29 January 2025
This was the first of a three day trip based at a guesthouse in Seongsan. I was walking with a tripod and three day's worth of clothing. The taxi ride from my apartment was about 1h 15 minutes and this was the furthest I had adventured after my arrival in August 2024. The driver dropped me off right at the Olle pony stamping station at the start. Unusually, the information centre was several hundred metres up a lane. As this was the Seollal holiday (Lunar New Year), the information centre was closed. Beyond this, the trail heads up right up Malmi Oreum. This turned out to be the best part of the trail, rising pleasantly though forest and reaching the top gave splendid views of Seongsan Ilchubong, otherwise known as Sunrise Peak.
The route continues over a second peak before descending to a village where there were several cafes. I was trying to decide if one of them was open when a young man opened the door and waved me in. Taking a lot at the menu via the supplied tablet, There seemed one obvious choice among the soups. The menu said "Eggs in Hell" - A bit similar to Shakshuka but with some extra ingredients, including pork. It also came with some complimentary grapes.
I would not usually stop so early in a walk, but I am glad that I did. The food tasted great and it was very wholesome. My fuel tank was full ready for the rest of the walk including a detour up Sunrise Peak and setting up my tripod for some long exposure photography on Gwangchigi Beach.
Sunrise Peak is not officially included in the trail, possibly as there is a 5000 WON entry fee to what is signed as being the "Mountaineering Trail". This is steep in that it is relatively direct and steep, but consists of steps the entire way. Some younger people who were not laden down with a backpack passed me with ease, a reminder that I am getting old.
You have to remain on the route and you are not allowed to stray or do a circuit of the crater. I find this rather frustrating but I still enjoyed the views and the sense of achievement that climbing even smaller mountains can bring.
You have to remain on the route and you are not allowed to stray or do a circuit of the crater. I find this rather frustrating but I still enjoyed the views and the sense of achievement that climbing even smaller mountains can bring.
I thought about heading for my accommodation and completing the last two kilometres the next day, especially as I would then need to double back from the end of the trail. The weather was fine and I still had some "eggs from hell" left in the tank, so I decided to first visit the Buddhist temple at the foot of the mountain and then push on to the end of the trail.