131130 Sanghwangbong(サンファンボン 像皇峰상황봉645m), Wando(莞島 ワンド 완도), JeonNam Province(전남)

Mountain: Sanghwangbong(상황봉645m), Wando(완도), JeonNam Province (전남)

Hiking Course: Daeguri(대구리)- Shimbong (심봉) – Sanghwangbong(상황봉) – Baekunbong (백운봉) – Eobjinbong (업진봉) – Sukseungbong (숙승봉) – Youth Training Center – Parking Lot [10 km, 5 hours]

Participants : 45 members including 4 foreigners [Connie (Germany), Elena (Russia), Anand (India) and George (Japan)]

AhToSan came to Wando several times. The last time I took the same course, starting from Daeguri, and climbing 5 peaks, and came down to the Youth Training Center, was on March 19, 2011.

[The map of Wando, 莞島の地図、완도　지도]

It was early spring, and I was happy finding many flowers, and had wonderful “sashimi” at a restaurant on the island.

That time, the party cost 15,000 won. This time, we did not used the restaurant, but they bought “sashimi” there, and cooked “meuntang(매운탕)” by themselves, so the extra cost was 10,000 won for each hiker.

Since they could serve soon after the top hiker’s arrival, they did not waste “waiting time” for the last hiker. So, it is more rational and reasonable.

Anyway, it takes 5 hours for one way, we left the bus-top at 6 am. I used bicycle to go to the bus stop at Expo South Gate Parking Lot.

They said that all seats were reserved in the morning on Monday. It was the earliest record ever in AhToSan history.

Anand, the Indian researcher at KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute), sat by me. It was his 2nd attendance on AhToSan hike.

There was several big stone memorials at Haenam Service Area. One of them read as "Memorial Tower for Korean War Veterans" and there were many smaller memorial stones. On each small stone, there were many names of people for each "Myon" district. They must be the names who went to the war as the soldiers from these districts

[Memorial Tower for Korean War Veterans, 朝鮮戦争参戦記念塔6.25참전기념탑]

Just next to the "Memorial Tower for Korean War Veterans" there was another memorial tower for Vietnam War Veterans.

Soon after having a short stop at Haenam Service Area, we arrived at Daeguri　Bus Stop at 10:49.

[The bus arrive at Daeguri, バスがテグリに到着、버스가 대구리 도착]

[Daeguri Bus Stop, 莞島郡テグリバス停、완도군 대구리 버스 정류장]

[Connie and Elena before the hike, 出発前にコニーとエレナ、출발 전에 코니와 엘레나]

After getting off from the bus, we went together in front of a big stone on which the name of the village "Daeguri" was curved, and we took a group picture at 10:52.

[Group picture at Daeguri, テグリにて集合写真、대구리에서 단체 사진]

We began hiking soon after taking the picture. We passed by the small cage of black goats, then passed a traditional cemetery. Soon I was the last hiker.

[Black goats, 黒ヤギ、흑염소들]

[Wild flowers at the cemetery, 墓地の野花、묘지의 야생화]

[Small maple leaves along the trail, 麓の小さな紅葉、산기슭의 작은 단풍]

[“Sarcandra glabra” センリョウ(千両)、천냥금]

AhToSan hikers were all fast hikers and so were the foreigners.

Jeongjeong, and Mogwa, two attractive ladies took the role of “Humi” leaders. “Humi” means “last” or “slowest” group.

They waited and encouraged me on the way. When we came to the ridge from where we could see the sea, Alain Delon and some other hikers were waiting for us.

[On the first ridge, 最初の稜線にて、첫 번째 능선에서]

We had “Suzuki Time” there. I offered grapes and strawberries, while Alain Delon offered a bottle of makgeolli.

["Suzuki Time" on the ridge, 稜線にて『スズキタイム』、능선에서 "스즈키 타임 "]

[Alain Delon offered makgeolli, アランドロンがマッコリを提供、아랑드롱님이 막걸리를 제공]

[A view from the ridge, 稜線からの展望、능선에서의 전망]

[On the ridge, 稜線にて、능선에서]

All three foreigners were not waiting for me. It seemed that they went ahead with the top group.

[Rocky part of the trail, シム峰の手前の岩場、심봉 앞의 바위]

We arrived at the first peak, “Shimbong” at 12:20. I was with Jaemi, Darraengi, Nadosan and Gomdori, they were all fun.

[The Shimbong, シム峰、심봉 ]

[George on Shimbong, シム峰にて、심봉에서]

We had lunch a little before Sanghwangbong, the main peak.

[Lunch on the ridge, 稜線にて昼食、능선에서 점심 식사]

I could not catch up with 3 foreigners, but at this moment, I was not in the last group. Two hiking leasers, Jeongjeong and Mogwa were taking care of 3 female members.

