Distance: 19.0km (203.1km), time spent: 9:00 (101:02).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 300m / 600m / 744m.
Weather: A tiny veil of clouds in the sky, otherwise nice.
Pushing forward after a good, but warm, sleep on the heated floor of the Gwaebangryeong Sanjang, I enter a section of the trail that is less eventful. It still goes up and down though, but today I will reach what is the lowest pass on the Baekdudaegan. I play some air guitar, wishing I had been here on an evening with live music, then I feel the brush of the trees as I enter the forest once again.
My greeting on the wall inside the Gwaebangryeong Sanjang. Noting that Kellyn and Ben from USA stayed at the place earlier in the year.
The eleven kilometres that forms the ridge between Gwaebangryeong and Chupungryeong does indeed take on the form of a camel's back, the ride just as uneven as the ride on a camel would have been. On the camel, the Baekdudaegan feels most at ease in the forest, with only the humps providing views to the farmland around. The first hump is Gaseongsan (730m), and is coated by the thick fur of the forest. The second hump is Nuruisan (744m) and from that hump, I can look down at Chupungryeong and at the ridges behind. Trying to locate where the Baekdudaegan continues.
A view towards Gimcheon in an opening in the forest.
From Nuruisan the path descends from the camel, goes through cultivated farmland, before it comes to the lowest pass on the trail, Chupungryeong (230m). Chupungryeong is the largest town the Baekdudaegan passes through and according to the guidebook, I have to cross over a railway to get there, and an express train railway crossing as well. Improvements has been made, it seems, the path leads me to an underpass allowing me to walk safely underneath the railway.
Janggunbong, one of the many summits on the Baekdudaegan all covered in trees.
It is something of an odd feeling walking through the streets of Chupungryeong, in this small township I feel a little bit out of place (but not out of time). Even though that from time to time some foreigners pops their heads out from the trail and enters the town, it does not look like they are used to see foreigners here. I spend some time looking at the town, deciding whether to stay or to continue walking.
View from the summit of Gaseongsan.
Looking at Chupungryeong from the summit of Nuruisan. The Baekdudaegan continues past and beyond the water reservoir to the right.
I have decided to move on, there is something in the way the guidebook describes the Jakjeomjae-pass that entices me to go there. I seem to have grown fond of staying at a quiet pass on the Baekdudaegan. But before I go, I have business to do. Being in a town, I relish the chance of eating a proper lunch.
A jangseung used as a signpost at the railway crossing in Chupungryeong.
Finished being so low down on the trail, restocked with food, I leave this part of central Korea behind me. Once again, the forest awaits me. At Geumsan (360m), part of the summit should be situated on an open scar only held together by a green mesh, providing clear views to the north. That section is roped off, I do not walk there (however, if you are interested look at this blogpost to see the view). Nothing more interesting to see on the rest of the walk to the pass of Jakjeomjae. I do not find the short wooden stake on Maebong (498m) that should signify that I have walked 200km on the Baekdudaegan.
Eating lunch in Chupungryeong.
From the streets of Chupungryeong, the biggest town the Baekdudaegan passes through, and is also the lowest pass on the trail.
Jakjeomjae looks exactly like the little quiet place I have envisioned it to be. A nice place to stay, the only scar being the random garbage around the rest area. The inside of the jeongja here is quite basic in shape, with only a flat floor. I decide to pitch my tent on the grassy area behind the pavilion. There is a large group of people at the pass, sitting down eating and drinking soju. Soon I am sitting down eating fried chicken and drinking soju with them. They barely speak any English, but I understand that they also has walked from Chupungryeong.
A winding path through the forest up to the summit of Geumsan, a lonely yellow ribbon fluttering in the wind.
When they leave, many of them driving (not a good thing I think after so much soju), the quiet pass gets proper quiet. I pitch my tent, and then go on a quest for water. What I find is nothing, what I find is water running in a stream, but all of the water are running through garbage. Reluctant to drink of that water. I have some water left and a lot of fried chicken that I got from the group, so I should manage. A quiet and relaxing evening sitting in the jeongja. Quiet until an animal of unknown origin chases a cat over the road and past me into the bushes, more ghosts in the night.
The pass of Jakjeomjae.
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