resting right now, for I have a bridge in the sky to visit!

In some ways, today will mirror yesterday. For I have arranged to visit Wolchusan National Park and then have dinner with Courtney again afterwards, given the park is practically on her doorstep. Two hikes and two meals out in one week – score!

Wolchusan National Park, I think, may be one of those less frequently visited due to its location; fairly far down in the south-west corner of Korea and pretty well out in the sticks. This is a place you really have to want to visit. And it so happens, I do.

I guess you could say its claim to fame is the Cloud Bridge – a massive suspension bridge that is built about half way up the mountain. Just so you know what we are talking about, check out the picture below and set your sights directly on the centre of the photo and look up (you might need to zoom in).

Got it?

Yup, that’s where I am headed today. Well, further than that, as I am going all the way to the main peak, Cheonhwangbong (809m), but the bridge is the first point I am aiming for.

I am excited today. The park is beautiful to look at, even from the ground. The rock faces of the mountain are stunning and with the added uniqueness of the bridge, I’m raring to go. The park also gets extra points for having an almost circular trail to navigate, meaning I go up one way and down another to have new and fresh views all the way.

Setting off in high spirits, I pass through the gate to the hiking path and into lovely autumnal woodland. I take my time over the stepping stones and stairs, pass by a temple and its resident dog, and start my way up the rocky climb.

If you don’t like stairs, stay away from this park. They are numerous and plentiful. Of course, they also get you to height fairly quickly too. And with that, the views.

Reaching the Cloud Bridge takes less time than I imagine. I am so very glad I have chosen today to hike, it is the beginning of the week and so rather than a bridge crammed full of people taking selfies, I only have to contend with waiting for two young girls to finish their many poses before they head off and I have the bridge all to myself. That in itself is rather awesome and I promptly take the time to send a video message to my very disapproving mother, who is always convinced I am going to plummet to my death in situations like this.

The bridge, for all its man-made construction and bright orange steel, is startlingly beautiful in its own way. I like it very much and spend a good deal of time wandering back and forth across its walkway, leaning over the side trying to spot other hikers below, scanning the wider countryside, and gazing up in hope of working out which peak is the one I shall be summiting today.

I’m having a hard time orienting myself and deciding where Cheonhwangbong is actually located. I can see a few people off in the distance perched atop a peak, but by my reckoning, it is the wrong direction as the steps leading away from the bridge leave in completely the opposite direction.

And so this is where today’s hike turns from an uplifting and exhilarating excursion into one long hard slog grounded in a sheer determination to summit.

I leave the bridge by way of stairs straight up into the sky. While stairs are tough in general, what makes these especially so are the height of them. I wish photos did better justice, but here you go…

The gap between each individual step is as high as from my foot to knee. This is rather ridiculous (especially given your ‘average’ Korean is a smidge shorter than me). To actually climb the stairs you have to put your foot on the step above and pull yourself up by the handrail, as lifting yourself by pushing with your opposite leg really isn’t enough because of the height. Well, that’s fun. Even more so when repeated about 1000 times.    

And what makes the effort really worth it, is when you reach the top of that long and arduous climb and discover that rather than a nice pathway following a ridgeline, you see a corresponding set of steps on the other side, going downwards; therefore making this a classic example of a pointless up and down (or PUD, as it’s called on the AT).

To cut this story short by about two hours, the trail I am following leads me off and completely away from the main peak, around the back of a set of other peaks, before turning back and up again in the direction of Cheonhwangbong. As hiking goes, it is a little bit frustrating and demoralising to be led round the houses like this.

Having said that, this park is amazingly, wonderfully, beautiful and I love the massive, round, smooth rocks that surround me while I hike. It really is only my attitude causing me an issue here, not the hike itself. Had I just been a little more aware of what I was facing, I wouldn’t have had such a grump on about the trail. And even then, it’s just my usual hiking harrumphing when I am tired and nothing more. And of course, all of this gets dispelled in an instant the moment I approach the peak and summit.

The view is phenomenal. And it is not so cold as to not be able to pause for a while, and so I stop and munch my lunch while watching other hikers appear and disappear, and watch the birds and clouds float by.

My route down passes by Barampokpo, a waterfall, which is slightly lacking in water; and 6 brothers rock, so named for it appears to be brothers standing around in conversation.

And after all that hiking up and down, what could possibly end the day perfectly?

Shabu-shabu, that’s what.

