Gaehwasan

Right next to Gimpo Airport and looking down on the lower Han River, this low hill marks the western edge of Seoul. Walking its 3.35 km loop you can watch planes landing and taking off, follow the river, spot Haengju Fortress on the far bank and, on clear days, Bukhansan in the distance. A Joseon beacon site, a Korean War battlefield and an old temple give it more stories than a simple walk would suggest.

The mountain where a flower bloomed

The name Gaehwasan, "mountain where a flower opened", comes from a legend. In Silla times a hermit called Juryong lived here and every year on the ninth day of the ninth month climbed to a high spot to drink wine; after he died, a strange flower bloomed where he used to sit. The hill was first called Juryongsan and later Gaehwasan. A temple named Gaehwasa appeared here in the Goryeo period and, perhaps because of its healing spring, was renamed Yaksasa, "Medicine Buddha temple", towards the end of Joseon. The 18th-century painter Jeong Seon painted Gaehwasa as seen from the Han River. On the south-western slope stands a second temple, Mitasa.

Beacon and battlefield

The summit once held a Joseon beacon station. It received fire signals from the fifth main beacon line, which started in Suncheon in Jeolla Province, and passed them on to the Mongmyeoksan beacon on Namsan. Today there is a model beacon near the top and a small shelter called Bonghwajeong.

Right after the Korean War broke out, from 26 to 30 June 1950, about 1,100 soldiers of the ROK Army's 1st Division fell back towards Gimpo and made a last stand on this hill. Cut off from headquarters and supplies and facing a much larger North Korean force, many of them died in the surrounding valleys. A memorial was built in 1994, the area has been laid out as Gaehwasan Patriots' Park, and a memorial service is held every year on 28 June.

Along the trail

• Sky Road viewpoint: looks down on the runways and terminals of Gimpo Airport, the Gimpo plain and Gyeyangsan. Children love watching the planes up close.
• Ara Waterway viewpoint: overlooks the 18 km Ara canal linking the Han River with the Yellow Sea, and the Ara Han River lock.
• Gaehwasan viewpoint: the lower Han, Banghwa Bridge, Haengju Fortress across the river, and as far as Namsan and Bukhansan. A panel sets Jeong Seon's painting beside today's view.
• Yaksasa: in the temple courtyard stand a three-storey stone pagoda listed as Seoul tangible cultural heritage and a 3.3 m stone Buddha.

Tripto tips

• The loop: the Gaehwasan forest trail, Course 1 of the Gangseo Dulle-gil, is 3.35 km round. With dirt paths and a barrier-free boardwalk it is easy for children and older walkers. Starting at Banghwa Neighbourhood Park and passing Yaksasa, the viewpoints and the summit takes about 1 hour 10 minutes; with stops at every lookout, allow more than two hours.
• Tickets: none. The whole hill is a public park, open at any time.
• Getting there: walk from Exit 2 of Gaehwasan Station (Line 5) or Exit 1 of Gaehwa Station (Line 9). From Banghwa Station (Line 5) it is about five minutes towards the river to the Banghwa Neighbourhood Park entrance.
• When to go: April blossom and late-autumn colour are the highlights, and the summit is a popular spot for the first sunrise of the year. Clear afternoons give the sharpest views of the river and Bukhansan.