Camino Primitivo // day 4 // Oviedo - San Juan de Villapanada

Camino Primitivo / Camino Finisterre day 4.
Distance: 29.5km (80.5km), time spent: 8:44 (24:45).
Weather: Overcast with a light drizzle in between.

After an early morning in the albergue in Oviedo, I am finally officially on the Camino Primitivo, wandering beneath a grey and sad veil. The cathedral appears dark and gloomy when I pass by it in the morning, the streets mournful in the tiny rain. A plaque in the paved street displays where the Camino Primitivo and the Camino del Norte goes in their separate ways and explains that it was from the El Salvador basilica that the Asturian king Alfonso II began his first pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela to honour the grave of St. James.

"En los comienzos del siglo IX, desde ésta su basílica de El Salvador, inició el monarca astur Alfonso II el Casto la primera de las peregrinaciones a Compostela para venerar la tumba de Santiago el Mayor y fundar allí, en su honor, la primera basílica."

Waymarks in a park outside Oviedo, grey clouds drifts through the landscape and there is a light rain in the air in the morning.

The absence of the sun marks the day, a grey melancholic veil lies over the landscape, light raindrops fills the air. When the route leaves the outskirts of Oviedo, and you enter into more rural surroundings again, what is essentially a sad weather is however creating a peaceful atmosphere and mood. The yellow arrows leads me up and down hills past small and pleasant villages. The views are limited, but it is still a beautiful scenery to walk in. I almost get the feeling of walking in a remote landscape, and I love remote landscapes.

Low clouds where the trail passes by small acres after San Lazaro Paniceres.

Inside Capilla del Carmen, work is being done to fix the damages after the vandalizing of the small chapel.

In the small Capilla del Carmen, it was possible to get a stamp for my pilgrim's passport in the porch, but there was no stamp to be found. A look into the chapel reveals the cause; someone has vandalized the chapel and work being done to fix the damages. The saddest sight of the day, vandalism has always been completely incomprehensible to me.

After Venta del Escamplero, the Camino goes through a lovely and melancholic scenery in the grey weather.

Fortunately, the continuing walk is still nice. I stop for a coke at a bar in small La Bolguina. Whereupon the route alternates between walking alongside a road and secluded sidetracks through woods and misty landscapes. Venta del Escamplero is the first place where there is a pilgrim albergue after Oviedo; the albergue is built in the same style as the one in Sebrayo. Otherwise, everything else seems closed at the place. I pass by and is begin passed by other pilgrims, often the same ones, faces that I will see again often in the oncoming days.

Molino de Picarin, an old mill that lies just a little outside of the route before you come to Premoño.

At the bar in Valduno (where I suspect the owner of the place to have rerouted the camino to go past it) a group of pilgrims is gathered. A common sight, you can walk for a long time without seeing anyone, then you come to a bar and there you meet a large ensemble of them, both familiar and unfamiliar. Valduno marks the first meeting with Xavi, Ruben, Elisabeth, Elke (on her ninth camino), Vicente and others. Fabrice is also there (he was one of the few other pilgrims in Pola de Siero).

Walk through forest and fruit gardens just before Valduno.

From Valduno the most prominent part of the route is the cliffs you walk through at Peñaflor, the route being guided by a river towards a bridge you cross over just before the small place. The cliffs throws you out on a long open field before you come to Grado. There is no food available in San Juan de Villapanada, so those who wishes to stay the night there has to carry food with them from Grado. I partner up with Xavi and Ruben for dinner and walks the last four kilometres together with them

At Peñaflor, buildings almost constructed into the mountainsides.

I went almost the whole day with little belief of getting a bed at San Juan de Villapanada, there are only 22 beds there and true to tradition I know that many starts walking a lot earlier than I do. Fortunately, I know there is another albergue not so very far away (Albergue Cabruñana). I arrive at the albergue, after a nice small climb up from Grado, somewhat surprised to see that it is not completely full at the place. The albergue is not open yet however; outside several pilgrims are sitting and waiting. I am just as surprised to see that both Axel and Elke is there as well. I thought Axel was still in Oviedo and Elke told me she would only go to Grado when we took a break at a bar at the bride in Peñaflor.

View down towards Grado from the albergue in San Juan de Villapanada.

