Walk Along the Water Path
In Hwaseong on a Warm, Sunny Spring Day
It was a great spring day for a nice, relaxing stroll along Hawseong Lake. The waves on the surface of the lake glistened all day long as the sunlight reflected off the water, and the reeds fluttered in the wind that constantly switched directions. My heart was quickly drawn to the scenery of the wetland welcoming migrating birds in its warm embrace. With an aerial view of migrating birds flocking to the welcoming embrace of Haeunsan Mountain, the radiance of the setting sun over the long and wide horizon was literally breathtaking to view. ‘This is the beauty of the West Sea’, I thought to myself in amazement. I walked continuously, tracing the boundaries between the ocean and the lake, the lake and the mountain, and the lake and the farmland. Time passed by at a slow pace in tranquility, cherishing the landscape’s distinctive charm. The field appeared as if it had taken off its winter clothes and changed into a spring dress.
Text by Si-mok Lee (gravel writer)
Photos by Si-mok Lee & Hwaseong City Municipality
Hawseong Lake & the Wetland
Hwaseongho Lake is an artificial lake created upon constructing the Hawseong breakwater connecting Maehyang-ri, Ujeong-eup and Gungpyeong-ri, Seoshin-myeon. A vast area of wetland surrounding the breakwater is home to longbills and plovers that fly to the wetland every spring. The wetland was officially designated as an international flyway site for migrating waterbirds in 2018 by the East Asian-Australian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP).
Walking on the Boundaries of Time & Space
After a rainy and cloudy month in March, the field in Hwaseong is finally starting to become a lush green. Even so, the reeds remain as thick as they were in fall and migrating birds are flying in groups as if it were winter. If I hadn’t seen a trace of green on the bottom part of the reeds, I would have certainly mistaken it for being winter. Spring is an elusive and ambiguous season in a way especially in its early stage. With April in Hwaseong still hesitating to reveal the true colors of spring, the ambiguity and traces of both winter and spring make this time in Hwaseong all the more appealing.
I am fond of wetlands and brackish water zones where the waters of a river and an ocean meet probably for the same reason. Nestled between two different spaces or on the edges of them, the wetland has distinctive features that appeal to many, making the landscape of wetlands particularly attractive and intriguing to me. With the relatively slow pace of development, visitors will likely have truly natural and unusual encounters with nature in Ueum-do and other parts of Hwaseong, which make traveling in the area even more interesting.
I was attracted to Hwaseong by the ambiguity of the wetland nestled between two different spaces and found myself lingering there, enchanted by the familiar yet unfamiliar landscape often characterized by a borderline area.
Since a borderline area in nature often acts as a buffer zone, Hwaseong is one of the cities with many borderline areas, located on the southwest coast of Gyeonggi-do Province. There are many breakwaters that mark the boundaries between either the ocean and a lake or Nodutgil that connects the water and neighboring islands. I felt like I was crossing boundaries during my travels in Hwaseong. Each step taken brings me closer to a brackish water zone with a clear view of the impressive scenery of the zone. Walking around in Hwaseong in April entails constantly crossing the boundaries of time and space.
▼ Hwaseongho Lake and Hwaseong Wetland, home to longbills and spoonbills.
Maehyang-ri Peace & Ecological Park
The site of Kooni Range, a U.S. Air Force bombing run training field for 50 years, has been transformed into a park. The park features a wetland garden, flowering plants garden and an apricot forest on an area of 333,578㎡, making it an ideal venue for a picnic on a warm spring day. Visitors can also take a light walk along the trail that runs winding across a large grass field. Late April is the best time to visit the park with canola flowers being in full bloom. The Peace Memorial Hall and Craft Culture Museum are also situated in the park.
Sights & Sounds of Spring at Hwaseongho Lake
Sihwaho Lake and Hwaseongho Lake are two places where the landscape of a borderline area is most evident in Hwaseong, and Hwaseongho Lake is an ideal choice for walking. The artificial lake created in the process of building the breakwater to develop reclaimed farmland in Hwaong District is surrounded by a wetland on its edges.
The walking journey starts from the Hwaseong Breakwater and ensues along a long stretch of wetland. Hwaseong Wetland consists of a mudflat, salt marsh, freshwater marsh and lakes, making it ecologically valuable. Longbills and plovers cannot tread on water because they lack webbed feet, so the wetland serves as a sanctuary for them when seawater flows in at high tide. Flocks of birds fly up into the sky in unison at high tide, creating a memorable scene to cherish. On a visit to the wetland in spring, it is worth hanging around for visitors to watch the birds. And if they keep their ears open and wait, the sounds of water in the lake splashing in the reeds can also be heard.
Walking along the long breakwater, visitors will find themselves at the Peace and Ecological Park in Maehyang-ri on the southern end of the breakwater. What had been a U.S. bombing run training field has now turned into a lovely park. Visitors can walk along a path of canola flowers and take a seat wherever they want. Beyond the field of yellow flowers, they will see the Statue of Peace, which is a statue of a girl, on a low hill overlooking the ocean, but looking at the back of someone for a while can make anyone feel oddly solemn. Thinking of all the painstaking steps people took to bring peace in this country, some visitors may feel a sense of gratitude. Others may feel a sense of pity and choked up as they reflect upon their own times of ordeal in life.
▼ Maehyang-ri Peace and Ecological Park designed by Mario Botta, a world-renowned architect.
Gungpyeong Port
Gungpyeong Port is known for the beautiful sunset, and the port is curved way inward. On the north end of the port is a coastal walking trail that runs over the ocean and on the south end is a floating fishing area. Gungpyeongnu, a pavilion at the end of the breakwater has been touted as the best spot to view the sunset.
▲ The lighthouse at the end of Hwaseong Breakwater. Inside of the breakwater is a lake and outside is the ocean.
When the lake & the ocean turn red
The long breakwater is great for those who want to lose track of time while enjoying a nice stroll reminiscent of El Camino de Santiago for pilgrimages. If the path feels boring, however, visitors can curtail their walk and come back to Gungpyeong Port. The port is not crowded or fancy, but it is one of my favorite destinations. Whenever I was heartbroken or feeling down, I would stand at the port and watch the sunset. A getaway at Gungpyeong Port helped calm my mind, regroup and gain perspective. A short walk on the decked path over the water led me to the ocean. I stretched my neck to see the water below which looked quiet on the surface but topsy-turvy underneath. With the tide rising, the sand, waves, sunset and rocks on the coast in Gungpyeong-ri all seem to join forces and keep the boundaries between the land and the ocean. Turning away from the ocean at the port, I started to walk by the lake. On the left was reclaimed farmland and on the right was the lake. Hwaseongho Dulletgil is a bike path that stretches in an S-shape between the lake and the farmland. On a bright sunny day, the sunlight shines like twinkling starts on the surface of the lake. The water glitters on until the sun sets beneath the ocean, and watching it glisten gives visitors an enduring sense of inner peace.
The last item on the itinerary is Haeunsan Mountain. As I slowly climbed the mountain against the sunset in the West Sea, I thought back on the years gone by. It is a low-lying mountain but makes a great spot from which visitors can get a panoramic view of the vast field and the horizon, and the breakwater that traverses the ocean and the lake. From the mountain, I was able to see the entire wetland nestled between the ocean and the lake. A long day’s walk came to an end and the crescent moon was already up in the night sky.
▼ The coastal walking trail at Gungpyeong Port runs above the sea.
