Let's Go on a Visit

Palgong Mountain Ollegil 1



Korea has many famous mountains such as Seorak, Halla, Baekdu and Bukhan. Every year, many hikers climb them because they all have well-developed trail systems and good facilities. Daegu’s famous mountain is Palgong Mountain, which has many famous hiking trails called ollegils. Today I’ll introduce Palgong Mountain Ollegil 1, which is easy to walk and takes less time than other routes. The trail there and back is 5 km and takes 90 to 120 minutes. There is a signpost at the trailhead, so you won’t have difficulty finding the trail or getting lost. There are also benches and cafes where you can rest, which will make hiking more pleasant.

1. Path of the Poets

First you will see Path of the Poets where 20 poems by Korean poets are carved into different stones along the path. Listening to classical music while walking the road, makes you feel like a poet enjoying the beautiful landscape.

2. Daegu Bangjja Yugi Museum

The next interesting place along the trail is the Daegu Bangjja Yugi Museum. This museum was built in 2007 to preserve our brassware (yugi) making traditions and transmit the traditional process of production to the next generation. Brassware maker Lee Bong-ju donated over 1000 brassware items.
Korean brassware is very good at sterilizing things. It can remove the viruses or bacteria that cause food poisoning. If some poison is in the bowl, the bowl becomes dark. They also have the ability to improve the taste of food. They are good at keeping things warm or cool, too.
The Daegu Bangjja Yugi Museum has various kinds of brassware. At the museum, there is a video of Korean brassware history, variety and production process to help people easily understand. One type of brassware you can see at the museum are traditional Korean musical instruments like gongs and small cymbals. On the outdoor stage of the museum, you can experience a Korean gong. In addition, the museum holds a lot of events like Korean classical music performances to show people traditional Korean musical instruments.

3.Bukjijangsa Temple

Past the museum, you can see a pine tree-lined trail. If you walk this way, you can feel refreshed before you even know it. Listening to birds singing, the sound of wind in the trees and running water, helps hikers relax. September is still hot, so resting under a pine tree is a very good way to cool off and unwind. I strongly recommend experiencing this trail.
Past that trail, you can see the Bukjijangsa Temple. This temple was built during the Shilla Dynasty by the Buddhist monk Guk-dal and is one of Korea’s cultural properties. There are two stone pagodas and one Buddhist statue. Looking around the temple, you can see the beautiful Palgong Mountain landscape and feel apart of nature.

4. Dojang Village

After exploring the Bukjijangsa Temple, you can visit Dojang Village nestled in a forest of beautiful pine trees. Dojang village is located at Dohak-dong where the houses have low roofs, picturesque alleys and use coal for heat. About 1,500 years ago, Dojang Village was the hiding place for one monk during the Shilla era. This village is still quiet, calm and peaceful as well as crime-free. It is also famous for the Gosiwon, which is the accommodation for university entrance exam examiners. Many students try to live here while preparing for the government official exam and university entrance exam because of the peace and quiet.
Along the trail, there is a store that has some beverages, kalguksu (hand-made noodles), buchujeon (leek pancake ) and dodorimuk (acorn jelly), so you can enjoy some refreshments. If you don’t have any food or water, you should visit this store because it is the only one along the trail.

5. Sanjoong Restaurant

If you need more than snacks, head over to Sanjoong Restaurant, which has been serving traditional Korean dishes for 40 years. If you visit there, you can taste healthy Korean food like its famous gondeure bap (rice with Thistle) that contains a variety of wild edible greens found in Korea. The food has a fresh and zesty taste, which is complimented perfectly with an appetite-inducing herbal tea.
To go to Sanjoong Restaurant, you take Express Bus 1 (급행 1) in Dohak-dong only one stop, which is the last stop. At the last bus stop, go straight and turn right at the CU convenience store and then continue straight until you see Sanjoong Restaurant. This area has many restaurants and cafes. Sanjoong Restaurant is open year-round from 11:30am to 9:30pm on weekdays and from 11:00am to 9:30pm on weekends. This two-story building has a parking lot, but it fills up quickly on weekends at lunch time.
Sanjoong’s menu has four sets to choose from: Sarangdamda set, Areumdamda set, Gadeumdamda set or Gademdamda plus set. The Sarangdamda set (for two people), Areumdamda set (for three people) and Gadeumdamda set (for four people) consist of perilla seed salad, muksabal (cold acorn jelly soup), dotorijeon (acorn jelly pancake), bossam (boiled pork) and gondeure bap (rice with thistle). The Gadeumdamda plus set includes all of the above plus fried webfoot octopus, which is very spicy. If you need more food, you can order more for an additional fee. For more information about Sanjoong Restaurant, visit their site at: www.sanjoong.co.kr

6. Donghwasa Temple

After eating a healthy meal at Sanjoong Restaurant, a good way to help digestion is to take a walk around Donghwasa Temple, which you can get to in 15 minutes. Donghwasa Temple was built in the Shilla era and means ‘Paulownia Flower Temple’. It has many cultural assets such as Daeungjeon Main Worshipping Hall, Bongseoru Pavilion, and Seated Buddha Image. If you want to go inside the temple, you need to pay the entrance fee of 2,500won. Another option for sightseeing Donghwasa Temple is to use a culture and tour guide service, which is available from 10:00am to 5:00pm. To use this service, you need to make a reservation in advance through the website (www.daegutravel.or.kr) or by phone (+82-53-746-6407).
If you want to have a truly unique experience at Donghwasa Temple, try a temple stay, which includes learning temple etiquette, eating baru-gongyang (Buddhist meal) and experiencing ebul (ceremonial service). You can stay for 1 day, 1 night and 2 days or 2 nights and 3 days. If you want to experience the Donghwsa Temple Stay, you need to make a reservation by going to www.dhtemple.org or calling +82-53-980-7979.
People tend to go for a holiday at splendid and luxurious spots. How about going on a trip to experience nature this time? This trip gave me a comfortable feeling and a chance to think. You must experience it for yourself to truly understand. The next time you are thinking about taking a trip, consider Palgong Mountain and explore one of its many trails.