Flower Wood and East Water Valley Hillwalking Challenge, 2015/11/28
Photos from a long walk through the snow from Flower Wood Village to East Water Valley Village.
Our Flower Wood Hillwalking Challenge joins up three of our shorter trails for a 21km ramble between villages in Huairou District and Changping District, crossing a few hills on the way to the end.
There had been a lot of snow in the week before the hike, but the roads were clear and sunny weather was forecast - all go for hiking.
We headed out on Saturday morning, and the roads were indeed clear. The weather forecast was a wee bit off, with big snowflakes falling for the first two hours of our hike. Nice!

Snow in the orchards behind Flower Wood Village.

About to head up into the hills.

Snow falling on the trees.

Our ribbons stood out amongst the winter colours.

Walking past a frozen reservoir.

A stand of pine trees above the stream that fills the reservoir.

We hiked on through the hills.

We followed a trail down a valley.

Snow and trees in the valley.

Heading past some houses and up towards the Silver Mountains.

Snow piled up in a chestnut orchard.

We gathered at a crossroads in Longevity Village.

In some of the wilder valleys there was a lot more snow.

The trail was somewhere under all the snow.

Snow clumped on pine trees.

The spring onion harvest may be spoiled.

Terraces and persimmons.

Persimmons, frozen on the tree. Tasty once thawed!

Not far from East Water Valley Village.