Xi'an: Hua Shan Mountain

Welcome back travellers to this the Xi'an blog, a blog of epic proportions as you'll soon see.

Now when most people think of Xi'an they probably think of The Terracotta Army, or the walled city and huge Pagoda. During our three days in Xi'an we did spend a day at the Terracotta Army museum, and we spent a day in the city, but our first day there was spent exploring the Hua Shan sacred mountain. One hundred and twenty kilometres out of Xi'an and one of only five sacred mountains in China, this is an adventure and one I highly recommend.

If you decide to visit Hua Shan, which I hope you do, Xi'an North station located around ten kilometres out of the city centre and accessible via Line 2 of the Metro, is the place to go. Xi'an North operates high speed trains only with a long list of destinations and over thirty lines running. It is huge! It is like an airport terminal in that you have to wait in the lounge until your train is called, and then you have to board at the correct gate. It is quite spread out and we had to do a bit of a run to the gate in a slight state of panic. You may also have to pass through airport style security, so allow a good twenty minutes to half an hour before your train. We had ten minutes and it was fraught.

We booked our tickets for the super-fast train from Xi'an to Hua Shan Bei the day before from Beijing Rail Station. It's always worth purchasing the high speed tickets in advance as they can sell out. The journey took 35 minutes and we were travelling at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour.

 The tickets: £5.45 each. Bargain!

 Leaving the station.

They very kindly tell you how fast you're going. 

So after a very pleasant ride in the restaurant carriage, eating TUC crackers and drinking lime water - the only things we could decipher from the breakfast trolley - we had arrived at Hua Shan Bei (Hua Shan North station). From there you are likely to be hounded by taxi drivers, but there are free buses shuttling to the mountain, so you can tell the taxi drivers 'no, no, no,' even when they tell you, 'bus, no, no,' because the bus is free. Yes!

The bus journey takes around 15 minutes and drops you by a massive roundabout with a backdrop of the Hua Shan mountain and no discernible way to cross the road. Hooray!

Bus drop. 

Once across the road you are welcomed to the historical site with a fabulous view of the mountain, a visitor's centre and a map that will probably confuse the life out of you, but don't worry because The Sarky Traveller is here to break it down for you. 

• Entrance to the National Park itself is 180RMB (£18) per person. There are student discounts if you have a relevant card. This payment only gets you into the area. In order to explore you need to take a bus to the base of the mountain where you then have options for your trip. 
• There are two different cable car entries to take you to the top: North Cable Car and West Cable Car. 
• They each require a bus journey to get to. 
• The bus journey to North Cable Car is 20 minutes and costs 20RMB (£2) each. 
• The bus journey to West Cable Car takes 40 minutes and costs 40RMB (£4) each. 
• There is little English spoken here, even in the Visitor's Centre, so it's best to be prepared before you go, which of course we weren't as we had only read a few passages about it in guidebooks and online, and were totally confused by the map. 
• From the drop off at North Cable Car, you have the option to hike up to North Peak, which takes around 3-5 hours and requires about 1100metres vertical climb in 6kms. Not for the faint hearted or unfit. There are two different hikes, the one mentioned above and then one with only steps called Soldier's way, which has some 80 degree steps and can be very dangerous depending on the weather. 
• There are also hiking options from the West Cable Car station. 
• The North Cable Car costs 80 RMB (£8) one way and the journey takes around ten minutes. North Peak itself stands at a height of 1614.9 metres.
• The West Cable Car costs 140 RMB (£14) one way and takes over twenty minutes. West Peak itself stands at a height of 2082.6 metres.

I strongly recommend taking the West Cable Car. It is more expensive, takes longer in both bus journeys and the cable car ride itself, but..........

• It saves your legs in a lot of ways. 
• It also opens you up to more routes and allows to you to access more of the mountain, quicker.
• If you take the North Cable Car, you have a lot of uphill to climb once off at the other end, and if you want to continue to any of the other four peaks, you're talking hours of walking and lots of height gain. 
• If you go up the West Peak first and make your way around to the North Peak for your descent, then you get to ride both cable cars and both bus routes. And you manage to comfortably see three of the five peaks in just a few short hours. 

Obviously, if you have multiple days to explore and are not partaking in the art of speed tourism, then there are lodgings up there and you can stay on the mountain. You also have the option of hiking up and hiking down, but you still need to take the bus to the bottom.