The albergue is situated in a wonderful place, with a great view over the valley and Grado below. In my backpack, I carried a few beers for the evening, something that turned out to be an unneccesary burden; there is beer in the refrigerator for a euro apiece. The albergue is being full, two Spanish brothers and a woman from Austria has to sleep on mattresses in the dining room. And the hospitalero, Domingo Ugarte, has to turn away several pilgrims arriving later (among others the Brazilian family). However, they did not have to walk, he drove them to Cabruñana. Xavi and Ruben are making the dinner, chicken with rice and salad, I make the dishes afterwards.

The very nice albergue in San Juan de Villapanada. People relaxing outside and waiting for it to open. Fabrice waving satisfied.

It was little in the morning hours that indicated that it should become such a great day as it turned out to be, but in the weather that was it became a lovely and somewhat melancholic walk. The evening at the albergue was excellent and I had a great time there. The list of pilgrims whose faces I will see repeatedly in the next days are beginning to become long. Axel, Pol, Fabrice, Pablo, Rocio, Xavi, Ruben, Vicente, Elke, Elisabeth, Valery, Marine, Rafa, Raul and others that I do not know or remember the name of (they have to excuse me for that).

Dinner with Xavi and Ruben.

<- OviedoBodenaya ->

Camino Primitivo // day 3 // Pola de Siero - Oviedo

Camino Primitivo / Camino Finisterre day 3.
Distance: 16.5km (51.0km), time spent: 5:30 (16:11).
Weather: Clody, then sunny and very hot.

Latest going to bed, latest up in the morning. When I arise from the plastic mattress, everyone else has already left; the clock is past eight when I start walking towards Oviedo. This day has already been declared as a walk with nothing special on offer on the way by the guidebook. As usual on the caminos, the last part of the walk into the larger cities use to be boring, this would hold true for this day as well.

The Way between Pola de Siero and El Berron.

Even so, I do feel satisfied where I walk from Pola di Siero in the morning. There is nothing special on the route in the beginning, and there are not any great views to see either, but I am strangely unaffected by it. Just happy to be following the yellow arrows again, it is a simple life.

El Berron. Clouds are rolling over the hills in the background.

For a year ago, I did not drink coffee; now I could not wait to get to the first bar for my first cafe con leche of the day (blame it on the Koreans). After three kilometres, I get what I want, in El Berron, where I bear witness to a sort of a relationship drama (I believe). In the end, it becomes too much of manly sensitivity, so I pay my bill and continue walking.

In Carbajal, this twisted and somewhat grotesque tree was rising from some worn buildings.

The difference from the Camino Frances is significant. I meet no other pilgrims on the way, and the others I shared the albergue with should be some way ahead of me. Even so, I would not be surprised to see the numbers of pilgrims increase a lot when I come to Oviedo.

The entrance to the chapel in Palacio de Meres, La Capilla de Santa Ana, almost hidden behind the trees.

In Palacio de Meres there is a nice chapel, La Capilla de Santa Ana, where the entrance is almost hidden behind the trees. The palace situated in Meres, bears its origins from the 15th-century even though the current buildings are from the 17th-century. Just barely does the chapel rise above the trees that surrounds the palace.

Inside La Capilla de Santa Ana in Meres.

I stop for lunch in Colloto, which has a nice Romanesque bridge you crosses over at the entrance to the town. After Colloto, you disappear into the charmless world of going alongside a highway. After a while, the waymarkers also disappears and I have to constantly stop and wonder whether I am on the right way. Which I am, it follows the road in a straight line into Oviedo. Finally, I am coming to a familiar place, I recognize the buildings from the short time I had in Oviedo on my travel to Villaviciosa.

Romanesque bridge at the entrance to Colloto.

I make the cathedral in Oviedo mark the end of the walk for today. It is a fitting place to finish your day at, where many a pilgrim will begin their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. And since I am already here, I just as well might visit the cathedral at once. They do know how to build cathedrals here in Spain, though this does not quite compare to the ones in Burgos, Leon or Santiago; but it is wonderful. I get to see the blood stained shroud that apparently was wrapped around the head of Jesus, but I found out that first afterwards. Then I go to find the albergue, but finds Axel instead. He will have a zero day here and got a room in a small hostel.

