Page 37 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Beijing

Great Wall of China ❮❮ 35

Juyong Guan
4 VISITING THE WALL
This pass is on the way to Badaling. With
unscalable mountains on either side it is easy to Most hotels are able to
see why the spot was chosen for defence. Early organize a trip to the
cannons remain on the ramparts. Also worth wall, usually combined
seeing are Buddhist carvings on a stone platform, with a visit to the Ming
or “cloud terrace,” in the middle of the pass. Tombs (see pp32–3). Try
to find out whether
Xizhazi
7 there are any unwanted
diversions to jade
This village
in the Jiankou area factories, cloisonné
affords spectacular workshops, or Chinese
views and accessible medicine clinics. Small
groups can see more
hikes. Xizhazi’s local remote parts of the wall,
guesthouses offer by hiring a taxi for the
fresh, country-style day from Beijing. Hiking
dining and a night clubs in Beijing offer day
on a traditional kang trips to lesser-known
(heated bed). parts of the wall.

Mutianyu
Shanhaiguan
8 9
In a dramatic hilly
The wall ends
Gubeikou
5 (or begins) at the sea setting, and with a series
(above). East of town,
of watchtowers along its
Once called
Simatai village, this area the “First Pass Under restored length, the wall
has been rede veloped as Heaven” is a formidable here dates from 1368.
Gubeikou, or “old town.” section of wall attached Local village buildings
It is a 7-mile (12-km) to a gatehouse. A good have now been converted
walk to Jinshanling, destination if you want into both holiday homes
taking around five hours. to do an overnight trip. and restaurants.
Huanghua
Jinshanling
6 0
Cheng
This is the starting point for a steep and stony
hike to Gubeikou. However, the path has been blocked On the same stretch
after 3 miles (5 km). The views as the wall winds over of wall as Mutianyu,
sharp peak after sharp peak are fantastic (below). Huanghua Cheng is
an exhilarating section
of Ming fortifications
that is far less developed
than most other parts.
The great barrier is
split into two by a
large reservoir. The
crumbling masonry
can be uneven and
fairly treacherous, so
you need to take care.
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