[One Day Walk] From Mountain to Village, Back to Mountain... Walking to Find Myself

‘all ways Incheon’ Many roads connect in Incheon. From small alleys and mountain paths to highways, railroads, sea routes, and airways... Incheon communicates with the world through its roads. Among these many paths, we introduce the Incheon Dullegil, which adds the joy of walking by allowing you to feel Incheon’s history, culture, nature, and people.

Within a city characterized by wide roads, tall buildings, speed, and efficiency, we often forget or overlook that there are things more important than being fast and efficient. Then, suddenly, we realize that as the city develops and life becomes more convenient, there are things we must remember and protect for a long time. Let’s discover ourselves harmonized within the city and nature as we cross mountain paths and city roads like Bogaksa Temple, Janggogae, and Gyeongwon-daero...

The road from Wonjeoksan to Jangsusan

Raising the body vertically is an act against gravity and unfamiliar, so it is difficult. Thus, we step out of the city center and into nature. Just as we get used to the steep path, it soon flattens out, and following along the military base fence, Bogaksa Temple comes into view.

Dense Forest of Cheolmasan

Bogaksa Temple was founded in 1958 by the Bodhisattva Kim Hye-seok on the site of a Shinto shrine from the Japanese colonial period. It was meant to purge the remnants of a shameful history and restore the spirit of our nation. Buddhism, introduced during the Three Kingdoms period, deeply rooted itself in our history over a long time by blending with indigenous beliefs. It would be good to understand and approach Buddhist culture not only from a religious perspective but also as part of our culture.

Janggogae, located at the eastern end of Cheolmasan Mountain, was originally called ‘Janggeut Gogae’ because of the Janggeut village below it, and the name was later transformed. This Janggogae is also the site where Incheon’s first water supply pipe was installed in 1906. A 500-meter water pipe starting from the Noryangjin intake station passes through the Mokdong water purification plant and the pressure pump station at Sudo Intersection, then goes to the Songnim water reservoir in Dong-gu’s Sudoguksan area, passing through this Janggogae. Descending along the Cheolmasan mountain path, you encounter a small and beautiful path. It overlaps with a section of the Dullegil and is part of the Yeolumul Vitamin Road, created by Seo-gu, which is about 500 meters long and quaint.

Incheon Butterfly Park

Leaving the village path that blurs the line between forest and city, walking along a cozy mountain path, you meet the Paljisoo tree, which branches into eight limbs. After passing the tree, the seemingly continuous mountain path ends, and Gyeongwon-daero, which runs north-south through Incheon, appears. Having passed mountain and village paths, you return to the city’s daily life, but the murals extending to Bupyeong Art Center breathe warmth into a city that could otherwise feel bleak. For those of us living in cities where opportunities to step on soil are relatively rare and roads are more friendly to cars than people, the Dullegil is a happy path where you can walk slowly and find your own pace.

Incheon Dullegil Course 4

● Distance and Duration: 6.2 km, 3 hours 10 minutes

● Route: Wonjeoksan Ecological Passage (Sail High School) - Bogaksa Temple - Janggogae - Yeolumul Village - Gyeongwon-daero Mural Street - Baegun Park (Bupyeong Art Center) - Beopseongsan Rest Area - Bupyeong Samgeori Station

● Transportation: Main buses 11, 24, 24-1, 28, 67-1; Branch bus 556 (Get off at Bupyeong Chalet Apartments or Sail High School)