Leg 41: Jumunjin Beach to Jukdojeong Pavilion

The day had become really very nice.  A brilliant blue sky above and a warm sun at my back.  And it was still early, so there was plenty of time for another leg before heading back home.

I was unable to find a big sign with the map that showed the actual beginning/end of the legs, so I had to settle for this little plaque that announced the beginning of leg 41.  It would have to do.

 

The trail was following a road just inland from the sea for the first part of the leg.  It passed around a small lake that may or may not have been manmade, but was filled with grassy reeds that were browning with the advancing autumn.  There was a wind that rustled through the reeds.  I love that sound.

Then it was back to the seaside, with rolling waves and blue waters… and protective fencing.  Ah, North Korea, why must it be such a crazy place?

But then it was back to beaches and open water.

A viewing tower on a point allowed a nice view down to the rocks…

…and along to a single tree reaching for the sky.

All along the northern part of the coast (and a significant part of the southern areas as well) there were dive shops and surfing areas that seemed very active.  I have never gone diving in Korea, but I have never heard of Korea being referred to as a diver’s paradise.  But they seem to be taking up both sports quite actively.  There seems to even be a surfer’s code.  I like the panel at the bottom that proclaims safety is first.  If only Korea were to take that kind of code seriously…

The final part of the trail led over a hill and to another edge-of-the-sea, cliff-side Buddhist temple.  Just like the one in Busan, this temple was quite spectacular in its location and the views it presented.

At the top, there was a large statue of the goddess of the sea.  I know her as Guanyin, but that is the Chinese name for her.  However, she has been at various places along the coast.

After coming down from the point and the temple, the trail led out to another point at a pavilion on the top of another little hill.  I didn’t climb that one as it was time to be heading back.  The trail rounded the point and finished in a little town below the pavilion.  I ended up stopping the hiking app a bit early as I thought the map sign was again missing.  Then as I headed towards the bus stop, I found the sign about a hundred metres away from where I had given up trying to find it.  Oops.

But the weekend had been very nice, from the weather to the scenery.  It made up for the frustrations of the previous day and the lack of clearly marked trail.  And with only a little over a hundred kilometres remaining, I was feeling good about completing the trail in the coming weeks.