The Last Regular Olle Route: Climb Jimibong and It All Comes Into View

Count your way through the Jeju Olle routes in order, and eventually you reach the number 21. Said to be the last of the Jeju Olle Trail's regular numbered courses, Route 21 is described as picking up where Route 20 — which GYULI introduced not long ago — leaves off, starting in Hado-ri, Gujwa-eup, and continuing on to Jongdalri. On paper, it might look like just one more course added to the count, but for those who've been walking toward completing the full Olle trail, Route 21 is said to carry a different weight, as the course that closes out the regular lineup. The name that comes up most often within the route is, without question, Jimibong, an oreum said to be the highlight of the course. So today GYULI is laying out what's known about Route 21, centered on Jimibong. I'll be careful not to confidently pin down the exact distance, how long it takes, or the fine details of the trailhead, so I'll stick to passing along what's said about it as honestly as I can.

From Hado to Jongdalri: the last stretch of the regular courses

Route 21 is said to start in Hado-ri, Gujwa-eup. GYULI has separately introduced Hado-ri before as a village where haenyeo diving is said to remain active, and it's from somewhere in that same village that Route 21's first steps are said to begin. The course is said to head out of Hado-ri toward Jongdalri, and it's said to finish once it reaches Jongdalri. What's worth noting is that Route 21 isn't just the twenty-first course by number — it's also said to be, of all the Jeju Olle regular courses, the very last one. Because of that, for people who've been checking off courses one by one toward completing the full trail, arriving at this course is said to feel especially significant. Of course, beyond the regular courses there are said to be separate sections known as alt routes or connecting routes, so it would be careful to call Route 21 the absolute end of the entire Jeju Olle journey — but at the very least, it's said to carry the symbolic weight of closing out the numbered sequence that began back at Route 1.

The course's highlight: the view from atop Jimibong

The name that comes up most often when people talk about Route 21 is, without question, Jimibong. This oreum, situated around the midpoint of the course, is widely said to be the highlight of Route 21. There's word that the climb to the summit can be fairly steep, but just as often it's said that the view from the top makes up for it. At the summit of Jimibong, it's said that Udo Island and Seongsan Ilchulbong come into view, and there are accounts of being able to look far out toward Jongdalri and take in the village, stone-walled fields, and coastline stretching below. Exactly which direction offers the best view, or how long it takes to reach the summit, is said to vary with a walker's stamina and the day's weather, so GYULI is careful not to state that definitively. Still, among those who've completed Route 21, the climb up Jimibong is often mentioned as the single most memorable part of the whole course, so even if it's tough going, GYULI would recommend taking it slow and taking in the view. Being an oreum, shade is also said to be limited, so it's worth preparing accordingly depending on the season.

Walking on to Jongdalri, with completion in sight

Coming down from Jimibong, the course is said to continue back toward Jongdalri. Jongdalri is also a place GYULI has already introduced separately, known for its clear water, but arriving there by way of Route 21 is said to carry a different feeling. That's said to come from the weight of what this stretch represents — the last leg of a walk that's carried someone from Hado, over Jimibong, through all twenty-one regular courses one by one. Finishing the regular courses isn't said to mean the entire Jeju Olle Trail is complete, since, as mentioned, there are said to be separate alt routes and connecting routes still remaining. But at the very least, the numbered sequence that began back at Route 1 is said to close out here at Route 21, which GYULI thinks makes it a meaningful stretch in its own right. It's said not to be dressed up in a way that matches its reputation as the final course, but that plainness is reportedly exactly what makes people reflect on how far they've walked to get here — so take your time and finish it without rushing.

🍊 Real Photos, via GYULI