Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall

This stretch of Great Wall in Yanqing County is extremely picturesque and seldom visited, but the steepness of it makes it difficult for casual hikers. On this visit we’ll do the ‘middle route,’ cutting out the toughest parts to make it a little easier. There are still some steep climbs to do, but overall this hike isn’t long enough to rate as difficult - we’ll take our time climbing up and down and make sure that we have a relaxed and enjoyable visit.

We’ll begin this hike with a slow climb up a winding valley, passing rocks and old terraces on the way to the dirt trail that will lead us to the Great Wall. On one side, the wall comes down a steep hill; we’ll follow it the other way, passing through a tower and taking our time to climb the steps of this section.

As we get to the top of that part, we’ll see the road we drove in on, far below, as well more of the Great Wall in the area, including the ‘General’s Tower’ that is the highest point of the hike. During peak season, the General Tower doubles as a shop - we’ve yet to see it in service, but inside is a bench, and a sign that reads “1 Kuai to use” the shaky ladder which is now the only way to enjoy the views from the top of the tower. To reach the General Tower, we will do a few more descents and ascents along the wall, climbing steps up and down.

From the General’s Tower the hike gets much easier, as the wall starts to follow a ridgeline instead of running up and down the sides of valleys. We’ll do some hillside detours around the steep and slippery parts until we reach the trail that will lead us back down to the valley and the bus, and the countryside restaurant where we’ll get our lunch.

What to bring on this hike?
Snacks to eat along the way.
Warm clothes.
Good hiking boots.
(Click here to read our full What To Bring on a Hike list.)

Previous visits
In February 2011 we had a great time on this hike - click to see photos.
We did the easy version of our Switchback Great Wall hike in March, 2011. Click to see photos.
Near the beginning of February 2011, we did the easy version of our Switchback Great Wall hike on a lovely clear day. Click for photos and a write up
Photos and a write up of our Feb. 6 2010 visit, where we walked in a blizzard!
View photos and a write up of our Dec. 16 2009 visit to the Switchback Great Wall.

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