By Honorary Reporter Oshini Jayamuni From Sri Lanka

Photos = Shiellah Lee

"Hiking is like meditation for me. After a hike, I feel recharged."

This is what Shiellah Lee, a Philippine hiking enthusiast based in Korea, said in a Zoom interview on April 27.

Hiker Shiellah Lee on Haemyeongsan in Incheon.

Moving to Korea eight years ago after marrying a Korean man, she lives in Incheon with her husband and their daughter and works as a teacher of English. Living near Gyeyangsan (395 m) Mountain, she said she started exploring mountains alone after seeing an Instagram post of actor Lee Si-young on a hike.

"I thought of it only as exercise when hiking for the first time and as a great activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But after climbing a mountain and reaching the top, I found the view so pretty and beautiful," she said.

Sunrise at Buramsan Mountain, which is located on the boundary between Seoul's Nowon-gu District and Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do Province

"Each mountain offers a different view and beauty just like the people."

On Deogyusan Mountain in Jeollabuk-do Province 

She has scaled 12 mountains in Korea including Bukhansan (836 m) in Seoul, Cheonmasan (810 m) in Gyeonggi-do Province and Deogyusan (1,614 m) in Jeollabuk-do Province. She said Woraksan (1097 m) in Chungcheongbuk-do Province was the hardest for her because she had to walk a long distance on a trail of stairs. 

"Korea has over 100 mountains, so my goal is to climb them all one day. Climbing Hallasan (1,947 m), the highest mountain in Korean, on Jeju Island and Seoraksan (1,708 m) in Gangwon-do Province are my two main goals this year," she added.

Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul

Bukhansan is her favorite mountain to climb. "I felt so excited because it wasn't just walking. Sometimes I had to crawl and climb over rocks. It was adventurous," she said.

Lee said winter is her favorite season to hike because of snow on mountains, with fall second. She said the air is dusty in spring and the weather is hot in summer with many insects.

Snowy mountain view from Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon

Hiking trails in Korea are safe, she said, adding, "On every path are numbers to call if you get hurt or lost, and they send a helicopter to most elevated areas. Also people can use official sites and navigation apps to find hiking courses, and these make hiking in Korea a great experience every time."

"While hiking, I often come across young Koreans cleaning mountain sides in groups. This is very moving."

To aspiring hikers, she advised buying a good pair of shoes to prevent slipping when climbing. Second, she stressed developing the mindset to endure the process and enjoy the journey when hiking.

kalhong617@korea.kr 

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.