This pretty park has always been popular with monks and poets alike. A 20-minute walk along a rocky, tree-lined river brings you to Seonun-sa , a Zen temple founded in 577 and last rebuilt in 1720. Just behind the temple is a 500-year-old camellia forest that flowers around the end of April. Beyond, there are hiking trails leading to mountain hermitages.
It's a 30-minute hike to Dosol-am Hermitage and just beyond is a giant Buddha rock carving dating to the Goryeo dynasty; the amazing image is carved into the cliff face and is 15m high. On the right is a very narrow grotto, and next to it stairs lead up to a tiny shrine and a great view.
From Dosol-am, you can climb up to Nakjo-dae, and then loop back down to the temple, passing the hermitage Chamdang-am . It's a pleasant, easy hike that should take about three hours.
Seonun-sa has an English-language templestay (₩50,000), which includes a 'walking meditation' trip up to the hermitages. There are a handful of motels and restaurants at the entrance to the park, clustered around the bus stop.