There really is something for everyone here. And with Hua Shan being a sacred mountain, pilgrimage happens all year round, no matter the weather, and so there is always a steady influx of visitors on every peak and walkway. Take care, especially where there are large crowds. Take your time and don't be pressured into moving too fast. You are a long way up and it's a long way down.

So, as I keep harping on about, any sane person would definitely take the route we did - which was a complete fluke and it was only as the day progressed that we realised what a stellar decision we had made - starting with the longer bus journey through the mountains and up to the start of the West Peak Cable Car. Though, I should mention, if you have even a slight fear of heights, you will need to keep your eyes closed for most of the twenty minute cable car journey.

 Bus Drop for West Peak trail and Cable Car

 They love their steps and gates. They really make you work for this. 

The Sarky Traveller having a few 'arrrrgh' moments. It's bloody high. 

Once up at the top we were greeted with snow and our first short hike up to West Peak. There are lots of useful signs, information plaques and maps up there. There are translations into English, and they also show distances and height gain to and from the different trails and peaks. This is really good for realising how much you can do in a short time and creating your Hua Shan plan. 

Snow.

 Information and slightly less confusing maps. 

 Heading on up to West Peak, via this lovely staircase. Oh and you have to pass through a Temple, restaurant and lodging house, until you finally get the view. 

 Icy little Dragons. 

 Loving the icicles. 

 An icy sea. Our view from West Peak. Wow! You just can't fathom how high you are. 

 Quality sign: No watching when walking. 

Helpful distance and time chart to help you plan your day. 

After West Peak we followed the trail to South Peak, which is the highest point on the mountain at 2154.9 metres. There are a lot of steps along this route, just as a heads up, but there are little places to stop and rest along the way, and plenty of photo opportunities. 

 At the alchemy furnace.

The tree at South Peak.

On a clearer day you will of course see further and have more of a perspective of just how high up you are, but there was something so beautifully misleading about those hovering high clouds, like you had passed from one world up into the next, and they were the floor of one and the ceiling of another. Truly mesmerising. I think in a way I was quite glad you couldn't see all the way to the bottom; the clouds sheltered me from the truth. 

On the way down from South Peak, there are lots of steep steps. You pass through the South Heavenly Gate and you pass by the entry to the Plank Road in the Sky - only for the extremists and those who like to walk on planks strapped to a mountain over 2000 metres up. I am not one of them. Sorry. Plus speed tourism didn't exactly allow us that luxury. Aww shame. You can also ring a bell out over the precipice for a small donation. 

 Ring the Bell. 

Walk the Plank. This is tame, it gets worse, I've seen the photographs. 

We had definitely earned a lunch break, and there are various places to eat dotted around the peaks of the mountain, though of course not all of them were open in November in the snow. We didn't really have a clue what was available or in the end what we'd actually ordered, but it was food and energy and some of it was hot. The saviour of the day was the little kiosk that sold chocolate. Yay! As China is not a country of sweet tooth's, we had been slightly lacking in sweet things, but a bar of chocolate up that mountain was like a oasis in the desert. 

We realised that if we were going to get down to North Peak it was going to take us another ninety minutes - at least - and so we made the decision to skip East and Central peaks, in order to give us plenty of time for the trip down, as the plan was to get back into Xi'an in enough time to have a nice meal and a wander by night. 

Now this is where you really need your wits about you. North Peak is much lower than West where we started, so it involves a lot of down climb and some of it is sheer and dangerous. The flow of people traffic was definitely a lot heavier here, so you will have to wait on some staircases for people to come up first, or vice versa. Sometimes there are separate routes for those going up or down. Please follow the signs, they are there to help and to decrease the chance of injury. 

We saw a lot of elderly folk that had taken the North Cable Car, as we were coming down, and they were so hopeful that they were already at the top, yet there was still so far to go. I can't express just how many steps there are! (Take West to North. Take West to North.) 

 The locks lining the way. 

 Sheer!

 That's how you get stuff up a mountain. Wow. 

 Sword anyone?

 Yes those are some of the many steps, and no the angle is not exaggerated. 

A definite WTF moment. As my exercise DVD says, 'it might hurt, but you'll have a nice bum.' Ay, I should think so after all those sodding steps. Thankfully we were going down and not up. 

As you wind your way down you will pass through the Dulong Temple, Riyue Rock, the Sanyuan cave, and the beast of all ladders: the Sky Ladder. 

 Dulong Temple

The Sky Ladder. Hold on to those chains. 

