[One Day Walk] Janghwari Sunset Where the Sun Meets the West Sea... Ganghwa Nadeulgil Course 7

Course 7 of Ganghwa Nadeulgil starts from Hwado Public Parking Lot and passes through Seonggonghoe Naeri Cathedral, the entrance to Ilmanbo-gil, the sunset viewpoint, Bukilgok Dondae, the Mudflat Center, and Manisan Youth Training Center before returning to Hwado Public Parking Lot. The nickname of Course 7 is "The Road to See the Sunset." It is a total of 20.8 km long and takes about 6 hours and 40 minutes. As the nickname suggests, the highlight of this course is the sunset viewpoint. The village you encounter along the way is called "Janghwari Nakjo Village," where you can enjoy the spectacular moment when the sun that rose over the East Sea at Jeongdongjin meets the West Sea here, creating a breathtaking view where the sea and the sun meet again.

Starting from Hwado Public Bus Terminal, walking westward, you will come across Seonggonghoe Naeri Cathedral. Seonggonghoe is a denomination of Christianity that originated in England. Since it is near Incheon, Seonggonghoe began active missionary work in 1893, and as a result, Ganghwa Island is considered a region with a relatively high proportion of Seonggonghoe believers compared to other areas in Korea. After the first Ganghwa Seonggonghoe Cathedral was built in 1900, Seonggonghoe churches were established throughout Ganghwa Island, and Naeri Cathedral was completed around that time in 1892.

Walking along Nadeulgil, you will soon enter Sangbongsan Ilmanbo-gil. A lush, deep green tunnel of leaves covers the sky. It is a path where you can enjoy nature while encountering various wildflowers in new and diverse ways. When the green tunnel ends, the sea begins to come into view. Upon reaching the sea, you will find a sign indicating the sunset viewpoint. The sunset over Daeseom Island from Janghwari Sunset Viewpoint is truly spectacular. The sun that rose over the East Sea travels across the Korean Peninsula during the day and meets the West Sea again to rest. This place gained renewed fame recently as the protagonists of the 2022 drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" watched the sunset here. Daeseom Island becomes an island when the tide rises but connects to Ganghwa Island through the mudflats when the tide recedes. The name Daeseom comes from the bamboo that grows there.

The next site is Bukilgok Dondae, one of the fortresses built in 1679 by mobilizing over 8,000 monks from Hamgyeong, Hwanghae, and Gangwon provinces and about 4,300 soldiers from Gyeongsang Province. It was part of Janggolbo along with Migot Dondae, Janggol Dondae, and Geomam Dondae. It has a rectangular structure with a circumference of 122 meters. There are four cannon placements and 32 embrasures installed.

Ganghwa Mudflat Black-faced Spoonbill Breeding Site
[Photo by Cultural Heritage Administration]

Beautiful mudflats spread out around Janghwari and Bukilgok Dondae. However, these mudflats should not be entered carelessly. They are among the few well-preserved mudflats in Korea and have been designated as Natural Monument No. 419 because they serve as an intermediate resting spot for migratory birds, including the globally rare Black-faced Spoonbill, which migrate from cold regions to warmer areas. To protect this area, it is designated as a restricted zone, and entry is only allowed with permission from the Cultural Heritage Administration. Instead, visitors can experience explanations about the definition, types, and importance of mudflats, as well as various migratory birds such as the Black-faced Spoonbill, at the nearby Mudflat Center. After leaving the Mudflat Center, the course ends by passing through Manisan Youth Training Center and returning to the parking lot.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.