Western Jeonbuk: the national parks

NAEJANGSAN NATIONAL PARK (내장산 국립 공원) is one of Korea’s most popular parks, with its ring of peaks flaring up like a gas ring in the autumn. Maple trees are the stars of the show in this annual incandescence, with squads of elm, ash and hornbeam adding their hues to the mix. The many trails and peaks across the park keep hikers happy year-round, though most visitors head to the amphitheatre-shaped mountain circle in the northeast, where the nearby village has plenty of accommodation and places to eat. The area’s topography allows for two hiking routes: a short temple loop around the interior, and a far more punishing circuit around the almost circular ridge.

SEONUNSAN NATIONAL PARK (선운산 국립 공원) has more than a few aces hidden up its leafy sleeves. It offers some of the country’s best rock-climbing and a few enjoyable hikes; these may not be as well signed as others in Korea, but some may find this liberating. A streamside path, lined with stalls selling delicious mountain berry juice in the summer and autumn, heads straight from the main entrance to Seonunsa (선운사), a dusty collection of buildings, stupas and the like that appear to have been thrown together with little care. It’s quite possibly the least satisfying temple complex in the province, and the small hermitages strewn around the park are of more interest.

Once past the temple, you’ll have a diverse range of trails to choose from. Hikers should head for the hills; the peaks are puny by Korean standards, rarely reaching above 400m, but this makes for some easy day-hikes, and you may be rewarded with occasional views of the West Sea. For more hardcore thrills, continue further on the temple path, across the river; hidden a ten-minute hike behind a small restaurant is a spectacular rock-climbing course. This is a tough route and should not be attempted alone or without equipment – see wwww.koreaontherocks.com for climb details, and to contact the few Koreans (and expats) au fait with holds, conglomerates and juggy overhangs. Back towards the entrance, an underused side path heads along the temple wall and up a gorgeous valley lined with rows of tea trees and a few rustic dwellings. You’ll soon come across a small, beautiful farming village, where one house offers minbak accommodation; if you don’t mind sharing a bathroom and sleeping on the floor, it’s the best place to stay in the area.

In addition to the usual mix of peaks and temples found in Korea’s parks, BYEONSANBANDO NATIONAL PARK (변산반도 국립 공원) throws in some wonderful sea views. Best accessed by bus #100 or taxi from the town of Buan (부안), the park is spread around a small, rural peninsula on the west coast from which it takes its name (bando literally means “half-island”). However, it’s in the process of being hauled towards the mainland on its northern side with the aid of a 33km causeway, a development that will yield thousands of hectares of new farmland, but has caused one hell of a stink with Korean environmental groups.