Jiankou ‘Big West’ Great Wall, 2015/02/11
30+ photos from a cold day out on the Great Wall on the west side of Jiankou.
The Great Wall on the west side of Jiankou is quite a mixture—some of it totally collapsed and rough, and some of it in excellent condition despite going more than four hundred years without any repairs.
The views from up on top of the wall here are also excellent, as there’s a great deal of wall within sight in the surrounding mountains.
On this visit we took the long way up, hiking through forest to reach the wall at a low point.
The photos below start off in forest, and then take you over the rough sections on to the solid wall at the end of the trail.

Starting off on the hike.

Hiking through forest.

The Great Wall comes into sight, way up on a ridge.

We continued up through the forest.

The forest gets thicker.

We've reached the Great Wall, at the base of a ruined tower.

Hiking on the ruined remains of the Great Wall.

We hiked by the foundation of a tower.

Skirting the foundation, with a tower on a cliff in the background.

A steep trail beside the wall.

This part of the hike was on a line of wall that is mostly ruined.

Views of mountains.

A steep and tricky section.

Ruined towers high in the hills.

Looking back along the trail, with Nine-Eyes Tower just visible at the top of the hill.

A narrow line of ruined wall covered by forest.

Getting on to the part of the wall that's in better condition.

Taking a break.

Good views here.

We hiked on, on top of the Great Wall.

This part of the wall is topped with trees.

Going through a tower.

Looking back again.

We continued along the wall.

Good view of the curves in the wall here.

Looking towards the 'Chinese Knot' part of the wall at Jiankou.

We came through the remains of a tower.

Here's a tricky bit - we had to come down this bit.

On top of a tower.

Looking out the windows.

Pretty steep here1

Looking up at the Chinese Knot.

Short break before continuing.

And we're off again.

The trail down from the wall started by this tower.