Danyang Was Worth a Second Visit: From Solo Drone Photos to a Day with My Girls

I first went to Danyang on my own on January 15, 2024, to take photographs with my drone. I enjoyed it so much that on May 26 I returned with my eldest daughter, Hyesom, and my second daughter, Bogyeong. These are the stories of those two visits: winter views of Dodamsambong and a moss-lined road, followed by a spring outing with my girls at Mancheonha Skywalk.

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A view I wanted to photograph

Flying a drone was one of my hobbies at the time. Hearing about somewhere with beautiful scenery was often enough to make me want to pack the camera equipment and go. That was what brought me to Danyang alone on January 15.

I found a good position for taking photographs and video at Dodamsambong. From above, the rocks and pavilion stood out against the water. Looking back at those images, I can see why I wanted to bring the drone.

I was on my own for this visit. These aerial photographs belong to that winter trip, not the outing with my daughters in May.

The drive gave me something else to look at

On that January trip, I also passed through a tunnel and a stretch of road with moss covering the walls on both sides. I later learned that the moss-lined road was a known attraction in its own right, often called the Moss Tunnel.

I kept videos of that part of the journey: colored lights inside the tunnel, followed by the green walls along the road. It was a different sort of view from the river I had just visited.

The moss-lined road carries traffic; do not stand in the roadway or obstruct vehicles for a photograph.

In May, I brought my two girls back

I liked Danyang so much on that first visit that I wanted to return with the children. On May 26, Hyesom, Bogyeong and I went together. A place I had discovered through my photography hobby became somewhere to spend time with my daughters.

We took the shuttle instead

At Mancheonha, we initially wanted to go up on what I remember as the monorail. The timing did not work for us, and the nearby departures were already sold out. So we took the shuttle.

It was not the way I had first imagined going up, but we could still visit the viewpoint. For another trip with the children, I would leave that part of the plan flexible rather than make one particular ride essential to the day.

The drone stayed grounded at the viewpoint

I had hoped to take aerial photographs here as well. Once we were up there, though, the wind was far too strong. I did not fly the drone at Mancheonha that day.

Instead, I took photographs with the girls. There are pictures beside the wing-shaped sculpture and on the glass viewing platform, including one of the two of them making hearts above their heads. I had come hoping to photograph the landscape from the air; I went home with pictures of my daughters standing in front of it.

The river bends between green mountains behind them, with clouds spread low across the sky. Missing the drone footage was a disappointment, but it did not take away the pleasure of being up there together.

The views from our visit to the skywalk with my two daughters on May 26, 2024.

Then the rain arrived

After taking a few photographs, we came back down. That was when the rain began pouring. We had only just been up at the viewpoint, so the timing felt very lucky.

We had missed the ride I originally had in mind, and the wind had stopped me from flying my drone. Even so, I had returned to a place I liked with my daughters, enjoyed the view together and taken photographs of them at the skywalk. We did not do everything I had planned, but the three of us had a lovely day out.

A day out that started with Dad’s hobby

I went to Danyang because I wanted to photograph the scenery, but the pictures of Hyesom and Bogyeong are just as much a reason to open that folder again. I wonder what poses they will choose if we go back. Next time, too, we can enjoy as much as the weather allows.