Banner photo: Taken from the ferry from Chujado. I was hoping that the boat would become aligned with the sun before the sun dipped over the horizon. My luck was in! I am not sure that a telephoto lens would have helped as it would have been difficult to hold it steady while on a moving boat heading into a headwind.

20-21 February 2026

The approximate total ascent is 21.5km with just over 1000m of ascent.

The ferry across was not as modern or as fast as my last visit. It had a shop of instant noodles rather than a Paris Baguette. It took me to Sinyang port rather than Chuja. Do do the forward routes and 18-1 first, I needed to take a bus across t the other main island. As walkers arrive together by ferry, there was a queue to stamp their Olle passports! Once they had cleared and still waiting for the bus, Popped over to add the stamps to my passport, making a mistake in adding the wrong starting stamp to the wrong page.

When a bus finally arrived, I had no idea as to how much to pay and his machine would not accept my card. I offered him 1000 Won and he accepted it. That is 51p! On arriving at Chuja, I had plenty of time with only about 7km walk planned to my overnight camp, so I went in search of food, but everywhere was serving coffee only. How do these businesses survive?! One place that looked promising was not even open! One of my pet hates, ready for Room 101 is cafes that have a sign saying "WE ARE OPEN", when, in fact, they are closed. This is an issue both back home in the UK and here in Korea. Here, they often have the lights on and large TVs turned on to lure you into thinking that they are actually open. ...... And why would a "BRUNCH CAFE" not be open at 11:00 a.m.?

I eventually bought up all three packs of ham, cheese and lettuce sandwiches , a packet of crisps and a can of fizzy orange from the CU store. Then I headed off uphill at the start of Olle 18-1. This takes you past the colourful elementary school.

After passing the shrine to General Choi Young, these other shrine/temple buildings are reached. I cannot find out any information about this site, but my mapping software suggests that it may be called Sangchujajeongmandae.

The route then drops back down to the port, returning very close to the start.

Then the route rises again back up to a large lighthouse building before dropping down to the bridge connecting the two islands. I say bridge, but there are now two bridges, including a new pedestrian bridge, which looks finished but is not yet open, possibly as they are replacing some paving at one end. There is a woodland path that undulates above the road. I wonder how many just walk along the road. This would be quicker and easier, but not so pleasant. After briefly rejoining the road the route goes up through the trees, passing an almost empty reservoir and eventually reaches the summit ridge of Dondaesan. There is the now familiar man in a blue sentry box. I think the highest point is at the other end of the ridge at 164m. The hills often have a custodian in a blue sentry box. This one waved but then looked away as I pointed my camera at him. He passed my way at nightfall. I feared that he would tell me that camping was not allowed and make me break camp. He just mimed using a lighter and crossed his arms. I showed him my salad and sandwiches to try to illustrate that I was not using a stove. Thinking about it afterwards, he was probably telling me no campfires. I have only ever had a campfire while with friends at Sandalwood bay and once while camping in the Lakes while in my teens. I camp on a "no trace" basis.

By the half-way gansa, there were a number of options. I went for the most exposed option on a pagoda perched at the top of a crag. There was also the option of some flat grass or a much larger pagoda. This latter option seemed less adventurous and there are lights that stay on all night, which may have interfered with my sleep.

Below: my food store and the alternative camping pagoda.

I got into my sleeping bag at around 1900 and woke up at around 0430. The wind was getting worse. This would not usually bother me. I can sleep sound enough in a shaking tent and the sound of whistling wind, but I had slept for nine hours, so I got up and packed things away, heading off by torchlight at 5:25. I was very happy about this, as I did not want to have to worry about missing the ferry!

All the photographs below were taken on Olle route 18-2.

I arrived at Chuja port at around 1230, with about four hours before the ferry departed from the other port of Sinyang. It takes about 30 minutes, by bus, to transfer between ports.

I knew that there was a cafe at Sinyang. Again, this turned out to be a beverages only cafe, though the man did give me a tangerine for free. The cafe host took a photograph of the menu and used Google translate. I went for the grapefruitade. It tasted nothing like grapefruit. It was not until the next day that the "penny dropped" and I realised that the translation was grape fruit not grapefruit! The ice cubes were big enough to sink the Titanic! ​

About an hour before the ferry was due, I went to the ferry terminal to buy my ticket. They did not issue a return ticket, presumably due to the number of cancellations due to bad weather. I then went for a walk along the harbour pier, where I way a dolphin, which at one point, tossed a fish before catching it, presumably better aligned for swallowing.

The main sight on the way back is the "Lion Rock" but another island caught my eye. It reminded me of the Sleeping Bishop a.k.a. Sleeping Giant (nis Tuaisceart) off the Dingle Peninsula, Ireland, only he is lying the other way round.