Wow, this was the dream! Originally when I was putting down the foundation for this Camino del Chuseok, I imagined walking with my friend along well-kept coastal trails. I wanted that magic of being together and then accomplishing a shared goal. During the walk, sometimes we chatted about the big things like work and relationships. Other times, it would have been some little comments on getting ahead of the slow-going family in front of us. Megan almost got her eye poked out by some grandma’s hiking pole when we were going up some stairs at Igidae 이기대 and we got around that group as quickly as possible. We were actually running at points feeling hits of adrenaline and I came to better understand ‘trail running’ as a sport. I still think it’s way too easy to get injured that way, but it was definitely fun. It reminded me of running down the hill to my grandparents’ lake cottage when I was a kid.

The course starts at Dalmaji Hill 달맞이 고개in Haeundae 해운대and follows the coastline very well until after Dongbaek Island 동백섬 (not really an island? more of a peninsula?). Even though it wasn’t well-marked for the Galmaetgil, it was easy to follow the coastline paths which are very well-kept. Many people are enjoying walking and running in these areas. It was nice to be surrounded by so many active people living their best lives at 7:30 in the morning.

Eventually we had to find our way around the yachting center on the other side of the super expensive apartments that are between Haeundae 해운대 and Gwangalli 광안리. That was a little complicated but the paper map pointed out different elementary schools which served as good landmarks. We then crossed over into Suyeong district 수영구 and it was extremely well-marked with signposts, ribbons, and even spray-painted seagull symbols on the ground.

We arrived at Gwangalli Beach 광안리해수욕장 in about 2 hours and got some coffee and sandwiches. I needed a proper rest since I was still feeling exhausted from the day before. Megan, having rested, was almost bouncing along the course from the thrill of the views and the adventure. My legs were tired, but the views were enough to make me want to keep going.

After Starbucks (almost an official partner of this walk by now! haha), we continued south toward Pukyeong National University 부경대학교 and then up to Igidae 이기대 to start the more difficult section of the day. Igidae 이기대 to Oryukdo 오륙도 is no joke and I will never understand why people try to do it in flats, dress shoes, heels, and wedges. It’s so much up and down on jagged, little rocks, stairs, tree roots, larger rocks, and more. Yesterday, it was still a little muddy from the previous day’s rain and I was on full injury-prevention mode most of the time. We couldn’t help running around the slowpokes and then on the final descent toward Oryukdo Skywalk 오륙도 스카이와크 – that was just delirious fun.

Course 2 was the best and the one I would definitely recommend to friends and family. I think it would take between 3.5 and 6 hours depending on activity level. It took Megan and me about 4 hours (we did it in 2-hour sections). The trail is beautiful and varied and just a dream come true.