Kids Club: Rolling Hills and Farm Playground
Head out to Miyun for a walk in the rolling hills south of the big reservoir—choose a shorter or longer trail, and finish with some fun at a small countryside playground.
The Rolling Hills area is one of our favourite spots for a ramble about the countryside, and there are a lot of options for a long or short hike.
We’ll see farms and fields (and maybe sheep and cows grazing in empty cornfields) as we hike through pine forests over low hills on shepherd’s trails and tracks. At this time of year the autumn colours should just be starting to show.
In the area there are also some little guesthouses and mini-playgrounds, and we’ll finish up at one of those for a picnic and play on long slides and in a hay bale maze, with extra paid activities including vegetable picking and donkey rides.
Kids club: relaxed outings for kids to enjoy some family time in nature. This outing is best for ages 6 and up. Younger kids could walk in places but would need to be carried for some parts.
Itinerary
08:00 | Driving to the hike, stopping for a bathroom break |
10:00 | Start walking from a village, following dirt roads through cornfields. |
11:00 | Take an easy trail through the hills, with views of rolling hills and mountains in the distance. |
11:30 | Find a spot to eat some lunch. |
12:00 | Hike out on dirt and concrete roads past tree nurseries. |
12:45 | Big kids have the option to hike up to a lookout point (45-60 minutes round-trip) before following the others on a path over a low hill through a pine forest |
14:00 | Snacks and drinks and play time at the play area. |
16:00 | Driving back, stopping for a bathroom break |
18:00 | Arrive at Lido, then on to Liangmaqiao |
Things to do on the hike
Find the pheasants: keep an eye out for feathers on the trail, and look out for scared pheasants taking flight. Which are male, and which are female?
Climb up to the lookout: a paved track leads to the top of one of the highest hills in the area and down the other side. If it’s clear you can see the Yunmeng Mountains, Yanqi Lake, Beijing’s CBD, and more mountains all around. Involves some stair-climbing; best for bigger kids.
Things to do at the playground
Big slides: one straight, one snake-y, both about 12m long.
Entertainments: see the diving piglets; feed ostriches, emus, and rabbits; swings, tree-walks.
Donkey, horse, and tractor rides: take a ride at an extra cost (you can pay the playground staff directly).
Seasonal vegetable picking: pick your own vegetables for ¥15 per 500g. Selection depends on what’s available on the day.
Please contact us if you'd like more details about the plan.
Participation notes
Safety and supervision: we choose hikes that are not dangerous, and we’ll warn you about any parts of the hike that require extra attention. You’re responsible for watching your children. We’ll let you know where’s good to play.
Vehicle: all participants must wear seatbelts while in the vehicle. Ask us about bringing your car seat, as certain seats might not fit.
Weather: if the weather doesn’t look like fun, we’ll cancel or postpone the hike.
Food: bring your own picnic lunch. We’ll supply some snacks and water for you.