Cheongnyangsan Mountain

Twelve rock peaks rise like a folding screen above the upper Nakdonggang River at Cheongnyangsan, long nicknamed "the little Diamond Mountains". At 870 m it is not high, but every peak is ringed with cliffs, so the scenery changes constantly as you walk. Stories of the monk Wonhyo, the calligrapher Kim Saeng, the scholar Choe Chi-won and the Confucian philosopher Yi Hwang (Toegye) are attached to its caves and ledges, and today the main draw is a suspension bridge strung between two peaks at 800 m.

About the mountain

Cheongnyangsan lies in Myeongho-myeon, Bonghwa County, with part of it in Andong. It became a provincial park in 1982 and a national Scenic Site in 2007. The highest peak is Janginbong. The 18th-century geographer Yi Jung-hwan listed it among Korea's famous mountains outside the main Baekdudaegan ridge.

The peaks are made of conglomerate laid down in the Cretaceous. As wind and rain wore away this cemented gravel, they left vertical cliffs, caves and flat ledges, hence the local formula of "twelve peaks, twelve terraces and eight caves". Yi Hwang loved the mountain and wrote a short poem, Cheongnyangsan-ga, about it, and it later became a pilgrimage site for Confucian scholars.

What to see

• Haneul Bridge (Sky Bridge): a suspension bridge 90 m long, 70 m above the ground and 1.2 m wide, linking Jaranbong and Seonhakbong, built in 2008. At about 800 m, it is the highest mountain suspension bridge in Korea. The deck sways, so most people hold the rail on their first crossing.
• Cheongnyangsa Temple: said to have been founded by Wonhyo in 663. The name board of its main hall, Yuribojeon, is attributed to King Gongmin of Goryeo. Its halls stepping up the slope beneath the cliffs are the mountain's signature view.
• Kim Saeng Cave: where the Silla master calligrapher is said to have practised his brushwork.
• King Gongmin sites: Gongmin is said to have taken refuge here in 1361 while fleeing the Red Turban invasion. A mountain fortress near Chungnyungbong and a shrine to the king survive, and villagers still hold a memorial rite for him. The Joseon-era gazetteer Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam records the fortress as built of stone, 1,350 cheok around, with seven wells and two streams inside.

Tripto tips

• Routes: classic options run from Gwangseok Ferry via Cheongnyangsa ("inner Cheongnyang") to the summit and down past Eungjinjeon ("outer Cheongnyang"), or from Namnyeon-ri past Eungjinjeon, Kim Saeng Cave and Gyeongilbong to the top. Including the Sky Bridge, allow 3-5 hours depending on fitness. A walk to Cheongnyangsa alone is much shorter.
• Fees and closures: entry is free, with parking and toilets. The park lists 1 November to 15 May as its restricted-entry period, so check with Bonghwa County which trails are affected before setting out at that time of year. Access can also be closed in bad weather.
• Best time: autumn, when the foliage meets the rock peaks, is the busiest season.
• Combine with: the Cheongnyangsan Museum in the park and Dosan Seowon in Andong, about 10 km away, for a day following Yi Hwang's footsteps.