Hiking photos - Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, 2011/11/13

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The weather was cool and crisp on the day we did this hike, making it a most pleasant stroll through the countryside.

Excellent views were enjoyed as we passed the chestnut orchards and garden plots belonging to the residents of rural villages, with villagers finishing of the last of the year's fieldwork in preparation for winter.

Midway, we climbed a stretch of Great Wall, with some hikers making it to the top for the views of the Huanghuacheng Reservoir.

From the wall, we walked a countryside trail to the Walled Village, stopping for a look at the old walls before finishing up for the day.

a towering section of Great Wall, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

From our starting point we could just make out the Great Wall in the distance. Later, we'd be climbing it.

Chinglish, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

Retranslated, the sign says that it’s forbidden to make fires in the forest.

a gentle ascent, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

We followed a paved trail up to the Great Wall.

the path from Zhuangdaokou toward the Walled Village, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

A view down the valley to the village where we began the walk.

some very steep sections of Great Wall, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

We headed up the wall for a look—some sections were rather steep!

take a break on a steep part of the Great Wall, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

A little further up, the wall was a little less steep – a good spot for a photo opportunity. On the left is Betsy Taylor, our resident naturalist. On this hike, she found quite a few interesting things for us to learn about.

The direct route to the Walled Village, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

Looking back the other way, we could see the Great Wall winding along a high ridgeline

part of the Great Wall on the opposite side of the valley, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

From the highest point, we could see the Huanghuacheng Reservoir. Later in the day, we took a short climb up the wall on the other side of the reservoir.

a mostly flat trail, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

On the way to the Walled Village we followed a trail in the valley, with views of Great Wall on the ridgeline behind large chestnut orchards.

a traditional style Chinese home, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

In one of the courtyards in the Walled Village we saw black dates being dried on tabletops.

in the bottom of the valley, Beijing Hikers Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, November13, 2011

A reflection of a Great Wall tower is seen in the water below the reservoir dam.