Trail by Night
Afternoon heat, crowded trails, and busy commutes to the park can dampen any
daytime hiking trip. So why not hike at night? On the northern face of Apsan (앞산), tucked
away behind a highway and restaurant, is a trail suited for night hikes that
leads to an observation deck overlooking the entire city of Daegu. On a windy,
cool evening I struck out with a confident, if amateur, group of hiking friends
for a spectacular adventure.
The trail’s first half was a wide
and well-lit cement road leading to a small temple named An-il. The road was
steep, but was a good way to stretch the legs and dust the cobwebs out of the
muscles before the main ascent. Old adjummas (Korean for older women) in their
oversized visors made their way down and reassured any new travelers that, yes,
this trail was feasible for anybody with legs and a working pair of lungs. Yet
by the time we reached the An-il temple we already needed a breather. Looking
behind us we could make out the twinkling city lights through a layer of trees,
and we were reminded that the view at the top would be worth it.
The long, rocky flight of stairs of
the trail’s second half were a different animal. Here, there were no street
lamps or cement roads. A flashlight is recommended, but at times we turned ours
off and let the moonlight guide our feet. The stony steps snaked their way up
the mountain, and it was fun to see the loose string of headlamps and
flashlights make their way up and down the mountain like some sort of
pilgrimmage. Our pilgrimmage included plenty of rest stops for us weary, unathletic travelers. However, it wasn’t terribly long before we broke the
canopy and the steepness of the path disappeared, and before we reached the top
we were already rewarded with a great view of the city. A few hundred more
feet, this time with the help of modern wooden stairs, and we made it to the
observation deck marked by a large, white square visible from the base of the
mountain.
In front of us was the entire
sprawl of Daegu, a valley of twinkling city lights and unabashed neon
discernable from hundreds of feet up. It was a gorgeous sight and a worthwhile
hike, which I would rank as easier and much shorter than Gatbawi (Palgong
Mountain hike) with more payoff. The first thing we did was unload our
backpacks and have a miniature feast of snacks as our reward for the strenuous
hike. Then we got out the cameras and took a wedding’s worth of pictures.
We stayed on the observation
deck for about 45 minutes, taking in the illuminating scenery, then decided it
was time to head back down. The return trip, obviously, was quicker and easier.
Either because of the
temperature, the time of day, or the relative secrecy of the trail, the
observation deck and trail was one of the precious few attractions I’ve
experienced that have not been overly crowded. There were enough hikers to make
the trail feel safe and well-attended but far from enough to make you feel
claustrophobic. I would also imagine this trail is great for a sunrise or
sunset hike.
To reach the trailhead, take
the 410, Dalseo2, Dalseo4, or Dalseo4-1
buses to the stop called ‘Daedeok Restaurant.’ You’ll be noticeably on the edge
of town, with the mountain directly across a highway. Across the road and
through the highway underpass there’s a sign for an Indian restaurant. Walk up
through the parking lot and head west (to the right). Look for signs for the
An-il temple and you’re on your way. From the subway, take the Red Line to
Anjirang Station and make the first major left outside exit #2. From there,
it’s about a 20-minute walk up a hill to a dead end. Turn left and keep walking
until you get to the ‘Daedeok Restaurant’ stop.
If you
want to make a full night of it, grab some dinner before or after the hike. The
bottom of the mountain features several quality dining options, mostly
romantic, to add to your scenic hike. Aficio is a casual, yet sophisticated Italian restaurant
located at the base of Ap Mountain.
Overlooking the city are large windows on
the second floor, from which you can enjoy a variety of delicious meals made
with organic ingredients. In addition, every customer who orders a main dish
gets a 30% discount on the drink menu from Drop Top downstairs.
Another great fine dining
option is Gooksu, known for its 'slow food'
approach when preparing its delicious dishes for customers. Slow food doesn't
mean it takes hours to cook, it just means everything is made from scratch. The
restaurant has an Italian Firenze style atmosphere and serves fabulous pasta
dishes. It is also famous for its T-bone steak and Ripieno pizza. Your taste
buds won't be disappointed. Italian fine dining and Korean hiking,
it turns out, make a good pairing. Hours for Aficio are 11:30AM ~ 11PM (with last order at 10pm) and hours for Gooksu are 12PM~12AM.
Happy Hiking!
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