Yangpyeong is where Seoul riders go to breathe. An hour east of the capital, the Bukhan and Namhan rivers come together at a place called Dumulmeori, literally "where two waters meet", and around them spread wooded mountains, farmland, small towns and riverside cafés. The county has around eighty thousand people, and on weekends the roads fill with motorcycles heading out from the city.
Dumulmeori is the classic image: a broad still river with mist in the early morning, an old zelkova tree on the bank, and wooden boats moored in the shallows. Photographers come before dawn to catch the light, and the riverside walks and the lotus gardens at Semiwon, nearby, are lovely in summer when the flowers bloom. Further into the hills, the temple of Yongmunsa sits in a forested valley below Yongmunsan mountain, and in its courtyard stands an enormous ginkgo tree, said to be more than a thousand years old and protected as a natural monument. In late October it turns bright gold and drops a carpet of leaves.
For swimming, the rivers themselves are not the place; they are broad and slow, and swimming is often restricted. The valleys are better. Small streams come down from the mountains through clear pools, and in July and August Koreans flock to these mountain valleys to sit in the water and eat. Some have designated areas with shallow pools and shaded banks. Water levels can rise fast during the summer monsoon, so avoid them after heavy rain.
The riding is the main draw. Routes 6 and 37 run along the rivers and through the mountains, with long curves, good surfaces and views over the water, and there are many smaller roads climbing to passes and valleys. Motorcycles are banned from expressways in Korea, so these national roads are the main routes out of Seoul. Weekends bring lots of traffic, including cars and other riders, so weekdays or early mornings are more relaxed. Spring, with cherry blossoms along the river, and autumn, with red and gold forests, are the best seasons.
Yangpyeong town has fuel, convenience stores and many restaurants, and the riverside is full of cafés popular with riders. A pot of maeuntang, the spicy fish stew of river country, is the classic meal before the ride back into the city.