[One Day Walk] The Wide Fields of Gurye Unfolding 'Bang-gwang-Sandong'

Estimated Duration About 5 Hours 30 Minutes... Difficulty 'Medium'
Encountering the Daejeon-ri Stone Buddha Statue Created in Early Goryeo Period

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, which stretches a total length of 300 km and is as generous as a father's embrace.

The Jirisan Dulle-gil section ‘Banggwang-Sandong’ is a 13 km stretch connecting Banggwang Village in Gwangui-myeon, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do, and Tapdong Village in Sandong-myeon. From Guriye, you can get a panoramic view of the wide Gurye basin. The estimated time required is about 5 hours and 30 minutes, and the difficulty level is classified as ‘medium’.

In the middle of Banggwang Village, there is a Dangsan Zelkova tree and a stone wall path. Walking along it reveals the long history of the village. Banggwang Village is also a gateway to Cheoneunsa Temple and Seongsamjae Pass. A stream flowing from the Cheoneunsa valley below the village forms the Chamsaemi-gol. At the entrance of the village, there is a Wish Rock, and a legend says that the mountain spirit of Jirisan came to play in Chamsaemi-gol and, seeing a woman who could not have children holding the rock and making a wish, blessed her with a son.

Passing the upper orchard with 1,200 persimmon trees, you reach ‘Mireukgol’. Here stands the Daejeon-ri Stone Buddha statue, created around the 9th to 10th century during the early Goryeo period. The 190 cm tall stone Buddha is known to represent the strength of Goryeo, a newly established nation at that time. Next to the stone Buddha are a kneeling Bodhisattva statue and two stone pillars remaining.

In Nandong Village, there are two Dangsan trees: the Grandfather Dangsan and the Grandmother Dangsan. The Dangsan tree standing at the village entrance is the Grandfather, and the one located deeper inside the village is the Grandmother. Every year on the first day of the lunar new year, Dangsan rituals are held at both places. Next to the Grandfather Dangsan tree, there is a stone pagoda that serves as a protective barrier, blocking bad energy coming from outside the village and preventing fortune from leaving the village. The Dulle-gil trail follows the path on the right side of the village. Along this path, several pine trees grow, and there is a pavilion where you can rest.

Walking along the forest road from Nandong Village, you arrive at Guriye. The name comes from ‘Guri’, meaning snake. The path up the pass is winding like a snake, hence the name. Standing at the summit of Jichobong, you can see the northwest ridge extending from Banyabong and Nogodan, the Ganmi Peak ridge extending from Jongseokdae, and the Gyeondusan ridge branching from Manbokdae, crossing Gurye and Namwon. Below, the wide fields of Gurye spread out.

Walking down the forest road from Guriye, you reach Gurye Arboretum. The Dulle-gil continues along the valley path beside the arboretum. The arboretum was designated as the first public arboretum in Jeollanam-do in 2020. It has various native trees and flowers, making it a great place for ecological learning and experiences.