Ibike Korea People-to-People Program
Photo essay: Seoul to
Geumsa
Seoul to Geumsa (50mi, 80km) Start with a flat
trail along the Han River, there are hills later.
Points of Interest: 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 facility.
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]
One thing that breaks the
forest on the hills is family burial sites. They are distinguished by
their terraces, mounded earth (the grave) and flat, thick stone tables for
offerings. It is a tradition to maintain the grave site at Chusok (several
weeks earlier) so most of the mini-cemeteries were well manicured as we passed.
This route has a plethora
of gallery and small museums along it. Many have elegant ceramics, fine
painting and / or crafts executed by masters, but this establishment was packed
with bright, playful, quirky sculptures and decorations,
including
buildings dressed to look like a train engine and an old railroad car
decorated with flowers.
Other objects looked like they were inspired by science-fiction aliens or the desire to communicate with extraterrestrial beings.
The
is a banner for the "First Asian Organic Rice Conference", Sept 30 - Oct 1,
2011. It is connected with the 17th International Federation of Organic
Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) Conference that was being held in Namyangju,
across the river. Anecdotally it would seem that Koreans prioritize
blemish-free produce over organic, but this might be changing..
Of Ipobo, the National Tourism website says, "Seeking to reflect the harmony of man and nature through water, the weir was built in the shape of an egret rising up into the sky."
Ipo-bo (weir) was new in 2011, a part of the Four Rivers Project. The project includes the Han River (Korea), Nakdong River, Geum River and Yeongsan River. The primary goal of the "restoration" project is to provide or improve water security, flood control and the ecosystem's vitality. The primary activities was building dams and levies. (If restoration conjures up images of a natural, free-flowing river this was the antithesis, but we digress.)
The Four Rivers Project was first announced as part of the “Green New Deal” policy launched in January 2009. Most of the work is suppose to be completed by 2012. Of the landscape-heavy projects; dam construction, river bottom shoveling and dredging, channelization of the river banks, it is debatable whether the initiative is more destructive or constructive for the environment, but the upland non-motorized trail facility opens up some beautiful opportunities for walkers, bladers and bicyclists.
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