Seoraksan Weekend
A 217 km loop
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Why this ride
Leave the city behind and spend the day on roads with texture. A 217 km loop that starts and ends near Yangp'yŏng, about 3 h 57 of riding. It goes by way of Scenic stretch near Osan, Incheon and Kwangmyŏng. near Osan is the high point.
Roadbook
- Fuel stop near Yangp'yŏng
fuel
Two rivers meet at Yangpyeong. The North Han and the South Han join at a place called Dumulmeori, literally the meeting of two waters, east of Seoul, and the spot, with its ancient zelkova tree, misty mornings and old ferry landing, has become one of the most photographed in Korea. At dawn, mist rises off the water and fishermen's boats sit motionless, a scene that seems far removed from the megacity an hour away.
Yangpyeong County is a green, hilly region of farms, forests and rivers, a favourite weekend escape for people from Seoul. In its mountains stands Yongmunsa, a Buddhist temple with a ginkgo tree said to be over a thousand years old, one of the largest and oldest in Asia, which turns brilliant yellow in autumn. The area is also known for its organic farms and its riverside cafés.
For riders, Yangpyeong is the gateway to the east. Roads follow the rivers and climb into the mountains of Gangwon Province towards Seoraksan, one of Korea's most famous national parks. Motorcycles are not allowed on expressways in Korea, so riders use the national roads, which are often scenic and winding. Traffic can be heavy on weekends, especially in autumn, when crowds head east to see the leaves.
Yangpyeong offers fuel, convenience stores and cheap restaurants, and the riverside has many cafés and eateries popular with riders. Try a bowl of naengmyeon, cold buckwheat noodles, on a hot day, or a hearty stew in winter. Fill up here before heading into the mountains, where services become sparse and distances between villages grow.
- High point near Osan
pass
Osan is a city in Gyeonggi province, south of Seoul and Suwon, best known abroad for the US air base that bears its name, though the base actually lies a little further south, in Pyeongtaek. The city itself is modern and busy, with apartment blocks, markets and a lively centre, and it makes a practical stop on the way south.
Osan has an important place in the history of the Korean War. In July 1950, just north of the city, a small American unit, Task Force Smith, fought the first battle between US and North Korean forces, a delaying action that ended in a costly retreat. A memorial marks the site.
On a hill in the city stands Doksanseong, a mountain fortress dating back to the Three Kingdoms period. According to a famous story, during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, the Korean general Kwon Yul, besieged here without water, had his men pour rice over a horse in full view of the enemy, so that it looked as though they were washing it with abundant water. The Japanese, convinced the defenders had plenty, withdrew. A pavilion called Semadae, the horse-washing terrace, commemorates the tale, and the view from the walls is wide.
As a high point and fuel stop, the fortress hill offers views over the city and the surrounding plain. Fuel and food are plentiful in Osan. The roads south and east lead towards the mountains of Chungcheong and the Seoraksan region, with traffic heavy near the city but easing as you head into the countryside.
- Scenic stretch near Osan scenic
- Incheon
photo
On 15 September 1950 American and South Korean marines stormed ashore at Wolmido, a small island in Incheon harbour, in one of the boldest amphibious operations of modern war. The landing turned the tide of the Korean War, and a statue of General MacArthur, who planned it, still stands in Jayu Park above the old port. Incheon today is a huge, modern port city of nearly three million people, home to Korea's main international airport, but the old harbour district keeps traces of its past.
Next to Jayu Park is Chinatown, founded in the late nineteenth century when Incheon opened to foreign trade. It is the birthplace of jajangmyeon, the noodles in black bean sauce that became one of Korea's favourite comfort foods, and there is even a small museum dedicated to the dish. Nearby, the old Japanese colonial-era buildings have been restored as cafés and galleries.
For riders, one rule matters above all: motorcycles are banned from Korea's expressways. That means the ride to Seoraksan follows national roads, which are slower but often more interesting, with long stretches through valleys and over passes. Plan your route carefully, as traffic in and around Seoul can be dense.
For photos, Wolmido at sunset, with the harbour, the cranes and the Incheon Bridge stretching across the sea, is the classic shot. Songdo, the new city built on reclaimed land, offers a futuristic skyline of glass towers and parks.
Supplies are never a problem in a city this size. The ritual worth keeping is a bowl of jajangmyeon in Chinatown before you leave or when you roll back in, slurped noisily, black sauce on your chin, as the locals do.
- Kwangmyŏng
finish
Gwangmyeong is a satellite city on the south-western edge of Seoul, a place of high-rise apartment blocks, shopping centres and a high-speed railway station, and it is the finish point for rides that have spent the day in the mountains of Gangwon Province or the lakes and forests north of the capital. Arriving here after Seoraksan, with its granite peaks and Buddhist temples, can feel like a sudden return to the modern world.
The city does have one genuine curiosity. The Gwangmyeong Cave is a former gold mine, worked from the early twentieth century until the 1970s, that has been transformed into a tourist attraction, with lighting displays, an underground aquarium, a wine cellar storing Korean wines and exhibitions about the mine's history. It is cool inside even on the hottest summer day, and it makes an unusual end to a ride.
Riding in Korea comes with an important rule: motorcycles are not allowed on the expressways, so all long-distance travel has to be done on national and local roads. This means longer journeys, but it also means you see more of the country. The roads to Seoraksan cross the mountains of Gangwon Province, with passes like the Hangyeryeong and the Misiryeong, winding through forests with fine views. The roads around Pocheon, north of Seoul, are quieter, passing lakes, forests and farmland.
Coming back into the Seoul metropolitan area is a challenge. The traffic is dense, the roads are complicated, and some major roads and bridges are closed to motorcycles. A good navigation app that knows the motorcycle restrictions is essential. Gwangmyeong itself has plenty of fuel, food and services, and Korean barbecue restaurants, where you grill your own meat at the table, are the classic way to celebrate the end of a long day. The shoulder seasons are best; summers are hot and humid, and winters are bitterly cold.
- Back to Seoraksan
finish
Yangpyeong is about ten kilometres to the north-east, and the city of Gwangju, about thirteen kilometres south-west, has about eighty thousand people. The valleys here are green, with small farms, orchards and pine woods on the slopes.
The road from here leads to Seoraksan, the mountain park on the east coast, and this is the first or last part of a weekend ride. The roads are winding and quiet in the hills, with bends, short climbs and wide views, and the surface is good. Autumn is the best season, when the leaves turn and the air is crisp, and winter has ice on the shaded roads. Traffic is light on weekdays, but on sunny weekends the lanes fill with cyclists and cars heading to restaurants.
This part of Gwangju has a lot of history. The Joseon kings drew their porcelain from kilns at Bunwon, in the Gwangju hills, and the royal ceramics produced there are among the finest in Korean art. A museum and kiln site near Gwangju tell the story. Nearby, Namhansanseong, a mountain fortress on the ridge, is a UNESCO site, with a long wall and gates, where King Injo took refuge during the Manchu invasion of 1636.
Fuel and food are easy enough, with stations in Gwangju and Docheok, and many restaurants in the valleys. The area is known for its country cooking, with stews, pancakes and grilled fish, often served in a traditional house with floor seating. A bowl of hot soup on a cool day is a joy.
Stop if you see a kiln chimney or a pottery sign. The craft here is old, and a bowl made by hand is a lasting souvenir.