15 Olle Trail Routes on Jeju Island
By Linda Myers
Contributing Writer
JEJU ― Breathe deeply. Can you smell how fresh the air is? Look out onto the horizon. Can you see the sunlight sparkling on the moving waves in the ocean? Listen carefully. Can you hear the birds singing in the trees? Do you feel the breeze on your skin and the path under your feet as you walk?
If your answer to all of these questions is ``No,'' then you are not enjoying a walk on any of the 15 Jeju Olle trail routes that wait for you to come and learn their secrets. In 2008, 30,000 people walked one of these pathways, and before 2009 runs out, 150,000 are expected to have the pleasure. What about you?
You may be asking yourself, ``Do I know what a Jeju Olle trail route is?'' A Jeju Olle trail route is a path along the pristine coastal perimeter of Jeju Island that has been purposefully marked by volunteers to enable walkers of all ages enjoy the unspoiled beauty of South Korea's first and largest natural UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today you can choose from among 15 (13 main routes and 2 alpha routes) walking tours which stretch from Gwangchigi Beach in the east to Yongsu Port in the west. There are over 215 kilometers of trekking pathways, and more are planned.
The word Olle comes from the old Jeju dialect and refers to the narrow paths, inaccessible to cars, from which all the trails have been discovered and restored. On average, each Jeju Olle trail is 10-18 kilometers in length and offers a unique opportunity to soak in the beauty of the Jeju coastline that varies rapidly from lowlands to highlands and back to lowlands again. These quick shifts in topography allow walkers to enjoy farmland and forests, grasses and palm trees, fresh water ponds and ocean vistas, waterfalls and cliffs, often all on a single journey. Almost all the planned walks are estimated to take between 4 and 8 hours to complete. Walk with family! Walk with friends! Make new friends on the trail!
Suh Myeong-suk is president of the nonprofit Jeju Olle Foundation which she manages and operates with her team and the support of local administrations, public and private sponsorships, and volunteer services. On this August day, she is gathered before our large crowd, microphone in hand, coaching us to stretch before our walking journey begins on Route #1-Siheung to Gwangchigi. `Hana, Dooul, Set'' I hear her say.
Two hundred of us groan and stretch obediently. After a good stretch, we're all off! The scenery is indeed, breathtaking. Gwangchigi Beach is the first and oldest of the 15 walking courses which was created in 2007. It lies on the eastern part of Jeju island directly in the line of sight of the much smaller Udo Island. Its most glaringly beautiful feature is its proximity to one of the most famous South Korean landmarks: the Seongsan Ilchulbong, more familiarly known as Sunrise Peak. As we walk along the shore line, it is not long before the land shifts upward and into farm land. It is remarkable how quickly the shape of the land changes.
The rope and rubber carpet helps to keep our feet grounded and makes our descent to sea level much easier.
Are you wondering what the best thing about the Jeju Olle trails might be? There are two ``best things.'' The first ``best thing'' is that the trails are open four seasons of the year so that everyone may enjoy the beauty of Jeju all year around. The second ``best thing'' is that when you walk with your friends and family, you are giving one another two gifts at the same time: the gift of nature that you enjoy together; and the gift of time you spend together. How special it is to be able to do both at once! Give yourself, your friends and your family the gifts of time and nature. Pick your pleasures today. There are 15 Jeju Olle trail routes just waiting for you.
Before you go, find a copy of the compact colorful Jeju Olle Trail Routes Guide Book that carefully describes each route in detail. www.jejuolle.org or 02-.64.739.2170 or ollekorea@gmail.com