Gothic arches at the entrance to the cathedral in Oviedo.

According to my book, the albergue does not open until five o'clock, but I go looking for it anyway. Outside, there is a note explaining that it is closed for good, but that they have moved to newer premises not so far away. There the door also is locked. Therefore, I take my backpack and go to explore Oviedo some more, after a cold beer and some food. I have already seen a lot of pilgrims walking around. Later it turns out that the albergue was open (it opens at one o'clock); on the wall there was a small and rather unnoticeable switch that acted as a doorbell (no signs). I have no trouble getting a place, but the 51 beds in the albergue are filling up. 80% of them are going the Camino Primitivo. I can look forward to more crowded days from now on.

Inside the Oviedo Cathedral.

Oviedo is a lovely and nice city, and has more than enough on offer if one should spend more days here. Still, the road must go on (tomorrow though). I eat dinner at one of the city's numerous sidrerias, where they serve the traditional alcoholic apple cider. This cider is being poured into the glass from an arm's length, so that the air is taken out of the cider, a good part of the cider is also disappearing onto the ground. I buy myself a bottle (600ml) to my food, unsure of how wise that decision really is.

The Lady and the Oviedo Cathedral. The cathedral is the official starting point of the Camino Primitivo.

Back on the albergue before the doors closes (no keys extradited here) I spend some time talking to some fellow pilgrims, Pol that will walk the primitivo as I am and a girl doing the del Norte (from Oviedo there is a link to Aviles that you can use to return to the northern camino again). At the kitchen, there is a family from Brazil. Outside it is getting dark; it is quiet in the rooms. Tomorrow it will be less quiet on the camino than it was today.

The classical way of pouring cider in Oviedo, on an arm's length. The air disappears and something of the cider as well.

<- Pola de SieroSan Juan de Villapanada ->

Camino Primitivo // day 2 // Villaviciosa - Pola de Siero

Camino Primitivo / Camino Finisterre day 2.
Distance: 28.1km (34.5km), time spent: 8:06 (10:41).
Weather: Sunny and a clear sky.

I slept like a rock in the night, but forces myself eagerly up early in the morning. After a breakfast in the only café I could find that was open, I am on my way around 7:13 in the morning. Already, I have heard the unmistakably sound of walking poles against paved road. It is a clear sky above me when I leave Villaviciosa, but since it is still early in the morning, the sun has not begun to warm yet.

Farmers herding a small flock of cows through the streets in Amandi just outside Villaviciosa early in the morning.

Pleasant culture landscape between Villaviciosa and Valdedios, verdant hills and meadows.

As soon as the yellow arrows has guided me out of the town, the path goes through a rolling and verdant landscape where I pass several small (very small really) places. Just before I come to Casquita, where the caminos separates and one way goes towards Gijon continuing on the del Norte and the other goes to Oviedo and my primitive way, I meet Axel from Germany. He has walked from Irun alongside the coast, but are now heading inland on the same way as I am. We walk together towards Valdedios.

Cultural landscape in Asturias.

The small oratory of San Salvador at the monastery of Santa Maria de Valdedios.

In the horizon, there are green and rolling hills, flanked by a cultural landscape. We are for a short while overtaken by a man from the Czech Republic who had gone bankrupt and lost everything he owned, and after that, he had just as well started walking from Prague. Along the way, he had spent the nights in his tent and whatever he could find of places, as well as the occasional horreo (small houses used to dry corn and grains that also keeps out the vermin). Now he had received a 'job opportunity' as he called it, putting up way markers on the Jerusalem way (the pilgrim route to that city). The conditions in Syria forces pilgrims to walk through Jordan. He has still a long way to go, after he stopped for a smoke next to a horreo I never saw him again.

Waymarks and an old horreo in Villarica on the way up from Valdedios towards Alto de la Campa.

View down towards Valdedios and the monastery from the route up to Alto de la Campa.

It is a lovely walk and day. At Castro, I choose to follow Axel down towards Valdedios instead of walking the high-level variant over Arbazal that I originally had intended. I do not regret it, the route down in the valley are pleasant, though I did walk and wondered how the views would have been from up there. The monastery in Valdedios, Santa Maria de Valdedios, greets us with closed doors. Too early are we there. We take a break outside the doors to the church. Axel continues further, while I am sitting behind and enjoying the nice weather. In the ascent up towards Alto de la Campa, I am compensated for not going over Arbazal by some great views. Far below, I can see the buildings of the monastery between the trees in the forest. At Alto de la Campa there are only memories left of the bar and the petrol station where you could get some food and refreshments.

