Hin's 6th C.O.U.N.T. 1,000,000 steps (Sep 20th – Oct 18th, 2014)

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8: Made a difference to 1 bunting.

 

Thean Hin Ooi <ooithin@gmail.com>   Thu, Oct 9, 2014 at 9:58 PM

 

 

1/10 07:10 – 16:20 12.1km, 22,000 steps TA 383m

 

Shangguan - Malanguan

 

Shangguan reservoir to Malanguan. A pretty easy start with wonderful of the great wall plunging into the reservoir. Didn’t last for long, a very tough stretch – full of overgrown shrubs, dangerous climbs. And to make it more challenging, a drizzle began but was lucky to be at the old Ming steps down to the valley. Made a quick exit from the wall, down to the chestnut terraces and reached Malanguan.

 

 

2/10 10:00 – 17:45 10.4km 18,909 steps. TA 342

 

Daankou - Lengzui Toucun

 

Late start waiting for the ground to dry up. Began at Daankou and ended the day at Lengzui Toucun. Not much difficulties except for the shrubs and thorny plants on the wall. This stretch of the wall and towers are

still untouched and fairly intact. The mountain sides are filled with terraces of chestnut trees – met a farmer who has been planting for the last 30 years – imagine just 10 trees per day, it would total 108,000 trees planted by him.

 

We came across 5 bird nettings strung across a cluster of trees – and a dozen or so tiny migrating buntings and warblers were trapped and left to die. Fortunately for 1 little bunting recently caught – AL managed to released it and made a difference for this tiny creature. We promptly tore the nets to bits so that they wouldn’t be used again. Thus far, AL has destroyed 8 nets and hopefully the owners would be discouraged the following years. Drove well over an hour through the mountain lanes to the town of Zunhua for the night.

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