So when they began having lunch, I left the lunch place with the middle group.

[Lunch on the ridge, 稜線にて昼食、능선에서 점심 식사]

Then, soon I found the three foreigners at the summit of Sanghwangbong.

Before the main group arrived at the peak, I asked another AhToSan members to take our “foreigners” picture with the big stone monument.

[At Sanghwangbong, 像皇峰にて、상황봉에서]

[At Sanghwangbong with the middle group, 像皇峰にて、상황봉에서]

Then the main group had arrived at the summit. I took some pictures of Anand and Elena with the stone monument of Beacon table(봉화대).

[Beacon Table, 烽火台、봉화대]

[At Sanghwangbong with many female members, 像皇峰にて、상황봉에서]

[On the ridge, 稜線にて、능선에서]

It could be used at naval battles during Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98).

After Sanghwangbong, I could enjoy ridge hiking with the main group, including Grace and “Charisma.”

“Charisma” is one of the oldest members, who stopped coming to AhToSan for several years, then re-joining AhToSan hike recently.

[Connie at the observation deck, 展望台にてコニー、전망대에서 코니]

[Grace Lee on the rock, 岩の上のグレイス、바위위에 그레이스]

[Anand in the evergreen woods, 常緑樹の森のアナンド、상록수 숲 아난드]

Elena and Connie were really good hikers. When we came down through the evergreen woods, there was a heliport at the bottom of the down trail.

I took some pictures in front of the big map with the middle group, but Elena and Connie were not there. They went ahead of us.

[With middle group at Heliport, ヘリポートにて、헬기장에서]

Anand’s walking pace was almost same as mine, so we could walk together, just like at the hike of Palgongsan two weeks ago.

The 3rd summit was “Baekunbong(백운봉)”with natural rock monument. We had to climb a cliff with some difficulties.

[At Baekunbong, 白雲峰にて、백운봉에서]

["Smale" at Baekunbong,白雲峰にて『スマイル』、백운봉에서 "스마일"]

After I climbed up to the peak, Anand followed me. Then the middle group, such as Alain Delon, Ruchi and Smile followed suit.

[Wild“Sarcandra glabra”,野生のセンリョウ(千両)、야생 천냥금]]

The fourth peak was “Eopjinbong(업진봉)”. Again we had to climb a rocky place, and Nadosan, a female Korean member had difficulties on climbing the cliff.

[The top group at Eopjinbong, オプジン峰にてトップグループ、업진 봉에서 선두들]

She was about to give up, then being encouraged by other members, including me, she managed to come to the stone monument.

After this summit, we came through the silver grass field, then we crossed a forest road, and headed for the last peak,

“Sukseungbong(숙승봉).”

[At silver grass field, ススキの原で、억새 밭에서]

[At Sukseungbong, 宿僧峰(スクスンボン)にて、숙승봉에서]

It looked like a big rock, and seemed difficult to climb. Actually there were steel stairs facilitated, and not too difficult to climb, comparing the previous two peaks.

[At Sukseungbong, 宿僧峰(スクスンボン)にて、숙승봉에서]

After the 5th peak, we went down through the evergreen woods, looking down the TV drama location of “Emperor of the Sea” (해신).

[Looking down the TV location set, 『海神』のロケ地を見下ろす、'해신'의 촬영지를 내려다 보았다.]

“Emperor of the Sea” (해신)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_the_Sea

[I liked this drama very much, and I saw all stories by DVD. After seeing this drama I became a fan of Soo Ae, an attractive Korean actress.]

[The trail in the evergreen woods, 常緑樹の林、상록수의 숲]

When I came down to the Youth Training Center, I noticed that there were several new facilities related to Jang Bogo

Jang Bogo(장보고張保皐)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jang_Bogo

[Jang Bogo Camping Site, 張保皐野営場、장보고　야영장]

[Silver grass field at the foot of the mountain, 麓のススキの原、산기슭의 억새 밭]

The autumnal colors near the training center were especially beautiful.

[Autumnal colors at the foot of the mountain, 麓の紅葉、산기슭의 단풍]

[Wando Youth Training Center, 莞島青少年修練館,완도 청소년 수련관]

But at the same time, I noticed that the small shop which we had makgeolli in March 2011, was abandoned.

It must be out of business. It cannot be helped.

Then I saw AhToSan bus, and fast hikers were already having “Wrap-up” party.

[Ruchi arrived at the parking lot, ルチが駐車場へ到着、루시가 주차장에 도착]

Among fast hikers, I saw Elena and Connie, enjoying “sashimi” and “maeuntang”with some Korean hikers.

[At Wrap-up Party, 打ち上げにて、뒤풀이에서]