Day Four
With the temperature dropping a few degrees (to 28 degrees) and some clouds overhead, it's a perfect day to go for a hike. North of Seoul lies Bukhansan National Park, with many beautiful trails and easily reachable by metro/bus.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06044-720.jpg)
The trail follows a little stream for a while and then diverges up the side of the valley towards several gates at the top.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_042942351-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_045257659-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06054-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06057-720.jpg)
At a temple, it was time for "first lunch," croissants with apple, paprika, pickle, surimi crab, cheese, and mayonnaise. It shouldn't work, but it does!
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06064-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_050405477-720.jpg)
The trail only knows two modes, steep ascent or descent; there's almost no flat surface.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06074-720.jpg)
After a while, I reached the first gate; from there, the terrain evens out slightly, and it's not much further to the second gate.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06077-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06087-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06086-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06092-720.jpg)
The first peak is not far away from the second gate, but the climbing gets steep. The view makes it worth it, though!
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06095-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_062615616.MP-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06097-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06100-720.jpg)
You have the sprawling Seoul metro area on three sides, and behind you are mountains and forests almost all the way to the North Korean border.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06102-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06105-720.jpg)
After soaking in the view for a while, it's time to move on. It's creeping towards dusk, and I still have far to go.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_063332636-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06114-720.jpg)
Getting down proved to be a bit more difficult, yes, that's the "trail" on the right, it's just a wall straight up. Not that the left is much better, it's a smooth surface and a fence that hopefully will stay in place.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_064140000-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_064555100-720.jpg)
Pretty cool to experience, though! Heading down, I passed several other peaks (again, the trail is either straight up or steep down, with no flat surface here, either).
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06117-720.jpg)
It's time for second lunch, convenience store Gimbab.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_073020320-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/20220911-06119-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_070050302-720.jpg)
With dusk setting in and rain starting to fall, I managed to get to the bus stop just in time. From here it's a short bus and subway ride back into the city.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_082708733-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_083153814-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/Screenshot_20220913-104424-720.jpg)
Time for a nice dinner. They have this concept of "Chicken and Beer", which I can appreciate.
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_102211267-720.jpg)
![](https://cdn.matsimitsu.dev/trips/korea-2022/day-four/PXL_20220911_104049553-720.jpg)