Xiangtun Village Loop | Crossing the stream in ’Big Cloud’ canyon
Crossing the stream in ’Big Cloud’ canyon. (We’re expecting it will be frozen on this visit)

Xiangtun Village Easy 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.

Level 2+
Some steep ascents and descents on the Great Wall; not suitable for younger kids unless you can carry them. 3–4 hours of hiking over approx. 5km. (Can I do it?)
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Bookings close February 20

Booking info

Saturday, February 21

¥380 / ¥340 for members / ¥220 for kids 5+ / free for kids 3-4yo

  1. 7:30am departure from the Liangmaqiao subway area
  2. 8:00am departure from the Lido Metropark Hotel Starbucks
Post-hike picnic included; bring your own snacks and lunch.
Payment in advance required for this hike. More about payments

Previously a Kids Club hike, actually suitable for all ages!

Spring Festival holiday hike!

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.

‘Big Cloud’ Valley and Shuiquan Canyon | Hiking down ‘Big Cloud’ Valley in winter
Frozen streams in ’Big Cloud’ Valley.

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.

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.

Steep Great Wall
Steep Great Wall. (Click for larger image)

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

Itinerary for the hike
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
Chestnut orchards by the Longquanyu Great Wall
Chestnut orchards by the Longquanyu Great Wall. (Click for larger image)

Things to do on the hike

Fall in the stream: actually, don’t do this! Bit cold for a swim. 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.

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.