A weekend riverside ride from Seoul to the land of mountains and spicy chicken

A boardwalk over the North Han River on the Bukhangang Bicycle Path just outside of Chuncheon, Gangwon, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

This article is part of a series on long-distance cycling in Korea. For an overview of the cross-country route, click here. For more detailed information on logistics, including how to rent a bike, navigate, book accommodation and fly with a bike, click here. For all articles in the series, click here.
 
The Bukhangang Bicycle Path, or North Han River bicycle path, is a 70-kilometer (43.5-mile) trail from just outside of Seoul to Chuncheon in the mountainous province of Gangwon. Though somewhat overlooked, as it is not part of the medal-earning cross-country or four rivers routes, it still offers some of the best weekend cycling for anybody based in or around the capital.
 
The Bukhangang — the Korean name for the North Han River — is a major tributary of the Han River, joining the main waterway in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi, just east of Seoul. Originating from headwaters deep in North Korea, the river flows across the demilitarized zone at Hwacheon and passes through the popular tourist areas of Chuncheon and Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, before turning toward Seoul.
 

Looking down river from just outside Chuncheon, Gangwon, on Nov. 2. [JIM BULLEY]

 
Chuncheon is as far as the Bukhangang Bicycle Path goes, and at 70 kilometers, it’s the perfect distance for a there-and-back weekend, or, uniquely among the official bike paths, a one-day trip with a train or subway ride at the end.
 
The Seoul end of the route is on the Hangang Bicycle Path, so cyclists departing from Seoul need only find the river and head east — they will eventually hit Bukhangang. The Hangang path crosses the tributary on a famous repurposed railway bridge, so if you’re coming from Seoul and you find yourself on the bridge, you know you’ve gone too far.
 
If you don’t fancy riding the extra kilometers and it’s the weekend, the trail starts just next to Ungilsan Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which is right before the aforementioned railway bridge. This subway line is open to cyclists on weekends, provided you ride in the first or last car.
 

Riding the Bukhangang Bicycle Path in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

 
Driving is also an option — Yangsu, on the other side of the river, provides plenty of places to leave a car, although traffic on the weekend can be a nightmare.
 
The Bukhangang Bicycle Path is an official route with stamps (more on that here), but you will need to pick up a bike passport in advance, as there is no serviced certification center en route. While completing the route is not necessary for the cross-country or four rivers medals, cyclists going for the grand slam will need it.
 
Setting off from Balgeun Gwangjang Certification Center, the first 30 minutes or so of the Bukhangang tracks a series of parks, forcing cyclists through a certainly annoying and potentially dangerous gauntlet of uncaring errant pedestrians and rentable path-wide four-wheeled bike cart monstrosities.
 

The Seoul-Yangyang Expressway cuts across the North Han River in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

 
Despite the crowds and mechanical atrocities, this is a lovely stretch of the Bukhangang and any of the pleasant-but-expensive cafes that dot the route are worth considering for an early caffeine stop.
 
Punch through the parks and you hit the road, climbing over a few shallow hills on the 14-kilometer run to Saeteo Samgeori Certification Center. This isn’t a particularly enjoyable stretch — the bike path hugs the road and is interrupted by driveways every few meters, so it is vital to stay alert — but it is a good place to stop for lunch if you started late.
 
 
From the Saeteo Samgeori Certification Center to the Kyunggang Bridge Certification Center is about 25 kilometers, and you quickly leave the road behind.  
 

Riding the Bukhangang Bicycle Path in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

 
Saeteo Samgeori is immediately followed by a tunnel, and, coming out the other side above Daeseong-ri Station, it feels like going through the wardrobe into Narnia. Gone are the roads and the crowds, and the path finally hits rural east Gyeonggi, which is a far more enjoyable stretch of riding.
 
Reaching Kyunggang Bridge involved riding through a series of small villages, then climbing to 154 meters — the trip’s highest point — before descending into Gapyeong. The climb is gradual and ought to be manageable for even less confident riders, and Gapyeong provides plenty of opportunities to stop and refuel.
 
From the Kyunggang Bridge, it’s a 30-kilometer ride to the finish line at Sinmae Bridge in Chuncheon.
 

The Bukhangang Bicycle Path cuts through a number of tunnels, this one in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

 
Crossing the Kyunggang Bridge also takes you from Gyeonggi into Gangwon, and the scenery grows more dramatic almost immediately. The path is largely flat with a few small hills and tracks the river, with a particularly picturesque section on a boardwalk over the river outside Chuncheon.
 
But while the path is flat, Gangwon’s mountains start to make an appearance around you, offering the sort of vistas that are precisely the reason you want to ride the Bukhangang in the first place. It’s a chance to be in the mountains without having to ride up them.
 

Riding the Bukhangang Bicycle Path in Chuncheon, Gangwon, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

 
About halfway along this stretch, you hit the village of Gangchon, the last place to stop before Chuncheon. From there, you push on for another hour to pick up the final stamp just north of central Chuncheon. Cross the river on Sinmae Bridge and follow the well-maintained bike paths into town to find a bed for the night.
 
Chuncheon is the home of dakgalbi, marinated chicken in a gochujang sauce with cabbage, and that really ought to be what you’re here for. For international tourists, dakgalbi is a beloved Korean dish, particularly popular among recent converts to Korean cuisine.  
 
There are enough dakgalbi restaurants in Chuncheon to last a lifetime, especially in the back alleys of the downtown Myeong-dong district, so you won’t have any trouble finding one that suits your needs.
 

Riding the Bukhangang Bicycle Path in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 1. [JIM BULLEY]

 
You can burn off all that chicken the next day by going the whole way back to Seoul again, or, if you’d rather not repeat the ride, Chuncheon sits at the end of the Gyeongchun Line, which can be used with bikes on weekends.
 
Even if it isn’t the weekend, the ITX-Chuncheon is the only train line in Korea that still allows non-folding bikes to be brought on board. This will take you all the way to Yongsan Station in central Seoul, but bikes require a reservation. Residents in Korea can do this on the Korean version of the Korail app, but international tourists will have to either find a helpful friend or try calling Korail’s customer service line.
 
As in every city in Korea, the intercity bus is also an option for leaving Chuncheon. Drivers generally accept bikes, although it is at their discretion.
 

Looking down river from just outside Chuncheon, Gangwon, on Nov. 2. [JIM BULLEY]

BY JIM BULLEY [[email protected]]