Kids Club: Xiangtun Village Loop
Hike a loop around Xiangtun Village, hiking down the stream in ‘Big Cloud’ Canyon, passing through chestnut and walnut orchards, and taking a quick look at some of the Great Wall in the area.
This hike is not currently scheduled
We hike by Xiangtun Village on some of our longer walks, and the main attractions in the area are the Longquanyu Great Wall, and the ‘Big Cloud’ Canyon, a deep canyon with a small stream running down the middle.
Previously a farming area, the village is a small collection of courtyards and houses that are now mostly converted into guesthouses and small restaurants. The villagers still maintain their chestnut and walnut orchards, and when we’re not hiking up on the Great Wall or down in the canyon, we’ll be walking narrow dirt tracks through the orchards on the hills around the village.
For this visit we’ll start in the village and then hike down the canyon. We’ll hike up a short, steep, section of Great Wall, and finish the hike with an easy walk out through chestnut orchards.
Our walk ends in the village square, and we’ll organise some light snacks and drinks at a village restaurant. Nearby the restaurant, in the village square, you might also be able to shop for walnuts, chestnuts, and other village produce.
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 most of the hike.
Parts of the Great Wall we’ll hike here are steep and tricky, and small kids won’t be able to do it unless you carry them.
Itinerary
| 08:00 | Driving to the hike, stopping for a bathroom break |
| 10:00 | Start walking through the village, heading down to the canyon. |
| 10:30 | Hike down into the canyon |
| 12:00 | Climb up on to the Great Wall (steep stairs to start) and find a spot to eat some lunch. |
| 12:30 | Lunch break on the Great Wall. |
| 13:30 | Hike up along the Great Wall, and then down to the chestnut orchards. (Some tricky parts going up and down.) |
| 14:30 | Hike through chestnut orchards back to the village. |
| 15:30 | Snacks and drinks at the village restaurant. |
| 16:30 | Driving back, stopping for a bathroom break |
| 18:30 | Arrive at Lido, then on to Liangmaqiao |
Things to do on the hike
Fall in the stream: actually, don’t do this! We’ll hike down ‘Big Cloud’ Canyon, crossing the stream a few times on stepping stones.
Find the animal farm: there’s a mini-farm halfway down ‘Big Cloud’ Canyon. We usually see geese and ducks, but sometimes rabbits and chickens, too.
Hike some wall: we’ll do a short hike on part of the Longquanyu Great Wall.
Find some chestnuts: If the chestnuts have already been harvested, we might find some leftovers below the trees. If the chestnuts are being harvested, we’d get in trouble for picking our own, and we’ll find some for sale from the villagers.
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.
COVID-19 and participation precautions
The brief version:
- Please DO NOT participate if you are sick or showing symptoms of fever and/or have an elevated temperature, or have been in close contact with someone who was/is.
- You MUST agree to the mitigation and prevention measures outlined here and that Beijing Hikers will not be held responsible if any participants become sick.
Please read in full here: Operating hikes under COVID-19 precautions
