The plan for 2015 was to hike from the 10th Oct to 8th Nov, starting from Yumulingcun to Laolongtou in Shanhaiguan.
The team took off per the scheduled start date but due to some home challenges, I couldn’t join them.
Andreas (AL) led the team of JK, KQ and KB, from Shanhaiguan to Jiumengkou and then followed the Liaoning section towards HuShan in Dandong, next to the North Korea border. After about a week, the rest of the team left for home and AL ploughed on and reached the HuShan Great Wall, covering a distance of about 600km.
Meanwhile, with the home challenge steadied, I decided to take a few days to hike the wild wall of the Badaling Great Wall, and in particular to revisit my 2012 fall off point on the Dayingpan Wall. Fortunately, AL was able to complete his walk to Dandong in time to graciously join me.
2/11 13:00 – 16:30 Shixiaguan – Chenjiabao 11.4km.
Took the train from Beijing to Yanqing and was picked up by CH and AL. We proceeded straight to the Shixiaguan trailhead and before long had to bush fight about an hour up to the wall. A slightly hazy day but nonetheless the view of the snaking wall towards the Kouzilou tower was spectacular. We took a leisurely hike towards Chenjiabao, along this beautiful wall with some crumbled sections and towers, enjoying the scenery, the cool weather, with Andreas narrating his interesting long hike to Dandong. Upon reaching the ruined collapsed wall section of Chenjiabao, we exited and made our way to the village, where many new dwellings were being erected in anticipation of impending tourist rushes in the coming years.
We were then taken by CH to Yanqing for the night.
3/11 07:30 – 16:30 Yanqing – Dayingpan 16.8km.
A bright, cold, slight hazy day and it took us an hour to reach the sleepy hamlet of Dayingpan. I remembered well the white beautiful great wall when we (AL, JK and I) hiked up from the valley in 2012. With great excitement and anticipation, I bolted up the wall with AL trailing behind.
The adrenalin rush propelled me quickly to the spot where I thought I fell off. Slowly I inched my way down and along the steep slope towards the ‘miracle tree’ that held me – found it among the cluster of trees – collapsed, seemed crushed but I’m sure not destroyed. It’s late autumn now but there are still some yellowy leaves on the ends of its twigs – very much still alive. So happy – sat about an hour with the tree and offered my thanks giving prayers.
On surveying the area, it was just incredible to notice that my fall was so near the side of the cliff and to be caught by this phenomenal young supple tree at the right place, is just beyond belief.
Reluctantly, I made my way down to the water gate where AL was patiently waiting, took a couple of shots of the lucky spot and we then slowly walked further on and took the loop exit back to the village.
We spent some lazy time exploring the quaint, almost deserted surrounds, marvelling at the simplicity of life of these austere and frugal folks. We then walked all the way down to the valley, bought a couple of packets of dried hong guo (Chinese hawthorn fruit) and almond nuts from 2 ladies by the roadside – we were probably the last customers for the day. CH appeared and drove us back to our hotel in Yanqing.
4/11 09:30 – 16:45 Xiahucun – Qiansoucun (Long guan) 27km.
The plan today was to hike the challenging Shixiaguan – Badaling section, carefully avoiding the Badaling Wildlife Park, where in 2009 a hiker climbed over the park fence trying to take a short cut, and promptly became the tigers breakfast. We also hear recently of a woman who exited her car and was taken by a hungry tiger in the same park.
The morning was cold and it was drizzling, and far too dangerous to hike up the steep treacherous wall. Instead we decided to explore the flat wall section running across the base of the Chicheng loop. Took us 1.5 hours to get to Xiahucun, checked out the walls around the nearby villages, which the local claimed to be Tang wall(?).
AL didn’t think so and we proceeded to follow the rammed earthen Ming Great Wall along the provincial road S353. The day was cold, dull and the drizzle became heavier and soon droplets of snow fell and covered the ground white. Not much to see as we passed by small villages along the way – the wall is still quite intact and good 5m high. By late afternoon we reached Qiansuocun (near Longguan town), huddled into the grocery store and were treated to cups of hot tea, whilst we waited for CH to take us back.
Fresh snow had covered the road and it was slippery and dangerous especially going downhill. It took a few of hours of slow steady careful driving before we reached Yanqing at around 8:30pm, quick shower, quick dinner and ducked back into the hotel for an early night.
5/11 13:30 Yanqing – Beijing.
Our hope for a good clear day to hike the Shixiaguan – Badaling was dashed when we woke up to a completely snow covered Yanqing. The snow fall was relentless and not a chance to attempt hiking the now precarious wall.
AL and I decided to take the train to Beijing, hoping to herd in the warmth of the 21.7 million people city. Along the ride, we had an amazing spectacle of the Badaling-Juyongguan snow dragon – truly remarkable, fabulous and truly un-hike-able for today.
I spent the next couple of nights in Beijing, taking in the familiar sights, visited a friend and returned home satisfied that I managed to walk a portion of the wall this year with AL.
On this trip, I managed about 100,636 steps (55.2 km).
Hopefully in 2016, we will get to complete our trek to Old Dragon Head (Laolongtou - 老龙头) in Shanhaiguan.
