Father, son and a 57 km long hike
Bringing your children for multi-day hikes is brave. Being that child is also brave. Together, you have to take on challenges such as tiredness, aches and pains, thirst and hunger. But you also enjoy the positive aspects of it, like beautiful nature, happy fellow hikers and moments of pure joy. Shared experiences strengthens both family ties and your trail legs.
Suk Seung Shin from South Korea discovered Kungsleden and Fjällräven through a TV show in his homeland. His curiosity brought him to Fjällräven Classic Sweden in 2015. Since then, he has continued putting one foot in front of the other under the flag of Fjällräven. To this day, he has taken on ten Classics around the world, which makes him a full on veteran. Shin lives together with his family in the center of South Korea, in the city of Daejeon. The entire family are hikers. The eldest son took on the Fjällräven Classic UK in 2022, and the youngest son completed his first multi-day hike together with his father during the Fjällräven Classic Denmark in 2019.
Last year, Gyeom, 11, and his father went for another hike, but this time in their home country of South Korea. Fjällräven Classic Korea is a 57 kilometer, three day hike on the volcanic island of Jeju, which is located south of the mainland. The first day of hiking takes you through the national park of Mount Hallasan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hallasan is a dormant volcano and Korea’s tallest mountain, with its 1,950 meters above sea level. The trail first takes the hiker on a steep uphill path through the forest, only to then take rear down again, overlooking the East China Sea. The last day goes through a natural and cultural landscape.
“I liked meeting new people along the trail,” says Gyeom. “People I’ve never met before cheered me on and that gave me new energy. The second day was the longest and I was really tired. Thankfully, we had brought a lot of sweets and chocolate. I was so proud of myself for finishing!”
The father of the family loves spending time in nature. He likes experimenting with his packing and often tries out different setups to find the perfect balance between clothing, food and gear. Spending time with family is really important to him, and that’s why they go hiking together.
“I try to stay involved with my son. It’s nice to have these long conversations with each other when you go hiking. I encouraged Gyeom to open up his senses, and not be so shy, but instead curious about nature and the people around us. It's easy to just keep walking staring at your feet, and I had to remind him to look up and explore everything we passed.”
Taking small steps in your child’s pace is important when hiking with children, as well as constantly giving them praise. Shin is convinced that praise from parents creates confident children. It is also a good idea not to pack too heavy, in case you have to take over some of you children’s gear in order for them to be able to finish the hike.
Shin’s experience of the Fjällräven Classic Korea was positive; the surrounding nature was beautiful, the landscape varied, and the people were nice.
“At times, it was challenging and Gyeom occasionally struggled. There were tears and he was tired. I had to encourage him with positive memories, and I am so grateful he did not give up. Passing the finish line together was the best thing about the entire hike,” says Shin.
Gyeom’s tips for other children taking on multi-day hikes
- Ask for a gift that you get at the finish line. Think about that gift when you are struggling!
- Drink a lot of water
- Carry a light backpack
- Use hiking poles
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