
Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village
A relaxing and easy 2–3 hour stroll between two villages on either side of the Great Wall, with an option to get a little more exercise by taking a climb on the wall that we pass on the way.
This is a nice easy walk with views of countryside and village life, a short visit to the Zhuangdaokou section of the Great Wall, and a look around a village that has sprung up in and around an old army barracks that used to house soldiers tasked with guarding the Great Wall.
We will start with a look at the ‘Dragon and Phoenix’ pines at Zhuangdaokou, a pair of trees that are over 300 years old. From there we will walk up a stone-paved trail to a gate in the Erdaoguan Great Wall. It is an ascent of moderate grade—perhaps 30°—and will take no more than 30 minutes.
We can climb up on the Great Wall for a look. It’s a good place to have a snack; adventurous hikers can climb the steep steps to visit a few of the nearby towers. We will usually stop here for about 45 minutes to allow a bit of exploration.
From the Great Wall we’ll take an easy stroll through orchards of chestnut trees on the way to the Walled Village. As we walk, we will be able to see how the Great Wall we just passed continues along the ridge, heading for the village as well.
After a look around the Walled Village we will walk out to the car park and meet our bus, and then drive to our lunch spot, a restaurant at the foot of the Huanghuacheng Great Wall.