I took a trip to Daejeon for the first time. I did some hiking on Daedunsan and Gyeryongsan the first and third days, and explored parts of Daejeon and the nearby lake on other days.
DAY 3 OF 4-DAY TRIP to Daejeon
This is my second trip to Gyeryongsan (계룡산); I came in the summer of 2019 with Romana but we didn’t hike up, just enjoyed the streams! This trip was going to be a hike to the peak. I drove to the eastern park entrance and paid a small fee to park. I walked to the trailhead stopping at Sandeul-E (산들에) for some coffee to drink outside in the sun. I walked up a road (some car was driving crazily out of the park so I pretended to take pictures and report them on the phone…huh) along a stream and then past Donghaksa temple (동학사), also a Buddhist school.
I didn’t stop for the temples and kept on going. I got to the real trail and headed up through forest, rock and stairways. It wasn’t a tricky hike and there were lots of green valley views behind me, as well as a long section of rock rubble that took up a whole slope.
In a few hours I was at the first peak of Gwaneumbong (관음봉) where I had my lunch. There were a few hikers up there doing the same thing.
It was now decision time; I’d made pretty good time going up and I’d rather go down a different route but wasn’t sure of the layout. Since I was already up, I decided to head north to Sambulbong (삼불봉) and loop back to the the Donghaksa temple entrance. I pretty much ran down the stairway since I didn’t want to out all day! I made good time then had to slow for the steep ascents, some rocky, some stairs. By the time I got to the second peak, the air was getting quite hazy; I could appreciate the views, but my iPhone SE didn’t.
After this fast push, it was a relatively easy hike back via Sangwonam hermitage (상원암). There was construction going on so I only posted a picture of one of the pagodas. In about 30 minutes, I was back on the road and took a quick look at Donghaksa temple. Once I got to the car, I drove slowly with hazards on (yes, I know…) looking for decently located coffee shop. I found De Ete Espresso along the main road. It had a seating area out front. Traffic was a bit heavy but it had a pretty full view of Gyeryongsan. I took a stroll after the coffee and saw there were lots of accommodation in the area. I contemplated staying the night for decinet mountain food but decided against it (money).
I drove back to Daejeon, parked up, washed up, then out to hunt for food. I went to the busier part of town but wasn’t really inspired by the towny offerings. Out of desperation I went to Rolling Pasta, a chain pasta restaurant from Baek Jong-won, one of Korea’s top TV chef personalities (a Ramsey and/or Oliver type!). I wasn’t expecting much, just desperate for food! But… the sausage pasta was actually very, very good and reasonably priced; the wine was only 3,000 won a glass and was perfectly decent! Lucky me. Afterwards, I found Sky Street (Road?) on Uineungjeongi Cultural Street.
I think I probably just went hope after that; I was pretty beat and didn’t want to get up late. I had a beer and watched some Netflix.
Places visited this trip (click the ‘door’ icon to see a list):