Hiking photos August 15-16
Lotus Pond to Mutianyu
On this hike we went from wild wall into a popular Great Wall park. The day was very hot and humid, but we were able to cool down at a trout farm afterwards.
Statistics: 2 hours walking (3 hours 15 minutes in total) over 5.6km (average moving speed 2.9km/hr); start height 288m, finish height 281m, highest point 608m, total climbing 509m, total descending 461m. Estimated 955 kCal burned.

The path up.

View down to a tower.

View up to a tower.

A tower in the bushes.

On the Mutianyu section of the wall.

Detail of a tower roof.

Ornamental animals on a tower roof.

Fish for lunch!

Lunchtime at the trout restaurant.
Intelligence Valley
For most of this hike we were followed by a thunderstorm, which made for an interesting hiking atmosphere. It started raining heavily halfway through - luckily for us it was just as we reached the swimming hole. The swimmers didn't mind getting wet, and the rest of us were able to hide out under tarpaulin. After we were done hiking we had snacks, beer, and soup at a local restaurant.
Statistics: 2 hours walking (3.5 hours in total) over 8.65km (average moving speed 4.7km/hr); start height 352m, finish height 167m, highest point 352m, total climbing 43m, total descending 112m. Estimated 450 kCal burned.

Through the mist in the valley.

More mist in the valley.

Flowers.

More flowers.

One of the pools.

Stepping stones to cross the stream.

The swimmers.

Sheltering from the rain.

The 'Intelligence Test.'

More of the 'Intelligence Test.'

A fearsome dog at the restaurant.