Bikepacking the 4 Rivers Path (South Korea)
Translated from an old forum post in Dutch.
Pictures: link
Context
I did this bikepack and wrote this blog while I was on exchange in South Korea (arrived just before the coronavirus situation escalated here and in Europe).
Fortunately for me, the measures here have been quite moderate, and I really can’t complain. Because I was getting a bit tired of the city (although, mind you, Seoul remains fascinating to visit) and because I needed a break from living with my roommate in a small room, I decided to venture out on my own. Luckily, Korea seems to be a hidden gem for cycling, and there’s a bike route (almost entirely car-free!) from Seoul in the north to Busan in the south. After some Google searching, I booked a few hostels/Airbnbs and set off.
Day 1: Seoul –> Yeoju, 103km, 491 meters elevation gain.
Got up early and took the metro from Incheon to Seoul. Rented a bike in Seoul including panniers, helmet, etc… Started the route around 10:30 am. Had immediate luck with the weather on the first day, not much wind and sun all day long. The bike route didn’t disappoint either, almost entirely on a perfectly paved, wide, and car-free bike path. At the beginning, I had to dodge some children and families, but once outside Seoul, it was wonderfully calm. No problem with provisions either: every few kilometers, there was a small shop or coffee stand to rest and grab something to eat/drink. Yeoju made it immediately clear why half of the population lives in Seoul, a huge rural area along a highway with only one restaurant near my rather shady Airbnb. Eventually, I had a good meal and even managed to wash my clothes! Then I settled into the couch with a bottle of Makgeolli (local rice wine) and watched a movie.
Day 2: Yeoju –> Suanbo, 86km, 600 meters elevation gain.
Had considerably less luck with the weather, raining non-stop from morning till evening. However, I didn’t have much choice and had to continue, so I put on my raincoat and pushed on to the next stop. After a few hours, I was completely soaked and really fed up. Luckily, the route was beautiful again, which made up for a lot. Around noon, I stopped somewhere to eat and warm up, but then accidentally ordered a cold noodle soup… The downside of not knowing much about Korean cuisine! Fortunately, I arrived fairly early at a nice small hotel where I even had a bathtub with water from the local hot springs!
Day 3: Suanbo –> Gumi, 135km, 1000 meters elevation gain.
Started the day with a more than welcome breakfast at the hotel and then set off on the longest ride. The first kilometers were tough, with the two longest climbs of the route right after each other. But it was really a blissful feeling once at the top, and the view was fantastic. Then a long descent, and the rest of the ride was mostly flat. The weather was also brilliant, this was by far the best day! However, Gumi was quite a dirty city, so I just stayed in my motel and ordered food. It was also in a rather shady part of town, so I didn’t feel like wandering around much. The owner of the motel was extremely friendly, even though he didn’t speak a word of English.
Day 4: Gumi –> Daegu, 50km, 180 meters elevation gain.
A very quiet day to digest the kilometers a bit better. It was nice to sleep in for once! Beautiful weather, but a slightly less interesting route, flat along the river without much variation. A small anecdote: for the fourth day in a row, I met a Korean who was cycling to Busan on roughly the same schedule as me. He called me into a shop to treat me to some Korean snacks and a pint. In Daegu, I was fortunately in a nice neighborhood around a university, so I wandered around and had a delicious dinner at a restaurant in the evening.
Day 5: Daegu –> Namji, 103km, 915 meters elevation gain.
A very fun but unexpectedly tough ride! Thunderstorms were predicted in the afternoon/evening, so I wanted to leave early and push on. I didn’t want to get completely soaked again. However, the headwind throughout the ride and unexpectedly difficult climbs made it quite challenging. Fortunately, the thunderstorm held off until the evening, and although I struggled a bit, it was still a great ride. The climbs were a nice change from cycling next to the river.
Day 6: Namji –> Busan, 98km, 280 meters elevation gain.
A flat ride to the finish. Had amazing weather again for the first part of the route and a beautiful route. The last 30km were a bit too much: strong sea breeze right in the face and had to ride along a busy bike path when entering Busan.
Conclusion: I really enjoyed it. It was the perfect way to unwind alone and get to know Korea in a different way. I’m also extremely happy that I didn’t have any trouble with the bike, no flat tires, no falls, etc. This was my first solo “bikepacking” trip, previously only done in groups with the Chiro.
