Photo Essay: Wolchul Mountain

We live in a nation modernizing so quickly. A high-life, high-rise and high-octane culture is part of what makes Korea such an exhilarating place to live. But just once every so often, it all gets a little too much for me; and so I go in search of simplicity, if only for a while.

There’s nowhere I feel more at peace than in the mountains, surveying the land below as it stretches out as far as the eye can see in all directions. Rising proud from the patchwork plains of Yeongam County, craggy spires tempt you into the misty heights of Wolchul Mountain. Up here, you will find an unrivalled solitude; the blaring horns and hurried heels of the city have no place here.

Of this nation’s many magnificent national parks, Wolchul Mountain is perhaps the most curiously overlooked. Nestled between Mokpo and Boseong, equidistant to the two, the location’s remoteness is both a downfall and its draw. As the autumn leaves begin to turn, great hordes will descend on Jiri and Seorak, yet Korea’s smallest national park will remain at peace.

Chris Cusick is a travel photographer from Newcastle, England. His curiosity for culture and all things travel will soon see him embarking on an 18-month round-the-world trip, commencing March 2015. You can see more of what he does an follow his journey by visiting: www.thelostlens.co.uk