Daegwallyeong is the pass over the Taebaek range between the plateau of Pyeongchang and the sea at Gangneung, and the name means the great mountain pass. It stands at about eight hundred and thirty metres, high enough that the air is noticeably cooler and clearer than on the coast, and it is a place that Koreans associate with wide skies, grazing sheep and, in winter, heavy snow. The famous highland sheep ranch and the rows of white wind turbines on the ridges are visible from the road, and the whole landscape feels more like Europe's uplands than Asia's.
Seoul to the east coast used to be a long day's journey, and the old road over Daegwallyeong, with its many hairpins, was the main route. The expressway has since taken most of the traffic, running through long tunnels, but the old road has been kept, and for a rider it is the better one. It climbs from Gangneung through forest in a long run of tight bends, and over the top it opens out onto the grassy highland, with long views down the slopes to the sea on a clear day. It is a famous road among Korean motorcyclists, and on weekends, many gather at the pass, so expect the car park to be full of bikes and the road to be lively.
The asphalt is in decent shape, but as a mountain road it has its hazards: fog is common, particularly in the morning and in spring, ice lingers on the bends in winter, and it can snow here when it is raining on the coast. Speed cameras and police checks are common on the more popular routes. The nearby area was a centre of the 2018 Winter Olympics, held at Pyeongchang and Gangneung, and there are still sports venues in the hills, along with ski resorts and hot-spring hotels.
Gangneung, thirteen kilometres below, has fuel, restaurants and shops, and the coffee for which the city is known. At the pass itself, there are cafes, a sheep farm, a handful of stalls selling grilled corn and potatoes, and views. The highland is famous for its cabbage and potato crops, and for beef and lamb, and the cool air makes a warm bowl of noodles taste even better. The best times are late spring and early autumn, when the grasses are green or golden, and the sky is clear.