Changyucheng ‘Long Valley City’ day trip

On this trip we’ll explore the village of Changyucheng, looking at old shrines, defensive walls, and a temple with a big old tree, before taking a good long walk up a long valley to a tablet that marks the border of Beijing Municipality and Hebei Province.

We’ve got several tough Great Wall hikes that either finish or begin at Changyucheng—the ‘Long Valley City’—but the village has some interesting sights in itself.

In the 1520s, this village was an important military base. The village was encircled by stone walls, some leading up the steep hills of the valley, and some of the arched entries and exits still remain. The thickness of the remaining walls give some indication of the level of fortification, and the importance of securing this pass, a sort-of shortcut around the heavily fortified Badaling mountain pass.

As well as the old city walls, the village has several other sights to see: an old shrine which is alleged to cause difficulties for cameras; a restored-but-closed temple with a large bell inside, and a giant old tree just outside the temple entrance.

After taking a stroll around the Long Valley City, we’ll head up the long valley itself, passing a large reservoir. On previous winter visits we’ve ventured out on to the ice of the frozen reservoir for a look, and we’ve found that the valley fills up with ice formed by the slow trickle of water that seeps down from the top. We should see a lot of ice on this visit, and we’ll see about walking on the reservoir!

We’ll walk up the valley on a gradually rising tree-lined path that leads up to the Beijing-Hebei border. A short walk from the border tablet is a tumble-down stretch of Great Wall, and if the day is clear we should be able to see the High Tower off in the distance.

We’ll head back down the same path to the village, and get a late lunch of delicious country-style Chinese food at one of the village guesthouses before heading back to the city.

What to bring on this hike?
Snacks.
Warm clothes: thermal layers, gloves, hat, scarf.
Good hiking boots.
(Click here to read our full What To Bring on a Hike list.)

Previous visits
In July 2011 we visited Changyucheng on a beautiful clear day.
In November 2010 we enjoyed a performance of opera by the village troupe.

Reservations: click here to make your reservation.