Break at the bar in La Carcava, with a cerveza con limon. I have started getting my first stamps in my pilgrim's passport. The Cicerone guidebook tells me what awaits me around the next corner.

After the descent from the pass, with good views towards the south, the route goes in and out of more boring sections. I stop for a lemonbeer (cerveza con limon, great in the summer heat) at a bar in La Carcava, before I have lunch in La Vega de Sariego, where Axel just has finished his lunch. The heat is giving more of a bite now, especially along the parts going alongside the roads. After El Castru, the camino leaves the road and enters more pleasant gravel roads that changes between going through woods and cultural landscapes. A little away from the camino a mountain is on its way to become dismantled. The last section towards Pola de Siero is a peaceful walk through forest.

Here the nature is in the process of taking back a horreo.

In the albergue in Pola de Siero, which is clean and pleasant, we are only five pilgrims. I spend some time looking at the town after having finished with the usual routines, like washing my clothes. The town is both bigger and nicer that I had assumed. Both Axel and the others disappears around dinnertime however, so I have to find a place to eat by myself. I had earlier found a place that had the usual menu del peregrino (the pilgrims menu), but the place appear to be closed when I arrive. Instead, I use a long time finding a place, which I always do when I am alone in a bigger place, in the end I find a place where I get a good solomillo de ternera (beef tenderloin). When I come back to the albergue both the gates and doors are locked, fortunately I got the key to them. Inside the people has gone to bed, while lights from the smartphones glows in the dark.

After a long walk on paved roads, it was nice to walk on a more pleasant gravel path after El Castru.

The first proper day on my walk carried promises of a great camino. From Villaviciosa there was a lovely walk with nice views on a mix of gravel paths and paved roads, even though some parts was a little boring. The best section of the route was in the beginning from Amandi outside Villaviciosa to Alto de la Campa.

Pola de Siero. Quiet in the afternoon, before the people filled up the streets in the evening.

<- VillaviciosaOviedo ->

Camino Primitivo // day 1 // Sebrayo - Villaviciosa

Camino Primitivo / Camino Finisterre day 1.
Distance: 6.4km (6.4km), time spent: 2:35 (2:35).
Weather: Overcast, but hot.

I am located at a tiny place called Sebrayo, if it can be called a place at all, about 6km before the small town I am going to spend the night in, Villaviciosa. To get here, I have taken a plane to Bilbao, bus to Oviedo and Villaviciosa, and then taxi here. I can feel that my heart beats at a slighter faster pace this time; I am back on the camino. Ahead of me lies the Camino Primitivo. As the Camino Frances was the origin of my long walks, the Camino Primitivo is the first and oldest pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela (officially, it begins in Oviedo). This is where it all began. From here, it as about 300km to Santiago de Compostela, on a trail that is supposed to be more demanding than the French way. Buen Camino!

From Bilbao. The flower dog outside the Guggenheim museum.

In the albergue in Sebrayo, a small one where you have to carry with you the food you need, there are some pilgrims that have finished walking for the day. They tell me that it is relatively few people out walking on the camino, we are here talking about Camino del Norte (Sebrayo is situated on this pilgrim route and not on the primitivo, the paths splits after Villaviciosa), in opposition to what I heard in Bilbao (there they was having trouble finding place to all the pilgrims). I get my first official stamp (sello) in my pilgrim's passport and start walking.

From Bilbao. The spider outside Guggenheim. I spent a long time in the museum, which curated works by Jeff Koons and Basquiat.

From Bilbao. Paintings under a bridge.

From Sebrayo to Villaviciosa the route mainly goes on rural gravel roads and is in no way a special affair, but my exaltation of being back on the camino more than enough weighs up for that. In my eagerness to get going I forgot to bring water, even though it is overcast it is hot. The camino however are ensuring that I am not suffering, in Tornon I pass such a place that I remember so well from my previous camino. A garage that has been rebuilt as a resting place for pilgrims, El Peregrin Cansau, where there are places to sit down at and a vending machine where I can buy water and other stuff from. There are greetings scribbled on a wall from former pilgrims.

