10/10/2016. 07:20 – 16:45. 12.6km. 22,989 steps. TA 967m. ME 870m.
Qingshankouguan - Jielingkoucun (界岭口村)
Following the letargic hike yetserday, the team needed to “jiayou“ (加油) – a cheerful encouragement for better performance. CH found a house and filled up his Nissan Pathfinder with petrol using an improvised plastic funnel and we were all good to go.
The team decided to pair up for the hike, AL and I started at Qingshankouguan and had a wonderful hike along the crescent ridge wall. It was most challenging circumventing high cliffs and descending to a sea of rocks with a strange short “trapping“ wall. The highest point reached was at 870m, and I left the 2nd "geocashe" angpow at the 819m tower - all Pokemon hunters are welcomed to hunt too.
Another careful descend from the high command tower to Shibeigou, a weak defensive area with a number of trading gates where many towers were built to protect and watch the traders. Shibeiguo gap is such a charming place and from there it was a straight run to Jielingkoucun fortress. Along the way, found a number of brick inscriptions in a tower – it would probaly relate the reign of the Ming emperor – thus revealing the date it was constructed. This has to be the most enchanting section thus far - exquisite.
The singas arrived at 14:30, and we, only at 16:30; they were fast and we were glad (psst ... they started at Shibeigou) - the mojo is back with the team.
To support its frontier defenses, the Ming authorities established eleven Great Wall garrisons, within nine border districts, guarding the wall at strategic passes. Jielingkou fortress was part of the Santuying Great Wall garrison, with 880 km of the Great Wall under its jurisdiction starting from Shanhaiguan and extends westward to Mutianyu. It's now a simple farming village of some 800 residents. We stayed in the Yang's old 200 years house, adorned with many ancient artifacts from the fortress, and were served a lovely dinner. What a wonderful day.
11/10/2016. 06:45 - 16:00. 13.6km. 24,278 steps. TA 840m. ME 690m.
Jielingkou - Jianganlingcun (箭杆岭村).
A cold morning as we trek up to the wall through the big northern gate, to be greeted with a misty/hazy/smoggy sky. There are many towers and what a lovely sight when the sun broke through.
We walked the whole day along the wall, encountering a couple of hairy cliff crossings. The good news was that the “Yunnan Baiyau“ medicated spray (made with secret army formulae) has our injured team hiker walk the long wall again, after just 1 day's rest.
Ended the day at the fortress of Jianganlingcun – a 10 star model village - and headed for the 200 year old village shop for drinks. We were then picked up and spent some time checking out the access point for the following day, before returning to Jielingkoucun for the night.
12/10/2016. 07:55 – 13:30. 6.9km. 12,545 steps. TA 527m. ME 713m.
Jianganlingcun - Huaguoshancun (花果山村).
Bingtangyu (冰塘峪)/ Liangjiawancun (梁家湾村) – Weiziyu (葦子峪) scenic areas
From Jianganlingcun fortress, we went up to the first tower and continued along the wall without any major huddle, apart from a couple of rock cliff climbs. This was a short morning hike till the end of the Jianganling track, and descending to the village of Huaguoshan (mountain of flowers and fruits) – the home of the mythological monkey God, Sun Wukong (孫悟空). Along the way, we kept looking and calling out for him, but guess he was not home - maybe on another Journey to the West? Pity, he would have transported us 108,000 li (21,675 km) in one somersault. Nonetheless, left my 3rd "geocashe" at his 621m home tower.
We then drove over to Bingtangyu (“ice pond valley“) viewing area in Liangjiawancun and what a sight. There is a large pond (which I guess freezes over in winter), a short section of the wall framing the valley with a few towers, and along the high ridge of the surrounding granite mountains were about 5 huge isolated intact barbicans (watch towers). It was so tempting to climb to each of these isolated towers, but it would take days.
