10 April 2026
A day of fog and clay
Gyejoksan red clay trail
I have been here before. Last time there were not many blossoms and no fog. Today there were a lot of blossoms and a huge amount of fog.
The fog was so thick that I got lost near the start. I attempted to re-create the same journey I did last time, that was fine at first, I was definitely in the right spot when I saw the golden hands (see below), but then some time after the fog covered small peak, I took a wrong turn, and ended up walking much further than last time. It was 2 hours before I even hit the red clay trail, and then I still had about 16km to go.
Onto the stats -
36,000 steps
25.31km including getting lost
5 hours 53 minutes - I ran some of it
1,499 calories burned
863m vertical ascent - more than expected
Brace for fog.
Last time I took a subway and then a bus, today I took just a bus which went right to where I wanted to start today, in the same place as 7 April 2019, 6 years and 3 days ago.
The map. I should have paid attention.
These stairs were not here last time.
If I recall, this used to be a spot where you pay to fish, now it is a public park.
It almost looks like snow, but no it is blossoms.
As mentioned, the golden hands were the landmark I was looking for to ensure I was on the right trail.
There were many graves around.
Here comes the fog. With stairs.
Purple and fog. Nice.
The only real summit of the day. Not very high, it was here that I think I took a wrong, or at least, different turn compared to the last time I was here.
Great fog, soon I will start talking about clay.
OK, now there is no fog, I was below it, briefly.
I was very surprised to come out into this valley, with poor quality farms. It was at this point I knew I was not on the same track as last time.
Instead I entered via the main entrance to the red clay trail park. Lots of parking and landscaping.
Behold, red clay. This is the path up to the actual loop trail for pilgrims. New clay has recently been layed, it is deep and soft.
Clay and blossoms, but no fog yet.
At this point I have joined the main loop trail. I did the full loop and saw almost no one around the back 2/3 of the trail, just a couple of trail runners. You can see here the clay is older and less red.
And then when it is covered in blossoms, you can barely see the clay at all. The idea is you walk a loop in bare feet in the clay, later you will see why.
Fog and blossoms, but not clay, no trifecta yet.
There are a few spots to stop for a rest, also a few toilets.
And finally, the trifecta of fog/clay/blossoms.
The rest of the 'hike' was foggy - as far as a hike goes it is pretty easy even though it is long, I jogged a lot of it.
Blossoms stopped occasionally, replaced by puddles. It never actually rained on me today, despite what every photo looks like.
This is the point where you turn for home. It gets busier from here back to the start with people who join from different roads and walk about 1/3 of the total loop, I don't think that counts.
This last bit is mostly down hill.
I realised that this rather unremarkable spot is where I joined the trail for my full loop last time.
I also took a photo of this sign last time, it explains why it is important to walk barefoot in the clay.
Near the end (start) of the loop, the red clay is fresh and plentiful.
And then finally, I was once more below the fog. I took a bus back from the park entrance. It was about a 20 minute wait, the bus stop seat was heated, I appreciated this as my hands had become cold, so I sat waiting for the bus, grilling my hands.