This was my fourth hike on Mount Halla. It was a glorious day for it and I thoroughly enjoyed the trek. I visited a seaside resort for a post-hike coffee, then explored the village of Wimi (where I was staying) at sunset.
Hallasan Mountain is the literal centrepiece of Jeju island; on most days you catch glimpses of it in the distance while traveling around. I’ve been to the peak twice, once with my wife and another time alone. Today’s hike was up the Yeongsil (영실) course on the south west side, to Witsae Oreum (윗세오름) and back.
It was a little tricky logistically; I was in the middle of a four-day trip hiking the Ollegil trail and didn’t want to lug my four-day’s worth of stuff up Halla so I booked a guesthouse for two nights (basecamp!). Also, getting busses to and from the trailheads would’ve been quite time consuming from where I was (more than an hour each way). I’d hoped to do a through hike that started with Yeongsil and Donnaeko as the trailheads but that was proving too tricky to sort out if I wanted to avoid taxis. With all that in mind, I booked a SOCAR located in Seogwipo the day before. I was staying in Wimi and got a bus first thing from there to Seogwipo, picked up the car, then drove to the Yeongsil entrance car park. TIP: If you’re driving, it’s important to get there early because the uppermost parking lot closest to the trailhead WILL fill up. Using the lower car park means hiking an extra two and half kilometres up along the road. This was already going to be quite a long hike, so I made sure I got there early enough to avoid that. I was parked before 8:30, and yes, the car park was getting full! Bear in mind, this was a Wednesday in October!
The weather was perfect for this activity and I started on my way. I’d done the first part of this trail a few years ago with my wife, parents, sister, Olly and nephew Dylan; my family were staying because Romana and I had just got married and this was a family honeymoon trip. On that occasion, we didn’t get to the top of the stairs section.
There were quite a few people, young and old, chatting happily and making their merry way along the trail. The first 90 minutes is up step through forest and then bushes past the treeline. The views towards the crater at the peak and the rocky valley were quite spectacular. You can also look back to the city of Seogwipo and the sea. The sun was in my face though, so the cliff faces were in shadow (for now).
When you get to the top of this section, the landscape changes dramatically to flat grassland with rocky ‘fields’. You need to use wooden walkways here, meant to maintain the natural beauty of the area. There a a couple of wooden observation decks where you can enjoy looking up to the crater walls, and also across the vast grassy, rocky plains. While up there, a helicopter flew around us a few times and got quite close.
I finished my first kimbab at that point then set off again (I left my phone on the floor beside me as I left and very fortunately, another hiker called to me and ran to me with it in his hand; phew!). Along a very easy flat section now, and you eventually get to a shelter; this was quite large with an even bigger observation deck. This was the main intersection, connecting the Yeongsil and Eorimok trails.
I had more food here and explored a bit, taking photos. I then head east towards Witse Oreum. Here the wooded walkways stopped and it was a trail made up of volcanic rock; very nice to look at but hard to walk on (I preferred the boardwalks). It was still a relatively flat trail though, apart from a few sections where you dip into and walk up a few hilly sections. This part basically takes you along and under the vast south wall of the volcano crater called Nambyeokbungijeom (남벽분기점). This was my turning point and therefore rest stop. Once past this spot, the trail dips down again to the entrance of Donnaeko trail which is a long hike south.
I must say, this hike was a lot easier than I was expecting. Two reasons; I’d started at quite a high elevation, and once up the steps at the beginning, it is mostly flat. Heading back wasn’t going to be challenging at all. After a few photos and some food, I mad good time back to the shelter, then back down to the entrance. Heading down, the ridges were now in sunlight and it was like a whole new landscape than I’d seen earlier.
As I was getting to my car, I could see clouds coming in and engulfing the heights I’d just been up. Good timing and happy I was done by 1 pm. I left the car park, satisfied, and paid a very small parking fee as I left (3,000 won?). I then drove to get some coffee at a resort near the sea, a place called Harakeke (하라케케).
Then I made my way back to Seogwipo, then immediately got a bus back to the guesthouse in Wimi (about 30 minutes away). After a shower and quick nap, I explored more of the village and found a place to get some breadcrumbed fish and a well deserved glass of beer. Then I wandered down to the harbour and over the large footbridge. I got affogato after that, at a cafe Romana and I had visited back in winter 2020, called Cafe Seoyeonui House (카페서연의집). I’d passed it yesterday heading into Wimi. Back to the guesthouse and an early night. Tomorrow I’d be completing the rest of course 5 of the Ollegil and starting trail 4 before getting a bus to the airport and heading home.