And if you are interested to know, Shabu-shabu is actually a Japanese hot pot dish, basically a soup with vegetables and really thinly sliced meat, then noodles to add at the end. When Courtney suggested it, I had no idea what to expect, but when it arrived I had very familiar feels – this seems to be pretty much what Jaewon and I ate at the very first restaurant I ever went to in Seoul (where I took no photos cause I was too excited at the time).

Either way, it’s delicious. Though I will say we did get quite a few stares from the owners who were obviously not 100% satisfied with our cooking technique as they kept coming over to adjust the heat, to tell us when to add the meat, and finally how long to cook the noodles. All of which I find both helpful and embarrassing in equal measure; I feel rather horrified that these people think me unable to boil pre-made meat, vegetables, and noodles in a pot to a suitable level, but like the fact they are showing me how to do it correctly so as not to screw it up next time.

The following day it is time to say goodbye to Gwangju (can’t leave fast enough in the morning). I have an adventurous day planned in that I want to visit two places today for two different walks – Damyang Bamboo Forest and Naejangsan National Park. Even though I’ve scheduled in two stops, I don’t feel rushed or worried about my plans, I feel happy to take the day as it comes and to go with the flow, and as I can’t check into my new accommodation until 5pm today anyway, I have plenty of time on my hands.

While I previously visited a smaller patch of bamboo forest on my way to Namhae, I really did want to see something a smidge more expansive if possible, and it just so happens that Damyang Forest is on my route out of town.

The forest has two entrances I discover, the one my GPS takes me to is the back gate. There is plenty of parking here and I only see a couple of people meandering around as I enter the gate. Damyang is a managed forest; it is divided into two sections, a more formal landscaped area with sculptures and hanoks (where I have arrived), and the bamboo section with prescribed walkways through it. All of it however is calming and restful to walk through and experience.

Having learned my lesson on my last bamboo outing, I make sure I am wrapped up well as I enter the forest proper and am also lucky to find two other warming options in amongst the trees – a bamboo latte (akin to green tea really) and a hot foot bath!

I will say I went total tourist here. I hung around the footbath for about five minutes trying to work up the courage to walk up to it, and also to see the proper etiquette regarding removing footwear and use of the baths, before simply going up to one of the ajummas and pointing to what I wanted to do. I really couldn’t work out what to ask for; it’s not the same as asking for a ticket for example.

Still, it got the job done. A swipe of my credit card (about $3), some hot water and a squirt of oil added to my tub, and in my feet go for 15 minutes.

I noticed that we were allowed to top up our own water when it started to cool (I like HOT water), which it did pretty quickly given we were outside in the autumn weather. It was a lovely surreal experience to be perched on a bench with a bunch of chattering Koreans around me, my bare feet soaking in a barrel of hot water, wrapped in my down jacket on a cool day, in the middle of a bamboo forest on a road trip through Korea. And let me tell you, when my socks and shoes went back on, my feet felt totally refreshed. It felt as though I had turned in my old set and claimed a new pair.    

The trees themselves were lovely to wander through; they provided the feeling of being enclosed and solitary in the forest and helped me empty my mind of all thought, let me breathe deeply, and just…be.

I tried out the various bamboo benches, took a short nap on a bamboo platform, and met some pandas.

When I had had my fill, I strolled back to the more formal section of the park, and simply appreciated being out in the open and basked in the sun.

Feeling thoroughly relaxed and refreshed, I felt ready for something a little more strenuous and so headed for the car, road, and Naejangsan National Park.

And here is where the flow for the day gets altered. The area I had picked to go hiking this afternoon was a little bit ‘blurry’ in terms of planning. By that, I mean I knew where I was headed for, the trail I planned to take, but not 100% how to get to it in terms of entrance and parking. It was one of those head there and find out.

And what I found was chaos.

I have no idea what was going on, but there were cars, buses, taxis and pedestrians EVERYWHERE as I tried to drive towards the park entrance. Driving down the main street, I had multiple men practically jump in front of the car waving their arms to try and entice me to park outside their restaurants and come to eat. Slightly frightful about leaving a trail of dead bodies in my wake, I creep ever onwards to my destination, only to be stopped before I can reach the park as the road appears to have been closed off and people were being forced to divert and park elsewhere.

Well, I had enough by this point. I was feeling fairly stressed out navigating such a crazy mess and so took the easiest option for the sake of my sanity, I turned around and left.       

Yup, just like that.

I got myself back on the main road and simply kept driving with the well-reasoned thought that at some point I would come across some other entrance or hiking trail for the national park, and that’s exactly what happened.

About 20 minutes further down the road, I actually came across the main headquarters for the park, pulled in, and went to check what the hiking looked like from here.

