Ibike Korea People-to-People Program
Photo essay: Seoul to
Sancheon
Points of Interest: Bongeunsa Temple, Olympic Sports Complex, Han River Valley, Paldang Dam
Cycling out of the concrete jungle.
Seoul generally has heavy traffic so it is unpleasant to cycle on the major
arterials, but if you know your way on the back streets and some of the lesser
arterials, a bicycle can be a practical mode of transportation.
One of the nicest features
of Korea's bicycle infrastructure are paths along rivers. In Seoul, along the Han
River, and several of its tributaries have wide, flat, car-free
bicycle and pedestrian facilities. You certainly don't realize that you are in a greater
metropolitan area of more than twenty million people. Around the country, there are hundreds of miles of non-motorized
facilities along rivers. For more discussion of non-motorized facilities
in Seoul and Korea see
Korean:
Non-motorized transportations.
Leaving
the city in the distance mist, with Han River and Olympic Bridge. Though
is was overcast and grey in the morning, the clouds burned off and gave way to a
sunny afternoon.Up river the trail passes a series of "pill boxes" looking out over the trail and the river. They appear to be deactivated. Presumably they were built in the event of a North Korean invation.
Through
Seoul, from Incheon on the west to Pallang Bridge on the east, there is 70 km
bike and pedestrian trail along the Han River. To facilitate access to the
Pallang Bridge they have built a new approach ramp (on the left -- the most
forward three pillars across the center of the picture.
The Namhangang Rail Trail goes from Pallang Dam to Yangpyeong,
mostly on an old railroad alignment. Presumably to tell the story they
have left some of the tracks in around an old station. The engineers have
also taken advantage of the old tunnels.Beyond the initial section, the
tracks have been salvaged and the path is a totally new faciclity.
At Yangpyeong there is no obvious route on the north bank, but there are bridges that cross the river. On the south bank it is 16km (10 miles) as the crow flies until there is more evidence of shoreline trail facilities. [2011]
Graves tend to be isolated or in
small family groups. Typically they sit on a cleared bench part way up a
hillside. The mound is the grave, which is usually accompanied by an
engraved stele. Wealthier people will also have a variety of statuary.
Main retail street in Yangsoo
(left).
Retail in Korea is almost exclusively small boutiques, so every shop in a small
town has a different inventory and the street-scape is very diverse.
Window shopping is a delight.The weekly market in Yongsoo (right). Venders had produce, clothing, utensils and other manufactured goods.
Greater Seoul is large, but it ends
abruptly and the farm land begins.
Most of the first days ride is flat
or rolling, generally following river valleys. Although at this point the
road parallels the Gyeongcheon River (a tributary of the Han River), it climbs a
hill "to get to the other side" -- the downhill was as good as the uphill.
Please
contact us if you would like to be added to
Ibike's mailing list or have questions, comments, corrections or criticism. (Also, please let us know how you learned about us and
found this site.) Privacy policy.
IBF's Homepage
Ibike Programs
Search