Subsequently, it was onwards 60km to Weiziyu located in the Zushan scenic area (祖山风景区), where upon we were again presented another breathtaking sight of majestic towers on the misty red mountain tops.There are 19 unbelievable stand alone towers at the top of tall sharp cliff mountains, scattered on the section from Weziyu back towards Xingxingyu (猩猩峪), in picturesque Qinghuangdao National Geology Park (河北秦皇岛 国家地质公园). No wall connect these towers, and it would take at least a day to reach each, assuming we can find the old Ming path to it.
Massive road widening works leading to the Zushan scenic area meant a slow long tiring drive to the resort area. Nevertheless, it was such a beautiful scenic area, we decided to stay at the Red House resort hotel for the night. This being off season, no inhouse dinner was available. We chanced upon the first farmer's house next to the village and persuaded the ladies to cook us dinner. Willingly and happily, mother and 2 daugthers whipped up a marvellously delicious spread. When asked for the bill, they could not utter a price for it - their compassion to serve 5 weary travellers was just priceless - we left them a happy sum.
13/10/2016. 07:30 – 16:15. 9.3km. 17,228 steps. TA 488m. ME 423m.
Weiziyu – Huachangyucun (花厂峪村). Naziyucun (拿子峪村) - Yiyuankoucun (义院口村)
Went up the Weiziyu wall for a couple of well preserved towers - the first with an almost intact top “soldiers retiring“ room, a decorated door frame with a tablet on the entrance top though the wordings have long faded. The dazzling Zushan morning scene with the rising sun held us spell bound for a long while. Zushan with its highest peak at 1428m is the origin/source of the Shihe river that runs east and the Qilong river which flows to the west. This is probably why the whole mountain is called zu (祖 - which means ancestor/originator) shan.
We then drove to Huachangyucun, hiked the hastily restored short dual line wall that crosses the Shihe river and the restored water gate. A large portion of the wall has disappeared with a few towers dotting the mountain area.
In the afternoon, we went to Naziyucun, ascended the wall and hike towards Yiyuankoucun. Stumbled across Mr. Liu and his men restoring the prominent Xifulou? (媳妇楼 – daughter-in-law) tower. We were given a grand tour of their proud work – thumbs up for a very good job done.
Descended and strolled around the fortress village of Yiyuankoucun - a prime disaster catchment with a hollowed coal tunnel just 60m below. Recent survey indicated that there are fissures in the village ground and warning signs are pasted on the walls of the village, indicating directions to follow to the assembly point, should a disaster occur. The danger is clear and this being an earth tremor area, it’s just a matter of time for the impending collapse of the village. Still it’s being stubbornly occupied by proud brave communists.
14/10/2016. 06:30 – 17:05. 11.6km. 21,091 steps. TA 1373m. ME 828m.
Yiyuankoucun – Banchangyucun (板厂峪村)
A beautiful day, beautiful towers greeted 4 of us as we reached the wall. At 3.4km, one Singa exited, while we continued till the last walkable tower seemingly barricaded by high rock cliffs. I left "geocache" #4 at this 552m tower.
Detoured down and per-chance met a Beijing retiree couple who led us on a lengthy 1.5 hour hike up to the "upside-down" wall. It was a tough continuous ascend but what a fantastic breathtaking view upon reaching it. The wall looks like an inverted “S“ pasted on the side of the mountain. This is, by far, one of the most beautiful East Hebei wall, and it seems to be attracting lots of visitors. A massive frantic wall restoration is in progress, anticipating a huge impending influx of tourists.
We reluctantly took our leave and descended the wall, ending at the parking area of the Banchangyu hotel within the scenic spot. Again, as luck would have it, the Beijing couple came down about the same time and happily gave us a ride to the nearest village 15km away to be picked up by CH. What a magical day this has turned out to be.
Merrily, we went back to our hotel in Yiyuankoucun and a “grand“ dinner awaited us, courtesy of KB, which left the wall early to supervise the cooking. The COUNT team had a wonderful time, and the Singas were leaving for home the following day.
