Enjoying Nature in Hwasun: A Sheep Farm by a Cypress Forest
By Melline Galani.
Gwangju’s surroundings have a lot to offer in terms of spending quality time outdoors. During our summer vacation in Damyang last year, we took daily trips around the Gwangju area in search of interesting places to go and see. This is how we discovered a local sheep farm and a cypress forest. They should be visited in the same trip because they are really close to each other and are great opportunities to spend an entire day outside with tons of fun. We visited these places together several times during the summer and late autumn of 2020.
The Mudeung-san Sheep Farm is located in Hwasun, less than 40 minutes by car from our home in Gwangju, or just 20 kilometers from The Damyang House – the starting point for our travels during this particular summer vacation. The farm as it is today was opened as a tourist attraction in 2016, but it has existed since 1974. When we first visited, we were really impressed by its resemblance to a European farm. I personally almost felt that it was like being home again. The space is quite wide and the sheep live freely. They have around 200 sheep and some cows on 330,000 square meters of land, according to their website. There is an entrance fee, but they provide one basket of hay for each person, so we were able to experience feeding the sheep, too. The prices are 6,000 won for adults, 5,000 won for teens, and 4,000 won for kids.
I still remember the feeling of the sheep’s soft noses and their tender breath blowing on my hand as I fed them. I must admit I kind of miss this sensation. My kids were thrilled, too. We even walked slowly on the paths through the mountain nearby enjoying the beauty of nature. We also met a lone, strange goat on the farm, which we named “Vasilica.” If there were more goats, we were not able to see them.
If the weather is fine and the air is clean, as it often has been for us, the view there is breathtaking. We were lucky enough to be able to admire it each time we went. Though beautiful, the visit does not take more than an hour and a half, even if you go slowly to see all the paths.
It is a good place for healing the body and soul after exhausting periods of hard work and stress. And if you have kids, it is also a good opportunity for them to play freely outside and learn about animals through first-hand experience.
Less than a five-minute drive away lies another hidden gem: the Mudeung-san Cypress Natural Recreational Forest. This is a private space, so you need to pay a fee for entry. The price is 2,000 won for adults and 1,000 won for children, with an extra 2,000 won for parking the car inside the complex. The staff provided us with a map of the entire complex, so we had no difficulties in exploring the area.
On both sides of the road, the beautiful cypress forest delights the visitor’s eyes. There are hiking trails with different difficulty levels on one side and a huge recreation area on the other. A small, suspended bridge connects these two areas, and pedestrians who want to enjoy a bizarre sensation can try walking across the bridge – but be warned: The bridge sways back and forth when you cross it. Some might find this experience quite fun, but not all.
For us, we loved the hiking part the most. We tried different trails and explored the forest thoroughly, breathing natural scents from plants, trees, and the soil. It had rained the day before on one of our trips, so the scent of damp earth was especially alluring to me. Exploring the forest on a hot summer day is the perfect way of escaping the heat, not to mention the healing effect it has on the body and mind. On top of all of these natural sights, there is an open outdoor concert area with benches and a stage, and I assumed there used to be concerts there, though this is not the case now due to COVID-19.
On the other side of the road, the recreation area provides many attractions. One is a Korean restaurant for those in need of a meal. There are also many cottages and small houses scattered throughout the forest that can be rented, though we did not spend the night – nor did we eat at the restaurant. The architecture looked as if it had been built around the 1970s, and I admit some of the buildings could use a bit of remodeling to spruce the place up a bit. But for a day trip, we were not in search of accommodation and were thoroughly pleased with what the site had to offer.
During summertime, the stream that crosses the forest functions as an outdoor pool where people can refresh themselves and cool off while having fun. An outdoor playground nearby provides entertainment for kids, and a soccer field invites fans of physical activity for some well-deserved fun. A small pond with a pavilion near the field also invites travelers to rest and cool themselves near the water’s mist. There are also some picnic areas where one can enjoy a snack after a stroll along the mountain paths.
Overall, visiting these two places on the same trip is a great idea. We spent time enjoying nature in both areas, doing some outdoor activities that kept my kids away from their electronic devices, and as a bonus, we got a well-deserved deep sleep during the night that ensued after a long day. On top of all of this, these locations were not crowded, presumably due to COVID-19. For those in search of daytime activities around Gwangju, these two places may suit your taste, and I highly recommend checking them out.
MUDEUNG-SAN SHEEP FARM (무등산 양떼목장)
Address: 537 Anyangsan-ro, Hwasun-eup, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do 전남 화순군 화순읍 안양산로 537
Operating Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Oct.–Mar.), 6:00 p.m. (Apr.–Sept.); closed on Mondays.
Phone: 061-375-6269
Website: www.mudeungsan-yangtte.co.kr
Instagram: @ yangtte2016_
MUDEUNG-SAN CYPRESS NATURAL RECREATIONAL FOREST (무등산편백자연휴양림)
Address: San 168, Ansan-ri, Iseo-myeon, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do 전남 화순군 이서면 안심리 산 168번지
Operating Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Phone: 061-373-2065
Website: http://moodoong.com/
The Author
Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, who is currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges, learning interesting things, and is incurably optimistic. She loves exploring nature around Gwangju. Instagram: @melligalanis