Sebrayo. I start my second camino, Camino Primitivo, from the albergue in Sebrayo. Which looked like a nice and small albergue that I easily could have spent the night in.

El Peregrin Cansau. In Tornon, I pass this resting place for pilgrims along the Camino del Norte. I had forgotten to bring water, so this was highly appreciated.

Though the way now has steered inlands, the route are providing me with some views of the sea today, where the blue water of the Bay of Biscay are making waves in the horizon. The path crosses the highway towards Oviedo three times, something that breaks up the rural feeling a little bit. I do not meet any others on the route, except three bikers, most of the pilgrims have usually arrived at their destinations by this time. It feels good to have get going, even though it is not much of a distance I will walk today.

View towards the Bay of Biscay from the route.

Seeing the yellow arrows and scallops-markers again made me happy, here they are showing the way onwards after having crossed a road.

There was supposedly no pilgrim albergue in Villaviciosa, so I had booked a place at a hostel, Hostal Cafe del Sol, though it turns out that there is an albergue here after all. However, the hostel I am staying in is quite charming, though both the bed and floorboards are creaking somewhat, so I am satisfied. Villaviciosa is said to be the apple capital in Spain, something that explains the numerous apple-markers I find around the town. I eat dinner at a local restaurant and spend some time talking to the pilgrims that goes the north way (no one I meet are going in the same direction as me).

View from a small marshland from a bird observatory just outside Villaviciosa. It was almost dry.

Villaviciosa. A park with a small dam in the middle of the town.

This day was mostly characterized by travelling, with a long bus ride from Bilbao to Oviedo and a shorter one from there to here. The bus from Bilbao was however in one of Alsa's Supra-buses, something that meant I was served some food and drinks, an unexpected luxury on a bus ride. I walked with a smile on my mouth on my first day on the Camino Primitivo, though I feel that it is firstly tomorrow that I really begin the camino.

Villaviciosa. I had dinner at the restaurant to the left in the picture.

 Pola de Siero ->

Baekdudaegan: Useful information

I have here tried to provide some useful information about the Baekdudaegan trail, if you are interested in travelling to South-Korea to walk the trail, either part of it or whole. I will also try to update this page if I should remember more useful tips that it is nice to know about. Otherwise, if there is anything else you are wondering about, use the comments field and I will try to answer as good as I can.

When
The ideal times to hike the Baekdudaegan is mainly governed by the weather gods. In South-Korea there is often a lot of rain in the middle of the summer season, and at its peak in July. This makes the periods before and after the summer the most suitable to walk in. We are here talking about from the middle of May and from the end of August. That being said, you should not be hindered from walking in the summer months, you only have to take in account that you will probably encounter more bad weather underway.

The torn rocky formations of Seoraksan National Park, which probably was my favorite of the national parks I walked through on my hike.

It is not advised to walk the trail in the winter, and probably not doable in its entirety either. Then it will be extremely difficult at times to find the path, combined with the fact that many sections will be very dangerous when they are covered in snow and ice. The trails through the large national parks will also be closed in the late winter to early spring, usually from the second week in February to the first week in May. Deviations from these dates may occur.

A reason to walk in the springtime is to experience the blossoming of the flowers, plants and trees in the mountains, it is said to be especially beautiful when the azaleas are blossoming. There are large festivals in the mountains when this occurs, with the mountains all colored in pink. Sobaeksan and Seoraksan are among the places to be located in then. A reason to walk in the autumn is to experience the autumnal colors, when the leaves changes colors to vermilion fires.

Accommodation
Bringing a tent is not a necessity, but on some stages you will then have to estimate more time in finding places to spend the night at. You will then often have to hike down from the ridge to find places to stay at. Carrying a tent gives you larger flexibility. However, be aware that it is not permitted to camp in the national parks. Inside the parks you have to sleep in the cabins run by the Korea National Park Service. The stay has to be booked in advance, and before 10 o'clock in the morning on the same day. A stay at a cabin will usually cost between 5000 and 11000 won. You pay for a small place in a dormitory and you have to bring with you all you need to sleep in and what you need to cook food with, and food. Though, blankets can be rented and there are usually a small kiosk at the cabins, but the assortment of food items on sale are not very big.