Aww, bugger it.

I seem to have delivered myself right to the steepest trail I could possibly find, marked nicely at ‘Expert’ level of hiking. Well, alright then. With my ribs not fully in agreement with me, I go and strap on my pack, sign the hiking register, and off I go.

And feck is it steep.

But it is also nicely lined with hessian path and sensible stairs, which simply means it’s time to put my head down, walk at a set pace, breathe sensibly and get to it. And that’s what I do. All the way up.

I do meet three older gentleman hikers coming down, one of which who stops and asks/comments with a bit of an encouraging smile ‘himdeureo’ (or thereabouts) which roughly means ‘It’s hard/tough’. I return his smile and agree with him that it is. I start to resume my hike upwards and he stops and calls out to me. I turn back to find he has pulled something out of his pocket and is handing it to me ‘Satang’ he says (a sweet). I smile and thank him for his kindness. And that right there is basically how I became a fan of Kopico coffee sweets, even though I hate coffee (though admittedly the brand he gave me was slightly different, but same taste).

When the trail eventually levels out nearing the peak, I am happy to stop climbing, but happier still to find a lovely ridge walk that allows me to appreciate the views of the surrounding countryside and with lots of pine trees (which I love) to boot.

Bulchulbong peak has the smallest summit stone I have ever seen and it makes me literally laugh out loud. I also do have a brief thought that if this was in Britain, someone would have totally popped it into their pocket and wandered off with it.

This summit is also the first I have had all to myself. I find I am totally alone here for the next 20 minutes or so, enough to take a comfortable seat and relax while eating my lunch. It also gives me time to fully take in the landscape below and realise that right across the road from where I have parked, there appears to be some sort of park or centre that has the most beautiful garden to it, filled to the brim with trees in startlingly bright red autumn foliage.

Well, that’s rather exciting and enticing. And with that, I decide to go visit it once I return to the base.

I trace the same trail back down the mountain. It is pretty uneventful, but I do come across one other hiker who gives me brief pause for thought. He’s a slightly younger chap than most I see hiking, maybe more around my age, and I come across him at the beginning of the final long steep section back to the car.

He is hiking behind me and, always conscious of my slow speed, I stop and step to the side to let him pass. He also stops and we do a little odd exchange of me motioning him to go and him waving me on, before he says ‘Katchi gayo’. Feeling a smidge flustered and not being quick enough in thought, I simply politely say no, thinking he’s saying I can go first, and wave him on. It’s only after he has left and I replay what he has said that I realise what he actually said was basically asking if I wanted to walk down together. Dang it. Now I feel completely rude. Not that I actually wanted to hike down with him, I am enjoying being on my own today, but I think I could have given a better reply.

Another half hour and I stumble upon him again. He’s taken a seat on a stone to the side of the trail and about to have a break. I smile and as I am about to pass him I see him hold out a drink to offer me, which from this distance has all the appearance of a beer (I watch enough Korean drama to recognise their alcohol!). He obviously spots this too because he then says in English, ‘No alcohol’ and laughs.

Now, you know that I am all up for trying to be sociable and like pretty much every opportunity to interact with any Korean I come across, but…no, there’s just something that doesn’t appeal about a solitary chap in the middle of the woods who has both offered to hike with me and offering me a fake beer without actually having said hello or asking me any basic questions or making basic conversation beforehand. Again, I politely decline and thank him for the offer and keep hiking.

I don’t at all feel worried or nervous or anything like that. I am sure he was just being a polite and social person. He didn’t appear odd or weird in any way. I just wasn’t feeling this was an opportunity I wanted to take, and after that I didn’t see him at all until we were both at the base and I was loading my gear back in the car he waved and told me to have a good day. It was just another interesting experience to add on to all the others.       

Well, it seems I still have enough time on my hands to pop across the road and check out the place I had spotted from the mountaintop. It turns out to be an ecological centre of sorts, and the garden area is open to all to wander though, so wander I do.

These are some of the prettiest trees I have seen while here and am glad I to have spotted them and taken the opportunity to come and check them out. It makes me smile to walk amongst these trees and for the first time since I have arrived, I actually kind of wish I had someone to sit here in the park and enjoy the scene with me.

Still, I enjoy it anyway, all by myself. And then suddenly I realise I am glad this is the case, that I am perfectly happy in my own company and am able to fully revel in and be enchanted by all things regardless of whether I am alone or not.

So whether you are reading this by yourself or with someone else, I hope that you take delight in these trees too and I bid you farewell until next time.