[One Day Walk] A Favorable Place with a Straight Continuous Road... Gildong Station

[Editor's Note] The course introduction of Harumanbo is evolving. Walking several thousand steps within about an hour during your commute or lunch break can invigorate both your body and mind. The subway is not only a transportation method that anyone can easily access and travel safely with, but also an important point in Harumanbo. We introduce pleasant walking spots around subway stations.

Today's course is Gildong Station. This place is said to be called Gildong because it is located on high ground, not steep, far from the village to the river, and free from natural disasters such as floods or landslides. It spans Hanam City in Gyeonggi Province and Dunchon-dong in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Although its height is relatively low at 134m, the mountains surrounding the outskirts of Seoul stretch about 5 km long. If you exit through Exit 2 and walk a little, you will find Gildong Bokjori Market. It is a traditional market naturally formed over 30 years ago by street vendors gathering. Gildong Bokjori Market is lively. In Gildong, which uses the character for 'good fortune' (吉), merchants named the market Bokjori Market with the meaning of 'buying and selling goods in a blessed neighborhood and sharing fortune.'

Citizens Walking in Iljasan Urban Nature
[Photo by Gangdong-gu]

Walking along Cheonho-daero with the Gangdong Ja-i Apartment complex on your right, you pass the flower farm and reach the intersection in front of the ecological park. Gildong Ecological Park, about 1 km away, covers an area of 80,683㎡ and consists of wetland, reservoir, rural, grassland, and forest zones. Various wild animals and plants live in each area. Thanks to a reservation system limiting daily visitors to 400 people, the natural ecology has been well preserved so far.

[Photo by Gangdong-gu]

Following the path next to the Ecological Culture Center inside Gildong Natural Ecological Park leads to stairs going up to the Herb Astronomy Park. This park, created at the Gildong Reservoir, grows about 167 species of herbs. Gwanchundae is an observatory where you can enjoy the sunrise that signals the morning in Seoul and get a panoramic view of the Herb Astronomy Park. Located opposite Gildong Ecological Park, Iljasan Herb Astronomy Park, together with the nearby Iljasan Natural Park, offers jogging courses, walking trails, and observation decks, making it a space for citizens of all ages from children to youth and seniors. Exiting the playground at Iljasan Herb Astronomy Park through a side path leads to Cheonho-daero 206-gil. If you proceed to the right from this direction, you will reach the camping site. The total distance is approximately 130 meters.

Iljasan Neighborhood Park
Photo by Gangdong-gu

Iljasan Urban Natural Park was renamed from 'Gildong Urban Natural Park' in December 2004. It features various facilities such as a lawn plaza, indoor badminton court, gymnasium, basketball court, X-game park, and urban agriculture park. It provides a good environment for walking and allows exercise and strolling, making it a park used by many residents. Especially, the lawn plaza, which spans about 1,500 pyeong (approximately 4,958㎡), offers a place to rest and enjoy performances. A small stream also harmonizes around the lawn plaza.