A Spontaneous Trip to Woljeongsa Temple and the Fir Forest
Feeling the urge to escape the monotony of daily life, I spontaneously decided to visit Woljeongsa Temple, a place a friend had recommended.
I didn't do much research beforehand, but I just headed there and found plenty of parking.
Parking closer to the front puts you near the Fir Forest Path. Parking a bit further in, past point B on the map, makes it convenient to visit Woljeongsa first and then take a loop through the Fir Forest Path.
Walking towards the bridge from the parking lot,
you'll see a sign. The temple is to the left,
and the Fir Forest is to the right.
The day wasn't particularly sunny, but that made it even better, as it wasn't glaringly bright.
Woljeongsa Temple was more spacious than I expected, and the patterns were incredibly beautiful.
It seemed like a cultural heritage site, but there was construction going on around it.
It looked like they were building something new here too.
Still, setting aside the construction, the pagoda was truly magnificent…
It's called the Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda. How can a pagoda be so elegant?
Ah, it would have been even more wonderful if not for the construction nearby.
I bowed my head to release some of the weight in my heart and came out, but
A sign strongly discouraged taking photos inside, so I only captured the exterior.
Apparently, temple stays are popular here.
The space seemed quite large, but most of it appeared to be accessible only to staff or those participating in temple stays.
I hope to try it someday.
As I walked around the temple, I noticed small inscriptions at the bottom.
Maybe because I was tired, I kept reading them.
I was delighted to find pretty flowers blooming by chance behind the temple.
There wasn't a huge amount to see, but it was clear that the temple was very well maintained.
The souvenir shop was quite large and had a variety of items, but I wasn't interested in buying anything that day, so I just looked around.
I took a picture of a cute USB drive.
They also sold magnets that seemed nicely made.
I should buy one next time I come with my mom.
After Woljeongsa Temple, I headed to the Fir Forest,
which was quite a long walk to complete the loop.
But with the sounds of water, mountains, and birds along the way, it was perfect for a solo walk.
Every shot was like a painting,
and since I visited on a Monday, it wasn't crowded, which made me feel relaxed.
The trees grew so tall that walking while looking up at the sky felt refreshing.
And because it was so nature-friendly, there were many birds and insects,
though I couldn't quite capture the birds on camera… ㅠ
I saw it was a filming location for the drama *Goblin*, so I looked it up, but *Goblin* featured winter scenery.
I think summer is also a very charming time to visit.
Grandfather Fir Tree.
The barefoot walking craze has reached even here. Seeing many people walking barefoot, I took off my shoes and walked as well.
The cold feeling from the ground was nice and ticklish,
but since I don't usually walk barefoot, the stones were a bit painful.
And finally, I saw a squirrel!
Actually, children and families were gathered where the squirrels were, so I couldn't see them well,
but while walking alone, I spotted a squirrel that was just standing still.
It stayed still for a long time before scampering off to play when other squirrel friends arrived...
I wasn't bored at all walking alone, and I was so happy to be able to enjoy this scenery.
I could have stayed here all day.
I don't know, it was just great.
After walking along the dirt path, you cross a bridge to a wooden deck path. The trees here are also magnificent.
And every so often, you'll see signs that say "Route Map." It's a barrier-free trail with no steep slopes or obstacles, making it ideal for wheelchairs.
This is what's great about having weekdays off.
Only after completing the loop did I realize that the place I was so impressed with was Odaecheon Stream.
And when my friend asked if I had dipped my feet in the water, I asked where she would do that, because it was forbidden here.
Turns out I had just walked past the place right at the entrance.
There was a small stream of water flowing out, and a place was set up to wash feet. It was very refreshing and a great place to rest. There were too many people to attach a picture.
The drive to get here was also wonderful, and it's a great place to take a walk alone and have some time to myself.
I should come back with my mom in a different season, feeling a bit lighter.
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