Daeheungsa Temple and Muan Hamhaeman Getbol

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Daeheungsa Temple

   Daeheungsa sits in a fold of the Duryunsan mountains, near the southern tip of the Korean peninsula, and the approach is half the reward. A long path runs beside a stream through an avenue of old trees, camellias, maples and cedar, and the sound of water follows you all the way up. The temple is among the more important in Korean Buddhism because of a monk named Hyujeong, known as Seosan Daesa, who led a force of warrior monks against the Japanese invasion of 1592. Before he died he asked that his robe and bowl be kept here, and the temple is now treated as the seat of that tradition. It is also tied to the history of Korean tea, since the monk Choui lived at a hermitage in its grounds and wrote on the subject.

   Read the complete Daeheungsa Temple write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Daeheungsa Temple is where the day begins. Next is Gochang.

2. 2. Gochang

   Ancient Korea built more dolmens than anywhere else on earth. These megalithic tombs, a huge capstone resting on smaller upright stones, were raised by Bronze Age communities some three thousand years ago, and the clusters at Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa were listed together as a World Heritage Site in 2000.

   Read the complete Gochang write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Gochang comes up about 104 km into the recorded legs. Next is Muan Hamhaeman Getbol.

3. 3. Muan Hamhaeman Getbol

   The southwest coast of Korea is a maze of bays, peninsulas and islands, and when the tide goes out, it reveals immense mudflats, the getbol, stretching to the horizon. Hamhae Bay, in Muan county, is one of the finest examples, a sheltered bay where the tides deposit fine mud rich in nutrients, supporting an extraordinary variety of life: crabs, shellfish, worms, mudskippers and octopus, and the birds that feed on them. The Korean tidal flats were listed by UNESCO in 2021, recognising their importance for migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including endangered species like the spoon-billed sandpiper and the black-faced spoonbill.

   Read the complete Muan Hamhaeman Getbol write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 190 km into the recorded legs you reach Muan Hamhaeman Getbol. Next is back through Gochang.

4. 4. back through Gochang

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Gochang write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Gochang, late in the day. Next is Daeheungsa Temple.

5. 5. Daeheungsa Temple

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Daeheungsa Temple write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Daeheungsa Temple. That is the ride.