Holiday Journal

• Start
•  
• Sesimjeong
•  
• Beopjusa
•  
• Camping Park
•  
• Hwayang Valley’s
•  
• Jungwon University
•  
• Hoban Nangmangil
•  
• Finish

Boeun Songnisan National Park trails, Sesimjeong trails

First place I visited was Sesimjeong Trail among many tracking courses on Mount Songnisan. At the end of this trail it has Munjangdae which is located at 1,054m high and shows you the whole view of Songnisan Mountain. However, because takes 7 hours for a round trip between the ticket office and Munjangdae, I'm going to show you the way to Sesimjeong which is a 2 hour-course today in order to show you as many as places.

This is called Jeongipumsong that I saw on my way to the starting point of this trip, Beopjusa Tour Support Center. Its formal name is Boeun Songni Jeongipumsong. This was designated as 103rd natural monument, and it is 600-800 years old. Bueun-gun has been really good taking care of it by removing snow on the branches in winter and covering mosquito net on it to prevent it from getting pine needles blackflies. Songnisan Mountain. However, because takes 7 hours for a round trip between the ticket office and Munjangdae, I'm going to show you the way to Sesimjeong which is a 2 hour-course today in order to show you as many as places.

Address : 17-3, Sangpan-ri, Songnisan-myeon, Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do (충청북도 보은군 속리산면 상판리 17-3)

This is Beopjusa Tour Support Center where our tour started. They charged me for the fee to enter Beopjusa Temple on the way. I'm going to tell you about the tracking course because I'll explain about Beopjusa Temple later.

The entrance fee for an adult is 4,000 won, for a student 2,000 won and for a minor 1,000 won.

As soon as I entered, I saw Songnisan natural observation trail. These paths lead to Beopjusa Temple, the left one is a dirt path and the right one is pavement. Of course, I'll choose the left one.

The trail I'm going to try now is Sesimjeong trail, and this is like an intersection where you could choose between Munjangdae course, which has a legend that you could go to paradise if you walk this path three times, and Cheonwangbong course, the mountaintop that represents Songrisan Mountain. When you arrive at Sesimjeong service area you will see the forked road, and you will see Munjangdae if you take the left fork and Cheongwangbong if you take the right fork.

Like I said earlier, I'm going to walk 2.7km until I get Sesimjeong and then come back. It takes 2 hours to get there and come back.

Sesimjeong trail in Songnisan National Park between Beopjusa Tour Support Centre and Sesimjeong is a scenic trail of flat slope. As a proper trail even for the young and the old, you will have to walk the scenic trail created along the reservoir and valley where you will have no trouble with using a stroller or wheelchair.

On both sides of the path, there were pretty plants with red fruits. The fruits were bloomed that somehow looked like western wild berries. They might not actually the wild berries so you shouldn't eat them unless you're sure.

You could just walk along the 2.7km long paved road in the dense forest. Do you think there's more convenient and cosy trail than this?

On the sides, I saw a small stream flowing from a small reservoir but it's forbidden to go down there to wash your hands or catch fish and marsh snails because the water resources are protected here, and you might have to pay the penalty once you don't keep it. Don't go there, just enjoy watching them.

The water was so clean so that I could see a bunch of marsh snails on the bed of the stream. I was not allowed to go down because it's protected so I couldn't take better pictures. For your information, marsh snails only live in the pure water.

The stream in Boeun also had so many big rocks just like in Mungyeong. A broad and flat rock was there next to the stream and I could imagine people enjoying the arts there in old times. We're not allowed to get in there now, though.

I went up a little further then I could see the reservoir. It's the drinking water so scenic trail around it was strictly maintained around the area.

Okay, I walked lightly along the road which was created from cutting the sides of the rocky mountain where I couldn't find any person at all. This feels quite good.

The sky wasn't so blue but the air was fresh. The dense forest stood out especially that day wearing greener color.

As I passed the reservoir and got to the middle point, there was a bridge that I could cross the stream.

In the meantime… I looked down the stream and I could see so many fish in the water. This is where the reservoir begins and almost end point of the stream, but you could see the water is filled with fish really. I guess there are many more fish because people are not allowed to go down. I've never seen a stream with so many fish. Even the farm in the middle of Tongyeong ocean didn't have this much.

I saw some names of classical scholar engraved on the neighboring rocks. As I mentioned while I introduced you Mungyeong SeonyudongcheonNadeulgil, people love to leave their names in old days and now as well. ^^*

The sunlight rarely shines in this forest filled with trees measuring more than the both arms'span around and when it does among the trees, it seems so fresh.

The puddle surrounded by rocks is called Mokyokso(沐浴沼) in which the 7th King of Joseon, King Sejong, used to have a bath here to cure the skin disease. After he had a bath here, the boils over his body all disappeared and that's how this puddle was named. I wanted to take photos closely but this area is all forbidden to enter.

So when I got to 2.7km point I could finally see Sesimjeong three-way intersection. So when I cross this bridge, I could get there. If I go up to the left, I will get to Munjangdae and if I cross this bridge to the right, I'll get to Cheonwangbong.

The stream where people cannot access is covered with moss that makes it look like a stream in outer space. I guess prohibiting people from entering into the stream seems like a good idea.

This is the path to Cheonwangbong from Sesimjeong. So when I was about to walk this path made of rocks…

A squirrel was looking into my eyes without even running away. You can only see this squirrel in Korea, isn't it so cute?

So this is Sesimjeong. This is a large mortar, not a well, and it was used to crush grains after they built a waterwheel here in the 13-14th century. At the time, there were almost 400 small temples and caves where a priest of high virtue, acetics and scholars usually visited to study and those places were used to provide them with food.

※ Touring tips!
- Sesimjeong trails do not require professional clothing or equipment since the grade is slight but it's a round-way trip so you have to consider your health condition and sunset time before climbing.

The weather could get cold due to sudden changes in temperatures in mountain so you have to pack extra clothes and food.

Starting point : Beopjusa Tour Support Center 법주사탐방지원센터

Address : San 4-1, Sanae-ri, Songnisan-myeon, Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do (충청북도 보은군 속리산면 사내리 산4-1)