All good things for body and mind gathered here | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Juknokwon is a bamboo forest visible immediately to the left after passing Hyanggyo along Damyangcheon, the source of the Yeongsangang River, and Gwanbangjerim. It is a dense bamboo forest of about 160,000㎡, created by Damyang-gun around Seongan Mountain area and opened in May 2003. Climbing the stone steps at the entrance one by one, your stiff body relaxes, and the cool bamboo breeze refreshes your tired mind and body. Walking along the dense bamboo paths while hearing the rustling leaves feels refreshing as sunlight filters through the green bamboo leaves. Juknokwon is home to Jukrocha (竹露), a tea grown from dew that falls on bamboo leaves. After enjoying a bamboo forest bath, you can relax your mind with a cup of Jukrocha. There is a 2.2 km trail in Juknokwon for bamboo forest bathing, consisting of eight themed paths such as Unsudaetong-gil, Jukmagou-gil, and Philosopher's Path, all starting from Juknokwon Observatory. From the observatory, you can look down at Damyangcheon, the 300-year-old ancient trees of Gwanbangjerim in Damyang, and the famous Metasequoia tree-lined road. There is also an ecological exhibition hall, artificial waterfall, ecological pond, and outdoor performance hall, with lighting installed for nighttime strolls through the bamboo forest.

전국유일의 대나무 주산지이며 전통적 죽제민예품의 명산지인 담양에 죽제품을 보존, 전시, 시연, 판매, 체험 등 종합기능을 수행할 수 있는 공간을 갖추어 죽세문화의 전통 계승과 공예진흥을 위해 한국대나무박물관을 건립하였다. 1981년 담양읍 담주리에 개관하여 운영해오다 지난 1998년 3월 12일 이곳 담양읍 천변리에 확장 이전하였다. 이곳에는 죽제품의 전시 뿐만 아니라 죽제품 생산에 관한 기술 정보가 교환되기도 하며, 해마다 5월 대나무축제에 맞춰 전국죽제품 경지대회도 열린다.

담양의 가장 북쪽에 자리하고 있는 가마골은 그 일대에 그릇을 굽는 가마터가 많다고 하여 붙여진 이름이다. 여러 개의 깊은 계곡과 폭포, 기암괴석이 수려한 경관을 이루고 있어 관광객의 발길이 끊이지 않는 곳이다. 영산강의 시원으로 유명한 용소가 있고, 1986년부터 관광지로 지정, 개발되어 관광객을 위한 시설이 잘 갖춰져 있다. 원시림과 계곡이 어우러져 여름에도 서늘하며 경사가 완만하여 삼림욕 코스로도 좋다.

In addition to the bamboo forest, the roadside is lined with metasequoia trees, creating an exotic and fantastic scenery. From afar, the trees resemble fairies gathered closely together or a small train in a toy land. Looking from the middle of the road, it looks exactly like British guards standing in formation. They stand in orderly ranks and wave to outsiders. As you walk along this road, you become absorbed in the exotic landscape and unknowingly enter the gateway to the southern region. Metasequoia Road was created in 1972 by Damyang-gun (19th term, Mayor Kim Ki-hoe), who planted 1,300 five-year-old trees along a 5 km stretch of National Road 24, from the county office to Wonyulsamgeori in Geumseong-myeon.