Outside the national parks you will have more alternatives to choose from. Where staying the night in a minbak (homestay) is the most common and available, these are simple rooms being rented out. Often attached to a restaurant. Some of these may also prepare dinner and breakfast upon request. If you want to experience some genuine and real Korean culture, a stay in a minbak is highly recommended on the way, it is an excellent way to encounter the Korean hospitability. Other accommodation options includes motels (yeogwan), sanjangs (mountain villas, a more comfortable style of minbak) and pensions; but these are there fewer of directly on the trail.

Accommodation. A jeongja, an ornamented pavilion that is is possible to stay the night in, if the jeongja is located inside a village it is customary to ask the village inhabitants for permission to sleep in it. The jeongja at the picture is found at the pass of Hwaryeongjae.

Of the more special accommodation options, the ornamented pavilions, a so-called jeongja, should be mentioned. It is allowed to stay the night in these, after the 'regular' guests has left them for the night or evening. For a jeongja that is located inside a village it is customary to ask permission to stay the night at (from the village inhabitants). To sleep in a pavilion could be a special experience. Baekdudaegan provides several opportunites to do so. Another special option is to sleep in one of the temples that dot the trail, namely a temple stay, but this must be booked in advance (though you could be lucky).

Even though a tent provides a better flexibility, you have to be prepared that there won't be water available everywhere.

Food and provisioning
About whichever way you plan your route, about three days will be the longest amount of days you need to carry food with you for. And even within these days it will always be possible to leave the ridge for a nearby village where you can resupply.

Food and provisioning. Inside Daetjae Hyugeso. A hyugeso is a usually a cafe or restaurant located near a road where you can order food, and also has a variety of food items for sale.

Water
The water in the mountains of South-Korea are usually clean and unproblematic to drink. Water from sources that are closer to the civilization should be treated more carefully. The availability of water sources depends on what time of year you walk in, autumn is refered to as the dry season and the sources may often be dry or contain little water. Roger Shepherd's and Andrew Douch's guidebook (more about it later) contains gps coordinates for the water sources along the trail. The water sources are also marked on the maps you can get in South-Korea.

The largest distance on the trail where there are not any water sources are between Wonbangjae (on the stage between Daetjae and Baekbokryeong) and just before Daegwanryeong, about 50km. That being said, it might be possible to acquire some water from the rustic restaurant at Baekbokryeong if it is open (otherwise there is about 2.5km down to Baekbokryeong Swimteo from the pass). And at Dangmokryeong it is possible to ask for water (mul) at the farms that is located near the pass.

It is also wise to pay attention when you are filling water from creeks in the mountains, there are potentially lethal snakes in South-Korea and they are often found nearby water. I saw several snakes when I filled water.

Water. Access to water is essential on a long distance trail. It could be problematic sometimes to find water, especially in the dry months in the autumn. Here from a water source nearby Daegwanryeong.

Difficulty
The mountains in South-Korea are not the tallest ones in the world, and you are already on the highest point on the mainland when you are at the beginning of the trail, Cheonwangbong at 1915m. What the mountains are however, are exceedingly steep at times. And the trail gives no quarter, it usually charges the peaks straight on. Only exceptionally does the path goes on somewhat level ground.

There are several sections on the trail that requires some scrambling, where there will be ropes (of unknown origin) on the most exposed parts. In addition, staircases are also found, making it easier for hikers to climb up and down the most steep and inaccessible paths, these staircases and boardwalks also functions as protection for the path against erosion, tear and wear.

Difficulty. The trail contains several sections where you have to pass obstacles either with the aid of ropes or scrambling / easy climbing. The picture is from a passage between Chagatjae and Beoljae in Woraksan National Park.

The most demanding sections on the Baekdudaegan are probably the descent from Daeyasan in Songnisan National Park, the passage through Gaegumeongbawi after Munjandae (also in Songnisan), the descent from Jeombongsan to Hangyeryeong (in Seoraksan) and the funky ridge over Mungyeong Saejae. Down from Daeyasan the trail goes very steep down one side of the peak with the aid of several ropes, concentration is required (if you choose to do the section, this part is in a closed section). Through Gaegumeongbawi (also in a closed section) the trail is offering both physical and navigational challenges, the same goes for the descent from Jeombongsan (also in a closed section). Over Mungyeong Saejae there are several parts where a fall could be fatal.

