[One Day 10,000 Steps, One Day 1,000 Characters] Walk to the End of the Land... Korea Dulle-gil 'Haenam Section'

by Lee Kyungho

Published 25 Aug.2023 06:00(KST)

Updated 25 Aug.2023 10:14(KST)

[One Day 10,000 Steps, One Day 1,000 Characters] Walk to the End of the Land... Korea Dulle-gil 'Haenam Section'

"A course that walks past Dalma Trail and along the Ttangkkeut Millennium Forest Old Road to the southernmost point of the country, ‘Ttangkkeut,’ the terminus of the Nampalanggil."

"A course where you can encounter the tranquil scenery of a quiet rural village that reminds you of childhood."

Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, introduced sections of the Nampalanggil Course 90 and Seohaeranggil Course 1, which are part of the Korea Dulle-gil. The Korea Dulle-gil is an ultra-long-distance walking trail of about 4,500 km that connects four routes around the Korean Peninsula: ▲Haepalanggil (East) ▲Seohaeranggil (West) ▲Nampalanggil (South Coast) ▲DMZ Peace Trail (DMZ border area). It involves 10 metropolitan and provincial governments and 78 local governments.

The Land's End Village in Haenam Resembling the Korean Peninsula [Asia Economy DB]

Among these, the Haenam section consists of a total of 9 courses (Courses 1?5, 13?16) of the Seohaeranggil, covering 138.5 km, and 3 courses (Courses 85, 89, 90) of the Nampalanggil, covering 46.3 km. Haenam is considered a key hub of the Korea Dulle-gil as the Seohaeranggil starts at the Ttangkkeut Tower in Ttangkkeut Village, Songji-myeon, and the Nampalanggil ends there. Each course offers richly storied paths such as the stepping-stone path along Haenam’s western coast, the vast straight plain road, the reservoir path accompanied by fields and migratory birds, and the Dalma Trail on Dalmasan Mountain, known as the last roar of the Korean Peninsula’s mountain range, allowing walkers to fully enjoy the charm of walking travel.

Haenam-gun published a map of the Haenam section to provide convenience for Korea Dulle-gil walkers. The map includes information such as travel distances, required times, and sightseeing points for each course, as well as guides to the regions where the trails are located, tourism, and transportation, serving as a guide for walking travelers. Nampalanggil Course 85 passes the Sanae Bangjoje (Sanae Embankment) on the border between Haenam-gun and Gangjin-gun, offering views of Duryunsan Mountain, Jujaksan Mountain, and Dalma Statue. Course 89 is a section that walks up to Cheonwangmun Gate of Dalmasan, known as the Geumgangsan of the southern provinces, where scattered rocky areas can be seen.

Scenic view of Geumgang Reservoir located in Haenam Geumgangsan [Photo by Haenam-gun]

Seohaeranggil Course 3 passes the country’s largest reed bed, which becomes a spectacular winter migratory bird habitat, and Course 4 passes Okmae Mine, a mine where jade was extracted during the Japanese colonial period and a painful history of forced labor exists. In spring, you can see green barley fields, and in winter, the endlessly spreading cabbage fields are a magnificent sight. Additionally, you can encounter the exploits of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the Joseon navy, and militia (Seohaeranggil Course 13), experience the peaceful scenery of a quiet rural village (Seohaeranggil Course 15), and walk along Yeongamho Lake, a migratory bird habitat (Seohaeranggil Course 16). The Haenam map is available to everyone and is distributed at tourist sites and Dulle-gil rest areas (Ttangkkeut Tourist Information Center, Ttangkkeut Hwangto Nara Theme Village), and can also be requested by mail through the Haenam Culture and Tourism website.

An official from Haenam-gun said, "We published the map to improve accessibility and convenience for walking travelers visiting Haenam," adding, "We provided guidance not only for directions but also to introduce the characteristics and sightseeing points of each course so that travelers can enjoy their journey."