Zhenbiancheng Great Wall loop hike, 2014/11/8
Photos of rough and rugged Great Wall under a beautiful ‘APEC blue’ sky.
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On this visit to the Zhenbiancheng Great Wall the skies were that special ‘APEC blue’ colour, and the temperatures were cool and crisp. Just perfect for a bit of hiking!
We made the long drive out into the countryside, and then hiked up a long valley to reach the Great Wall.
The Great Wall out here dates back to the early Ming Dynasty and hasn’t been repaired or restored since then. That means it’s in fairly rough shape, and during the hike we skirted around those sections – too slippery, and no fun for walking!
(What’s ‘APEC blue’? All the factories were shut down for the APEC conference, and coincidentally (or not?) we had lovely clear blue skies all week!)
Great Wall in the background, and the remains of old Great Wall in the foreground of this shot.
We took a trail that allowed us to avoid the slippery section of Great Wall that leads up to the round tower.
Looking back on the detour.
Hikers on the Great Wall, about to head for the high line of Great Wall in the background.
It’s a big, steep climb up to the top here.
An arch in the Great Wall is half buried by rubble.
Climbing up a steep section of wild Great Wall.
Here’s a tricky bit that we had to cross – no detours here.
Up you go!
The Great Wall here is mostly made of rocks, and a hike along this stretch gives hikers super views of the surrounding mountains.
After walking the wall, we took a trail down into another valley. With the sun going down earlier, the shaded valley was cold!
To finish the walk, we hiked out of the valley and along to the nearest road.