THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Beijing - page 162

lodged by your fellow hikers. When you reach Simatai a toll may be imposed at the suspen-
sion bridge. Note that this walk is still possible while Simatai is being renovated - you just
can't go any further after the bridge.
Finally, if you head right when you get onto the wall at Jinshanling, you quickly reach an
utterly abandoned and overgrown section. After about four hours' walk along here, you'll
reach a road that cuts through the wall, and from here you can flag down a passing bus back
to Beijing. This route is only recommended for the intrepid.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: JINSHANLING
Bybus This is one of those places that's far better reached on a tour. If you really fancy mak-
ing the trip on public transport, take a bus to Chengde from Liuliqiao or Sihui in Beijing;
you're usually required to pay for the full ticket to Chengde ( ￥ 85). Get off at the Jinshanling
intersection, from which minibuses run to the wall for ￥ 15.
Tours Plenty of hostels run tours out here from around ￥ 180; most drop you off in the morn-
ing, then pick you up post-hike at Simatai in the afternoon.
Huanghua
黄花长城 , huánghuā chángchéng • Daily 8am-5pm • ￥ 25
The section of the wall at Huanghua , 60km north of Beijing, is completely unreconstructed.
It's a good example of Ming defences, with wide ramparts, intact parapets and beacon towers.
If arriving by minibus, you'll be dropped off on a road that cuts through the wall. The section
to the left is too hard to climb, but the section on the right, past a little reservoir, shouldn't
present too many difficulties for the agile; indeed, the climb gets easier as you go, with the
wall levelling off along a ridge.
The wall here is attractively ruined - so watch your step - and its course makes for a pleas-
ant walk through some lovely countryside. Keep walking the wall for about 2km, to the sev-
enth tower, and you'll come to steps that lead south down the wall and onto a stony path.
Follow this path down past an ancient barracks to a pumping station, and you'll come to a
track that takes you south back to the main road, through a graveyard and orchards. When
you hit the road you're about 500m south of where you started. Head north and after 150m
you'll come to a bridge where taxis and buses to Huairou congregate.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: HUANGHUA
Bybus Take bus #916 from Dongzhimen bus station to Huairou ( ￥ 12), and catch a minibus
from there ( ￥ 10). The last bus from Huairou to Beijing is at 6.30pm.
Tours Backpacker hostels occasionally run tours this way, though you'll really have to ask
around.