[One Day Walk] Crossing Stepping Stones to Samhwasil Famous for Pear Blossoms, Plum Blossoms, and Peach Blossoms

Jirisan Dullegil 'Hadongho-Samhwasil' Course... 9.4km

Editor's NoteJirisan is a mountain with an elevation of 1915m, designated as South Korea's first national park. The mountain range spans Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do, and is considered a sacred mountain of the Korean people. Walking the Jirisan Dulle-gil trail, which passes through 21 sections, 20 towns and townships, and over 100 villages, allows you to encounter nature, people, and the history of Yeongnam and Honam regions. We introduce the Jirisan Dulle-gil trail, which stretches a total of 300km and is as generous as a father's embrace.

The Jirisan Dulle-gil section from Hadongho to Samhwasil starts at Hadongho in Cheongam-myeon, Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, passing through four villages (Pyeongchon, Hwawol, Gwanjeom, Sangjonti) and Jontijae, ending at Samhwasil located in Dong-ri, Jeokryang-myeon. The course is 9.4km long, takes about 4 hours, and is rated as 'easy' difficulty.

About 30 minutes' walk from Hadongho brings you to the first village on this course, Pyeongchon Village. Pyeongchon Village is also called Dangsangmol because of Dangsang (Dangsan) Mountain behind the village. Here, there is the Cheongam Police Center, post office, health clinic, and bathhouse, making it a good place to rest briefly. Inside the village is Gyeongcheonmyo Shrine, where the portrait of King Gyeongsun, the last king of Silla, is enshrined. Originally, it was located in Singi Village under Geomnam Mountain in Jung-ri, Cheongam-myeon, Hadong-gun, but was relocated when Hadongho was constructed.

To move from Pyeongchon Village to Gwanjeom Village, you must cross Hoengcheon Stream, which flows down from Hadongho. At Hoengcheon Stream, you can also experience the romance of stepping on stepping stones.

Passing Gwanjeom Bridge, you enter the entrance of Gwanjeom Village. Gwanjeom Village was formerly known for making traditional Korean hats called gat, and locals sometimes call it Gatjeom. The name Gwanjeom (冠店) is a phonetic borrowing of 'Gatjeom.' In front of the village, on Cheongam Stream, there is a Yongso (Dragon Pool). According to legend, when a fire was lit in Yonggul (Dragon Cave), smoke would come out of Yongso, suggesting that Yonggul and Yongso were connected by an underground passage. During severe droughts, villagers are said to have held rain-making rituals at this Yongso.

Walking 3.5km from Gwanjeom Village, you arrive at Sangjonti Village before ascending Jontijae. Jontijae is one of several passes crossing between Cheongam and Jeokryang along the Galmi Peak ridge, with a maximum elevation of 300m. The name Jonti (尊峙) comes from 존치 (Jonti), where '치 (峙)' meaning 'pass' was pronounced as '티' in the Gyeongsang dialect, and the suffix '재' meaning 'pass' was added. Sangjonti is also called Ujonti or Sangjon, and Hajonti is called Araetjonti or Hajon.

After crossing Jontijae, you pass Dongchon Village and reach Samhwasil. Samhwasil is the collective name for seven villages in Dong-ri and Seo-ri of Jeokryang-myeon. Samhwasil means 'valley where three flowers bloom.' The three flowers refer to pear blossoms in Ijeong Village, plum blossoms in Jungseo Village, and peach blossoms in Dojanggol. In various places around Jirisan, village names include the suffix 'sil,' which means 'valley' in Korean. At the site of the old Samhwa Elementary School in Dongchon Village, the Jirisan Dulle-gil Hadong Samhwasil Information Center is established.