Dobongsan

Peaks: Jaubong (740m), Jubong, Podae
Area: Dobongsan, Bukhansan, South Korea
The world's busiest national park, with five million visitors a year, Bukhansan is just a metro ride from the centre of Seoul. I was curious to see it at the weekend, as I have always felt Snowdon has a case for the world's most climbed mountain, and only the Tatra has come close in my previous three decades of mountain travel. Having said that, I opted for Dobongsan, the northern area, as I felt the crowds on Baegundae may just have been too overwhelming. It was certainly a novelty: I've climbed multiple thousands of peaks, but nothing quite like this. After leaving the metro station, some very impressive peaks fringe the skyline. Then a warren of market stalls, all selling fantastic food for hiking picnics: I went for the classic, gimbap with a side of kimchi. At the entrance is an Alpine museum, which I poked round in happily before starting a low jogging pace upwards, weaving through hundreds (thousands actually) of local hikers. The route from Dobong is surprisingly steep, but mostly runnable, and takes a mixture of rocky staircases and forest paths to gain an impressive slab of granite (Madangbawi) with views over northern Seoul. It was a tad hazy but dry and warm, with beautiful autumnal colours, the best time of year to be here. Above was a vague wooded ridge, with the superb south face of Seoninbong to the right (climbers were on the good looking beige granite, highly reminiscent of Cornwall, Arran or Chamonix). From here, an actual staircase leads up to a narrow col: all very novel. If the hardware wasn't there, it would actually be a fairly challenging peak, perhaps a grade II scramble. As it is, the main peak involves a steep final climb facilitated by metal barriers: fairly exposed at the top (56 mins from the gimbap stall) and a small summit rammed with hikers. It was all pretty unique, as I had hoped it might be. Views down to Seoul were rather hazy, but the surrounding ridges were beautiful: outcrops of granite and dwarf trees, like a Japanese landscape painting. I fought my way back through the crowds then headed up a nearby knoll for a memorable lunch of homemade gimbap and kimchi: outstanding, although perhaps not the ideal running food, and my stomach rebelled for the jog across to the neighbouring - much quieter - peak of Jubong. This was a huge contrast, although not far to the south, and some open rock gained the summit. Then it was back to the knoll, and what I hoped was the ridgeline to Podae. I started up this, but was essentially prevented from doing so by a ranger, who seemed to suggest it was verboten. Instead, I took a meandering alternative, which regained the ridge and led to Podae: which has a kind of viewing platform at the summit, like something from an African safari. I took a direct line down steep steps with lovely autumnal scenes; this valley was steep-sided and much less busy, until the Manworam temple is reached. Soft buddhist chants then accompanied the rest of the run and I rejoined the ascent path lower down. After a rest in a truly delightful glade, spectacular autumn colours, I did as the locals did: a beer in a convenience store, and then a truly memorable hour as I drank a bottle of makgeolli, the local raw rice wine with a chalky white colour, in a kind of beer garden with multiple tables. Seeing me drinking the local brew, two different people shared their food with me as everybody relaxed after their Saturday hike.