2016 Hiking Festival photos

Photos from our third hiking festival, which also doubled as Beijing Hikers’ fifteenth birthday party!

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On October 15th we organised our third hiking festival, this year adding a 30km option to the 24km and 10km trails.

It was also our fifteenth birthday party – we’ve been doing hikes and trips since 2001!

The weather didn’t quite cooperate: A forecast of rain, plus bad pollution in the city put some off; and mist on the motorway nearly stopped us completely. But once we got hiking it was all okay!

Below you’ll see a selection of photos from the event – starting shots, mid-hike scenery, and the scenes at the post-hike picnic and prizegiving.

Thanks again to our sponsors for the event: That’s Beijing, Mantra Bar, Factory Fresh, and Ganges Indian Restaurant.

Getting ready to start the 24/30km trail - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Getting ready to start the 24/30km trail.

All ready - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

All ready.

And off we go - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

And off we go.

The first part of the trail took us up into the mountains, a long slow climb - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

The first part of the trail took us up into the mountains, a long slow climb.

10km starting shot - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

10km starting shot.

And off they go! - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

And off they go!

Further back on the trail, the first rest station, with the last of the group just hitting the big climb up to the High Tower. Move in front of Christian - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Further into the Challenge trail, the first rest station, with some of the group just hitting the big climb up to the High Tower.

The track up towards the High Tower. Move behind ‘Further back’ - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

The track up towards the High Tower. /p>

Back to the Challenge trail – Christian is almost up at the High Tower - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Christian is almost up at the High Tower.

Back up at the High Tower - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

And here comes Frederic.

Heading down from the High Tower - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Next is Jacqueline.

A shot of the High Tower. It was pretty cold up here – drizzly and windy - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

A shot of the High Tower. It was pretty cold up here – drizzly and windy.

Back up near the High Tower - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Coming up through the hills.

Here comes Frank - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Here comes Frank.

From the High Tower we hiked down along this line of wall - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

From the High Tower we hiked down along this line of wall.

The last of the bunch - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Looking back up towards the High Tower.

Coming down a tricky stretch of broken wall - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Coming down a tricky stretch of broken wall.

Here’s super-hiker Dennis - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Here’s super-hiker Dennis.

Coming down the wall - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

More hikers on this tricky section.

Here’s Talulla - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Here’s Talulla.

Jake is coming down from the Round Tower - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Jake is coming down from the Round Tower.

Another rest station, and Jake is looking a bit warmer now - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Another rest station, and Jake is looking a bit warmer now.

Getting up on to the wall on the Hike for Fun trail - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Getting up on to the wall on the Hike for Fun trail.

Nearly at the wall - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Nearly at the wall.

Back in the village, getting ready for the post-hike picnic - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Back in the village, getting ready for the post-hike picnic.

The first place finisher? - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

The first place finisher?

We put together a rough podium - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

We put together a rough podium.

First finishers on the Hike for Fun - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

First finishers on the Hike for Fun.

Medals for the winners - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Medals for the winners.

And beer and snacks for everyone - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

And beer and snacks for everyone.

Some more of the Hike for Fun team have finished - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Some more of the Hike for Fun team have finished.

A photo finish? - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

A photo finish?

Here’s Jurgen, the fastest finisher on the 24km trail, being interviewed by Louise of Beijing Hikers TV - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Here’s Jurgen, the fastest finisher on the 24km trail, being interviewed by Louise of Beijing Hikers TV.

Fifteenth Anniversary t-shirts - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Fifteenth Anniversary t-shirts.

Welcome to the finish! - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Welcome to the finish!

The big team is all back - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

The big team is all back.

More people at the picnic - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

More people at the picnic.

More people at the picnic - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

More people at the picnic.

Getting the certificates ready - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Getting the certificates ready.

More and more of a crowd - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

More and more of a crowd.

Local village kids joined the picnic - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Local village kids joined the picnic.

Back on the Challenge trail they’re crossing over the Great Wall. Christian is still at the front - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Back on the Challenge trail they’re crossing over the Great Wall. Christian is still at the front.

Frederic is second - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Frederic is second.

Yep, down that way - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Yep, down that way.

Here’s Vivide - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Here’s Vivide.

Looking great after nearly 20km - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Still looking great after nearly 20km.

Here’s Dennis again – not even sweating - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Here’s Dennis again – not even sweating.

Our old friend ‘Mr Fish’ came up from Shanghai to join in - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Our old friend ‘Mr Fish’ came up from Shanghai to join in.

Hey! - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Hey!

Checking the finish time. (Move further down.) - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Checking the finish time.

Back at the finish, the winners of the Hike for Fun - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Back at the finish, the winners of the Hike for Fun.

More winners, with a tie for third - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

More winners, with a tie for third.

‘And next on the schedule ... ‘ - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

‘And next on the schedule ... ‘

Lucky dip winner - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Lucky dip winner.

More lucky dip - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

More lucky dip.

Winner of a voucher from Ganges Indian Restaurant - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Winner of a voucher from Ganges Indian Restaurant.

Another winner - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Another winner.

24km winners, men’s group - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

24km winners, men’s group.

24km winners, women’s group - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

24km winners, women’s group.

Women’s 30km - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Women’s 30km.

Men’s 30km - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Men’s 30km.

Congrats! - 2016 Hiking Festival photos

Congratulations!

And that was it. See you all next year!