On the ropeway up to the Great Wall, to metal track of the toboggan ride to the left.
Sinead had visited this section of the wall before going to North Korea together with us and so I had got the name of the town I had to travel too and the number of the bus going there from her. Problem is that when I arrive at the Dongzhimen bus station, the bus number I had been given did not exist. In addition, the name of the town I had got was something like 'Hariyou'. That, however, proved to get me on the correct bus. As I could see signs for buses going to Huairou, that was close enough for me to get my confirmation. Then I found out that I did not have enough small enough change to buy a ticket at the bus. Where was my mind? I had to let the bus go. Fortunately, the buses goes quite often. There is also a direct bus going at specific times to the Mutianyu section from Dongzhimen.
The Eastern part of the Mutianyu section as seen from one of the watchtowers, with the Mutianyu Pass below and the old and overgrown continuing section of the wall.
Next step will be to get off at the correct bus stop. Sinead had warned me that if I get off on an earlier stop than the proper one, I would be at the mercy of the black taxi drivers. Meaning that the price of a ride to the Great Wall will be higher. I have also heard that they sometimes gets on the bus and tells tourists that an earlier stop is the proper one, so be sure to get off at the correct one. You should get off at the Huai Rou Bei Da Jie (怀柔北大街) bus stop, which is the 15th stop (of 20 stops). From there either take a taxi or wait for the local H23 bus that goes to Mutianyu.
The mountains of Mutianyu.
Looking towards West on the Great Wall. I would end up walking all the way to the part above the writings at the far end from here.
The moment I get off the bus, I am almost assaulted by the black taxi drivers. So beware. I find it extremely annoying and irritating. After spending a lot of time fending of one black taxi driver after another, a group of Chinese having caught hold of a metered taxi 'rescues' me and say I can share the taxi with them. The taxi driver is however not content by just getting me to my destination, he find it necessary to guide me to the ticket booth so I can buy the correct tickets for the wall. Which is funny in a way, as the whole area is so touristic that not been able to talk English at the entrance looks like utopia.
The Mutianyu Pass, consisting of three watchtowers connected to each other, which is a rare structure usually not found on any of the remaining parts of the Great Wall in China.
I need some food too before I get up to the wall above, but even though the place is full of places to eat, I find it difficult to locate a place. It is just way too touristic. How to kill a worthwile sight. I do find a good enough place in the end.
Doorway to the Great Wall.
Thinking time, I decide to take the ropeway up instead of walking up. I get in touch with three Italians having travelled around South East Asia for a time, but today is their last day and they will fly back to Italy tomorrow. Up at the Great Wall, I could but marvel at this feat of ancient engineering. The Mutianyu section is one of the best preserved parts of the Great Wall still standing. It was built in the middle of the 6th century during the reign of the Northern Qi dynasty, rebuilt in 1569. The length of the restored Mutianyu section is about 2250m long, with the wall about 7 to 8 meters high and 4 to 5 meters wide.
A watchtower on the Great Wall.
Walking out of the ropeway, I first start off in the Eastern direction of the wall, which is the shortest stretch I can walk before hitting one end. The first footsteps lets me immediately know what this walk is about, steps. Lots of them, and quite steep at times. Seeing the wall with its watchtowers and merlons winding itself up the steep and forest hillsides really fascinates me. Over me, the sky is blue and clear, providing me with great views in every direction.
The Great Wall of China.
Reaching the Eastern end of this section of the wall, I can look back over the whole section of this part of the Great Wall as it winds up and down the ridge to West of me. The Great Wall actually continues from this point on too, but looking out of one of the windows in the last accessible watchtowers, I can see that the wall from here on is overgrown. That does not stop people from walking on it, it appears. If you continue walking eastward, you will get to the Lianhuachi section of the wall.
Steep stairs on the wall.
I turn around and then walk of in the other direction. I am so lucky with the weather today, but it also makes for a hot walk that leaves a trail of sweat behind me. For how long or how far on the wall I will walk I have not planned, I just guess that I will walk as far as I feel for. Walk up and down on endless stairs and steps, overlooking the mountains and valleys around me through the merlons on the wall. Some of the watchtowers have stairs or ladders that you can use to get to the top of them.
Overlooking the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.
An old doorway or gate at the Eastern end of the wall.
After countless steep stairs, I eventually find myself almost at the other end of this section of the Mutianyu part of the Great Wall. Here, the path dissolves into vegetation. From here, you can walk to the Jiankou section of the wall. This is actually a quite popular hike to do. If I had spent more time looking about the options of what to do in Beijing, doing that hike could definitely be something that I would have wanted to do. Now, I am not prepared. A handwritten signpost announces that this is the last place to get water and snacks for 10km, here a local has made a sort of makeshift kiosk. I go a short distance into the trail, but turn back when the wall I have been walking on has turned into a soft foothpath instead.
Last chance to get water and snacks for 10km, here the footpath going to the Jiankou section of the wall begins.
Looking back over the Mutianyu section, I can see the ramparts of the wall stretch itself over the rugged ridgeline. It is wonderful, but some sections are really steep and I have to walk all of them again to get back. I wonder if I have gone too far in terms of getting back in time. The ticket I bought included a ride down with the toboggan, which let you ride down on a metal track using a kind of a sled. I had first planned to walk down, but decides to make use of the ticket. Unfortunately, the person in the sled before me is riding with a baby and so is naturally taking it very slow and safe. It was still kind of fun though. I miss the shuttle bus down and have to wait a little for the next one to arrive.
Looking back over the wall from the Western end.
A window to the Great Wall.
Down at the tourist trap, I meet again the three Italian guys. They want to take a taxi down and do not care if it is a black taxi or not. I join in, driving like crazy back to a bus stop from where we can catch the bus back to Beijing. It is a tiresome ride back, a Chinese family is also on the bus and the kids are yelling out loud the whole trip without the parents doing anything about it.
The walk on the wall is sometimes quite steep.
Being tired, I only go out to eat dinner at a nearby local place in the evening. The rest of the evening, I sit down and relax at my hotelroom. With the Great Wall off my list, I know that I will go to a once forbidden place tomorrow. Today was a great day walking on the marvel of the Great Wall of China.
The Mutianyu Great Wall.
<- Return to Beijing, Beihai ParkBeijing: The Forbidden City, Jingshan Park ->
No comments:
Post a Comment