Maps and guidebooks
You can get maps of the whole trail in Seoul, I bought one set consisting of 24 maps. One of these maps does not weight a lot, but packed together they take up some space. The biggest problem with the maps are that all the names on the map are in Hangeul, the Korean written language. The trail is clear and evident on the maps, with arrows pointing where the direction is if you are going from south to north. In addition, it also contains time estimates between two points on the route. Water sources are marked on the map as blue circles with a star inside. The map also includes symbols for peaks, staircases, cliffs, helipads, altars, resting places (jeongjas, eateries), signposts, viewing points, tombs and more. Looking at all the height lines on the map, you get a good impression of how undulating Korea is.

Roger Shepherd and Andrew Douch has written a very good guidebook for the trail, it can be bought from Hike Korea. The book contains a big section of practical information, together with a detailed description of the trail stage by stage. The descriptions of the stages contains height profiles for the stage, time estimates between milestones on the way (these match the times on the maps), information about accommodation, places to eat, water sources and available transport underways. All the names of the places, peaks, passes and so forth are given by both western and hangeul characters, this is useful since you can compare the names with those on maps and know where you are. The biggest problem with the guidebook is that it is a little bit heavy. This can be solved by reading thoroughly the practical information in advance, eventually take a picture of the pages, and then tear out the descriptions of the stages and only carry them with you (this could maybe feel a little bit like a sacrilege to do). Then you can also leave behind you the descriptions of the stage that you have completed.

Updates to the book and the trail are available at the following page: http://www.koreantrails.org/bddg-updates-changes. This page also contains an overview when the trails are being closed during winter.

Maps and guidebooks. A part of the map of Baekdudaegan. The trail is visible as a red line with white borders. The arrows displays the direction from south to north. The time estimates are between the green points. Do not become insulted of the symbols for temples, that symbol has another meaning in Korea (its original).

Navigation
The Baekdudaegan trail is usually easy to follow, the trail will usually be located on the highest ridge you walk on and it will only rarely break off from the main ridge and cross to another ridge. Still be warned that it does so a couple of few places. The trail never crosses water, since you walk on what is essentially the watershed of Korea. If you come to a junction that is not marked in any away, Baekdudaegan will be the path that goes up to the highest hill nearby in the same direction you came down from. What is making it difficult is that the path often goes down among the trees and that you not always will be able to see the surrounding area.

The trail is not marked in the usual way, as you may be used to by official blazes or signs (like the red and white stripes of the GR trails). In the national parks there will be no markers / blazes on the trail, but there the path will usually be very clear and just as often surrounded by a fence, and signposts at each junction. There is very little chance of going in the wrong direction in the national parks.

Navigation. Hiking ribbons that are tied to trees and bushes are useful navigational aids along the trail. These are put there by hikers having walked there before you. From the summit of Hyeongjebong.

Outside the national parks you will also find several signposts, but not as often as inside them. What is however the greatest aid in navigation here, is the hiking ribbons that former hikers has left behind them. These marks the trails and are often adorned with personal messages and information in addition. It is important to learn how to separate between the different ribbons, since Baekdudaegan is not the only trail in the country. The easiest is to look for the hangeul characters for Baekdudaegan: 백두대간. A little word of warning though, do not follow the ribbons without paying attention the where you are and go. Some hikers may be too eager to hang up ribbons, and also hang up ribbons marked with Baekdudaegan on the sidetrails that leads up to the Baekdudaegan. If you are situated on the highest point and there is a path continuing further, and in the same place there are some ribbons leading down from the path, check your map and the description in the guidebook, also check if there are some ribbons marked with 백두대간 on the trail that follows the path further and not downwards.

It is not allowed to put up ribbons in the national parks, and henceforth there will be less ribbons there as well as in the closed sections.

Navigation. Information board and signpost at the summit of Geumdaebong, with hiking ribbons fluttering where the trail is continuing. The signposts are usually only in Korean (Hangeul), but in the national parks these are also in English.

