Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Twenty-plus photos from a hike along ‘wild’ Great Wall in Yanqing County.

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For this hike we headed out to Yanqing County to walk a stretch of ‘wild’ unrestored Great Wall.

There’s quite a lot of Great Wall in Yanqing County, including the very famous (and crowded!) Badaling section. The wall continues west from there, and just a few mountains further over there are stretches of wall that are much quieter and hardly ever visited - like this one!

Getting started on the hike, some feeling the cold more than others! - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Getting started on the hike, some feeling the cold more than others!

We followed a road further into the hills, an easy warm up for the steep climbs coming - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

We followed a road further into the hills, an easy warm up for the steep climbs coming.

The start of the uphill path that leads to the wall - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

The start of the uphill path that leads to the wall.

That’s us! - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

That’s us!

Onto the scenic part of the hike, following a trail up a wooded valley - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Onto the scenic part of the hike, following a trail up a wooded valley.

Hiking further into the forest - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Hiking further into the forest.

Almost up to the Great Wall - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Almost up to the Great Wall.

Made it! - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Made it!

We followed the wall further up, to the higher parts - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

We followed the wall further up, to the higher parts

Hiking on a steep section - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Hiking on a steep section.

At the top of the steep section the views open up - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

At the top of the steep section the views open up.

A broken part of the wall - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

A broken part of the wall.

Bricks underfoot, where one side of the wall has collapsed - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Bricks underfoot, where one side of the wall has collapsed.

Taking a break before the next steep climb - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Taking a break before the next steep climb.

Hikes making their way up to the General's Tower, the highest point on the hike - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Hikes making their way up to the General's Tower, the highest point on the hike.

Closer to the tower - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

Closer to the tower.

The arched doorway is all that's left of this tower - Middle Route of Switchback Great Wall, 2015/10/25

The arched doorway is all that's left of this tower.

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