[One Day Walk] Mudflats and Salicornia at a Glance... Seokmodo 'Ganghwa Nadeulgil Course 11'

The Ganghwa Nadeul-gil Course 11 starts from Seokmodo Ferry Terminal and passes through Maeum-ri Ferry Terminal, Eoryujeong Port, Minmeoru Beach, and Eoryujeong Water Gate, reaching Bomunsa Temple. The nickname of Course 11 is 'Seokmodo Wind Path.' It is a total of 16 km long and takes about 5 hours. Since it follows the coastline, it is an easy walking trail where you can feel the refreshing breeze and enjoy a panoramic view of various sceneries of Seokmodo. First, you can see both sunrise and sunset on one island, and at Samyang Salt Field, which was used as a salt farm in the past, a new landscape is created where the sea, island, and mudflats meet, featuring a feast of red Salicornia and Namujae.

The name Seokmodo originated from 'Dolmoro,' meaning 'rocky coastal corner' or 'corner where water flows around,' which was sinicized into 'Seokmoro,' and the place name derived from this. Originally, besides Seokmodo, there were separate islands such as Songgado, Maeumdo, and Eoyujeongdo, but they were all merged into Seokmodo through reclamation projects carried out around Ganghwa Island. Most of the plains where farming is currently conducted around Seokmodo were created through reclamation.

Starting from Seokmodo Ferry Terminal, also called Seokpo-ri Ferry Terminal, as you follow the course, you can frequently find red plants blooming in the mudflats. These are 'Chilmyuncho,' a halophyte plant that inhabits mudflats in Korea and Japan. It is named because it turns red like the face of a turkey. It is an annual plant of the Amaranthaceae family that initially grows green or scarlet and gradually turns a deep red. At its peak in August and September, it offers a beauty like a red carpet spread along the coast. Especially around today's course, there are even colonies, allowing you to fully enjoy the beauty of Chilmyuncho.

Samyang Salt Field, encountered midway, was a place where high-quality sun-dried salt was produced until 2006. The salt field was created in 1957 by reclaiming the Maeum-ri coastal area, producing more than 4,000 tons of salt annually, making it a scenic spot and a famous attraction of Seokmodo.

Continuing along the path, you will reach Eoryujeong Port at the southern end of Seokmodo, where fishermen directly launch boats and offer various seafood caught at sea. You can enjoy fresh sashimi at affordable prices. The shops open only during the fishing season and close during the fishing ban period from July 15 to August 15. It is also a good place to watch the sunrise slowly unfold.

Now it is time to enjoy the western sea where the sun sets. If you go a little further from Eoryujeong Port, you will find Minmeoru Beach. It is the only beach on Seokmodo, Minmeoru Beach. Besides the white sandy beach, there are hundreds of thousands of pyeong of mudflats where you can enjoy both water play and mudflat activities. You can also camp for free, making it a popular spot among the rapidly increasing number of campers recently.

The last course of today, Bomunsa Temple, is a temple considered one of Korea's three major Gwaneum (Avalokitesvara) sites, along with Boriam in the South Sea and Hongryeonam of Naksansa Temple. Within Ganghwa Island, it is also called one of the three major ancient temples along with Jeondeungsa and Jeongsusa Temples. It is said to have been founded in 635 AD during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla by the monk Hoejeong who came down from Geumgangsan Mountain. The sea in front of Bomunsa Temple and the rock-carved Avalokitesvara statue on Eyebrow Rock, viewed at dawn, are counted among the eight scenic spots of Ganghwa. At sunset, the sea breeze blowing together creates a splendid scene. The rock-carved seated Buddha statue on Eyebrow Rock is 9.2 meters high and 3.3 meters wide, carved in 1928. Above the statue, a large stone resembling a dolmen capstone protrudes, resembling a human eyebrow, hence the name Eyebrow Rock.