Wild Royal Azaleas Take the Burden Off My Shoulders

On May 5, the back street of the Sejong Cultural Center near Gwanghwamun was crowded as early as seven in the morning with people and buses waiting to go on day trips. Around ten tourist buses heading many different places were parked sideways, but one destination stood out: Mt. Bonghwa. Three buses were heading to this mountain located in the city of Namwon in North Jeolla Province.

Blooming wild azalea blossom was welcoming me, which is why so many people were coming here. But I was more interested in the people on the buses. People on the two buses wanted to hike the trails of azalea blossoms, and the others were going all the way up to the top of Bonghwa mountain, passing the azalea trails, which are part of the Baekdu mountain range. They called their journey “baekmidaegan” or “the finest range.”

The two different groups were wearing different outfits. Hikers were wearing sneakers with casual clothes and were mostly made up of families and those in their 20’s to 40’s and 50’s. But the “baekmidaegan” climbers were all fitted with climbing gear. I went with the first group.

More people got on board at Jamsil Station before the bus reached a highway. We arrived at our first destination: Sanglim. This beautiful 1.5 km long lakeside forest is situated at the foot of Mt. Jiri in Hamyang. Choi Chi-won, who was appointed governor general of Hamyang, ordered people to plant trees to prepare for a flood in the late 9th Century. It is now called “the millennium forest.”

Mt. Bonghwa is half an hour drive from here. The forest trails were a “preview” of the hiking at Bonghwa, and for a reason. It was not just about trees and fresh air, it was also about good food. There is a great “ogokbap” (rice, millet, beans, wheat and barnyard millet” restaurant there. Eating well is as important as taking a trip. And a hiking trip is no different.

The Sanglim forest offered good shadows. Breathing in fresh air of the forest in May, I thought, could not be better. The temperature went up to 27 degrees C. Walking in the forest was like walking on the cloud. Among the thick trees in the forest are little paths and bridges with clear water underneath.

Pavilions are also there for families to rest in. Children appreciated the shade the forest and its trees provide. Sanglim gives this unique feeling to its visitors.

After the walk, we moved to Mt. Bonghwa. People got off the bus at Bokseongijae where a hiking path starts. The bus was waiting at the end of the path. The hikers did not have to go back to where they came from, which will be the case if they had driven their cars. It is not too far from the ridge where azalea blossoms were seen. Wild azaleas grow naturally in the Baekdu range and it took about 20 minutes from the starting point of the trail to reach them.

The path to Bokseongijae was a little rough. Children held hands with their parents and walked carefully, and a few minutes later, they hiked much better. Considering that they only “climb” up and down apartment building stairs, they walked pretty well. When they reached the mid-slope of the mountain, they let out a “yahoo!” I think everyone feels pleasant amid the great scenery.

Wild azalea flowers were also blooming on the way to Bokseongijae. However, they pale in comparison with a wide colony of azalea flowers covering the mountain with red down the ridge. I was truly gratified with what nature provided us.

This beautiful scene was seen above the Baekdu Ridge. It is where the Baekdu range that started from Jiri heads to Mt. Deokyu. The colony is about 400m wide. It is about the height of an adult, so once hikers step into the colony, they walk through a tunnel of wild azalea flowers. The path is, however, so narrow that two people cannot walk alongside each other.

The mountain range is filled with azalea flowers, so the whole range is red. It is more scenic if you look at it 100m up from Chijae to the direction of Kkoburangjae, and the afternoon hours are better than in the morning. The sun shines on the flowers from every direction. For this reason, the travel agency arranged the trip to Sanglim in the morning.

It is time to go down the mountain. The path from Chijae to the parking lot is a wooden staircase. On the left is an azalea-covered ridge all the way down. The city of Namwon planted the flowers. Flowers from small seedlings have started to bloom. A few years from now, I thought, this will also turn into a delightful flower garden. People coming down the stairs must have thought the same: they all had smiles on their faces.

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