How to get to the start of the trail (Cheonwangbong)
The guidebook contains several options (three) on how to get to the summit of Cheonwangbong and the beginning of the Baekdudaegan. I chose the one option that was said to be the most practical one, to go from Jungsanri. To get there I took a train from Seoul til Jinju and then a local bus to Jungsanri. The train station in Jinju is situated outside the town, there goes busses to the town, but I took a taxi. You have to buy a ticket before you enter the bus, which can be bought from stall number 4 at the bus station, it is also the same number as the bus. From Jinju there is about 1 hour and 10 minutes to Jungsanri. Jungsanri is located up into the mountains and is also the turning point of the bus, which will drive back to Jinju again from there. The bus station is a large open place. You will find several stores and accommodations in Jungsanri.

From the bus station in Jungsanri there is a little bit of a walk up along the road until you get to another restaurant and minbak, as well as the Jirisan Visitor Centre. You will find the trail leading up to Cheonwangbong after crossing a bridge on the road leading up from the Jirisan Visitor Centre.

Closed sections
One reason that many may not see the Baekdudaegan as a true longdistance-trail, is due to the fact that there are several sections of the trail that are closed. These are closed to preserve the environment, both nature and wildlife inside of the closed areas, and you will be charged a fine if caught walking in one of them. Several of these areas are surveiled by cameras, but there is an ongoing debate whether these are active or not. Ufortunately, some of the most spectacular parts of the Baekdudaegan are located in the closed sections.

Closed sections. Several sections of the Baekdudaegan are closed at the moment due to preservation. I will not directly encourage walking in these. Here from the closed section on the way up to Daeyasan.

The closed sections of the trail will usually be fenced off by varying degrees. Along the roads, these are often blocked by tall fences and cameras, but up in the mountains or in the woods there will be signposts and fences that warns you that the trail ahead is closed. Whether you want to go the closed trails or follow the rules and go around is all up to you, I will not tell you what to do or take any responsibility for what you choose to do. The closed sections are also not so good marked. Some of the barriers are also cumbersome obstacles to pass.

The guidebook by Roger Shepherd and Andrew Douch contains descriptions of where the trail is closed and alternative routes and ways to continue your hike.

Other useful things
Communication will probably be the biggest obstacle for many, but know that the Koreans are extremely friendly and hospitable. They will always try to help you in a way and seems to have an understanding that their language is difficult for people from the west. Be nice, glad and grateful and you will get a lot of smiles in return. Remember that kam-sha-ham-nida is the Korean word for thanks and cho-song-ham-nida is sorry. To greet a person you say annyong hoseyo.

Korean hospitability. At the summit of Samdobong, I encountered this very nice group. They offered me food and drinks and made the ending of a very hard (but nice) day almost perfect. The Koreans are very curious, hospitable and generous.

If you plan to hitchhike in Korea, a good advice is to make a bow when you do it.

And as a final little thing to remember, there are potentially lethal snakes in Korea, so be cautious where you put your feet and hands when you walk and climbs.

Blogs and links about Baekdudaegan
There is not very many blogs and information in English about Baekdudaegan, I have here collected a couple of links til blogs and pages about the spiritual backbone of Korea:

About Baekdudaegan:
Hike Korea
One Korea Photography
Korea's Baekdudaegan
David Mason's San-shin Website
Korean Trails: Baekdudaegan
Article in The Guardian
Article in The New York Times
Article in Seoul Tribune

Blogs or pictures by people that have hiked the whole or parts of the trail:
Roger Shepherd and Andrew Douch blog from their expedition
Baekdudaegan 2015 (Marilyne and Brandon)
Baekdudaejang
Breathing the Daegan
Chriz and Liz hiking the Baekdudaegan
Change of plans: Greg Meredith and Rebecca Walker
Yuletyde
Jiri Nehyba Hiking Baekdudaegan 1 (pictures)
Jiri Nehyba Hiking Baekdudaegan 2 (pictures)
Jiri Nehyba Hiking Baekdudaegan 3 (pictures)

A Facebook-group for Baekdudaegan:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/37958349773/

Baekdudaegan @ 12:00

Baekdudaegan @ 12:00 from Tarjei Skrede on Vimeo.

Each day at 12:00 while walking the Baekdudaegan trail I took a picture of myself.
This is the result.