Above: Pacific reef-heron, also known as the eastern reef heron (Egretta sacra)

16-18 February 2026

 Total distance is 47 km. Blue is Olle 15B, Brown is Olle 16 and Green is Olle 17.

Olle 15B

I had a week off for Seollal/Chinese New Year. Happy Year of the Horse!

I spent the first two days of the holiday working. The forecast was not great and I like to do my work before going away, so that I am not thinking about what I need to go back to. I can go walking with a clear conscience. I then started off late morning on the Monday. This was not a problem as Olle 15B is both shorter and easier than most, though I tend to take a lot of bird photographs on this particular trail.

Little grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis), also known as dabchicks

The route continues towards Gwakji beach. This was the first place I visited on arrival on Jeju and I remember the half-decent fish and chips. However, I did not stop on this occasion. I had already eaten at the Malona cafe. The beach has a lot of rules: Do you need to be both camping and cooking for a 1000 000 Won fine? Is just camping only 50 000 Won?

I think that these are probably Japanese Cormorant, Phalacrocorax capillatus, which is a large aquatic bird frequently found along rocky shorelines and inland waters in Korea and Japan. I say this based on the yellow skin patch being pointed, rather than rounded and larger, as with the great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo.

Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola solitarius. I have tried to photograph these several times, but I can never get close enough. There is always either water or rocks to clamber over. I know that by the time I have clambered over the rocks, it will have flown away, so I do not bother! These are my best results to date.

The route continues past various cafes. I had missed the half-way stamp. Usually, you can get it done at the Olle office, but I arrived just after five and she had just closed shop. I went to the cafe across the road for waffles before heading about 500m up the road to set up camp. I pitched the tent on good ground though not very sheltered and very close to the road. This meant that passing cars lit up my tent as they came around the bend in the road. There is a toilet just over the road from the unofficial camping spot.

I was only carrying a 300mm lens, so the night-time shot of my tent was challenging. I was not carrying a tripod.

Walking back along the road, I found a jazz themed cafe for a beer and fries.

Olle 16

I was up and packed at around 0830. I headed back down to the Olle centre for the half-way stamp, but it was closed due to being Seollal. So I doubled back to walk Olle 16. I did not take so many photographs and from those that I took, few are worth sharing. The route is varied and interesting, just not particularly photogenic, especially with the constraints of a 300mm prime lens. At the end, there is a platform that surrounds a tree and the decking would be suitable for a camp, though the nearby toilets were locked. I continued along Olle 17 with the target being Iho beach.

Olle 17

My main justifications for continuing were firstly that it was still early and secondly, it would be mostly downhill to the coast. I also knew that there was some potential for a decent camping spot with toilets, as well as restaurants. I was carrying snacks and had a meal of macaroni cheese, that I did not particularly fancy cold.

You know that you are close to the Iho beach when you see the two lighthorses (not a typo!). In one wooded area, there is another sign with a list of rules that include no camping. I explored across the road next to a creek that stank of rotting seaweed. There was a rotting camping platform and I camped on that. Some of the boards gave a bit but lying down meant that my weight was spread across the boards. Being close to the airport, it was also noisy due to the frequent planes taking off. It was not the best camping spot ever, but there were cafes and restaurants within walking distance.

I needed this after 27km of walking!

I slept well, getting up just the once during the night and went for a pee before taking a little walk round the area. As I walked away from camp spot, there was a team of men heading down to the beach to collect the rubbish and seaweed that had been washed up. Presumably, they do this with each receding tide.

The white bird is a little egret (Egretta garzetta). It looks like it is wearing Marigold gloves on its feet.

There are a number of artworks along the seafront.

I frequently took photographs of the planes taking off and landing, but my best results were only achieved once I had reached the end of the runway and was photographing the side of the aircraft being illuminated by the morning light.

Walking through Jeju City, I spotted this Pacific reef heron, Egretta sacra. Photographing birds in the cities is always easier as they are more used to people. I am rather pleased with these. I could get close enough to have the bird almost fill the frame, so no cropping was required.

It had been my original intention to continue along Olle 18 but I felt tired, so instead, I headed to the ferry terminal to make a reservation for the ferry to Chuja-do on the Friday. The person at the ferry terminal at Pier 2 sent me for a 20 minute walk to the Seaworld Express site at Pier 9. There, the girl on the information desk sent me on the 20 minute walk ack to Pier2! There, I was sent back to Pier 9, where I was sent back to terminal 2, this time taking a taxi! I was really beginning to get frustrated. How difficult can it be to buy a ferry ticket?!!! It is not possible to book online. I think that this is due to the frequent cancellations due to adverse weather. I did finally manage to make a reservation on the Songlim Blue Ocean. Then I headed home for a day's rest and some photo editing. I was up early Friday for the 0800 sailing to Chuja-do