It feels like you're never going to make it, like there is always some new obstacle to obstruct you and delay you, but I promise if you keep following the signs you will eventually reach North Peak, and then you are not too far from the Cable Car, and your way down off of this fantastic but exhausting mountain. 

 North Peak. Hoorah!

It's a challenge, it's an adventure and it's one of only five sacred mountains in China. I highly recommend Hua Shan as an excursion if you are around the Xi'an area, and it actually trumps the Terracotta Army for me, but that's just personal preference. It is probably the most expensive thing we did throughout our entire China trip, but it was well worth it. (For both cable cars, both buses and the pass for the mountain it cost us £46 each -  460RMB.)

Goodbye Hua Shan. Taking the North Cable Car down. 

Once you have made your way down to the Cable Car and bus, be aware that the buses make stops on the way back. We were unaware of this, jumped off and then found ourselves lost, but luckily in the hands of Google Maps. Stay on until the Visitor's Centre and then you can take the bus back to the station. It waits by the roundabout where you arrived earlier. There are also buses that go straight back to Xi'an from in front of the Visitor's Centre, but they are very confusing and seem to keep no particular timetable. They tend to just leave when full, so you can be waiting for some time, and of course they take considerably longer than the high speed train. When we were trying to get back even the locals were confused, so we had no chance. 

If you are getting the super-fast train back, please make sure you booked it in advance when you purchased your outward ticket. We didn't, due to not knowing how long we would take up the mountain, and when we made it back to the station they had no space on trains for 3 hours. Needless to say, it took us about that long to get back to Xi'an centre and our dinner date was off. Instead we settled for dinner and cocktails in the hostel with some light reading. 

 A very tired Sarky Traveller with a well earned Mojito!

I really hope you opt for the Hua Shan mountain excursion. It is a truly unique experience and is definitely one of my highlights of China. 

Join me next time for a battle of the canal towns: Nanjing Vs Suzhou.

Until then, Merry run up to Christmas. 

The Sarky Traveller

China Internal Travel Stuff.

It's been a while fellow travellers, but before I return with the Xi'an blog and tales of the Hua Shuan Mountain, I thought I would fill you in on a few tips and some advice when travelling over or above the mass of land that is China.

Unless you have months over there, you are likely to need to focus in on a certain area, or at least narrow it down to two or three provinces, as otherwise a lot of your time will be swallowed up travelling. Of course you could just stay in one place, but when travelling so far it seems only fair to experience life from a few different perspectives and visit as many places as you can.

As you would expect their trains are excellent and they have a huge amount of super-fast trains and Shinkansen style trains, as well as more local and sleeper style services. Most towns and cities are accessible by train and it is a vast and busy network, serving a huge area of land and a helluva lot of people.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/

This very easy to navigate website, has lots more information on the trains and allows you to book through them as a tour operator, if that's how you roll. Or it gives you the times and services and then you can book up to 58 days in advance, at the rail stations in China. (This is a new service since December 6th 2014. Previously, tickets were only available 30 days in advance by phone or Internet, and 28 days in advance at the station.) You will have to show your passport in order to purchase a ticket.

http://www.seat61.com/China.htm#.VInNpTGsVyU

I also stumbled across this website which looks quite useful in terms of breaking down your China travel into easy steps and walking you through it. There are also links about the Metro/Underground services in the bigger cities, and links to travel by ferry and other options.

If you are going to buy your tickets once there, as we did, you will need to find the one designated English speaking terminal in the station and probably wait behind lots of locals, as they can't keep one terminal purely for English speakers, not in off peak November. (Things may be different in the spring blossom rush or the summer months.) And then if you have a particular train journey in mind, or even better, have a list printed out of the journeys you want, this will help everything run a little smoother.

No 16, the English speaking booth. 

When using the super-fast trains, always book a return journey as well, otherwise you may be caught out especially in peak times, and you may have to wait hours, or find another way back involving hours of bus ride in hideous traffic. No, this didn't happen to us at all........ Well okay, it did, but the reason we hadn't booked a return was because we were up a sacred mountain and had no idea when we'd be finished and we didn't want to have to rush. In hindsight, a three hour journey back after several hours of hiking could have been avoided with a 35 minute train journey. Won't be making that mistake again.

Train tips:

• If you have a relatively short time in China, plan your route in advance and know where you want to be when. (Obviously if you have a little more freedom then you can be more flexible with dates and just book your travel as and when you need it.)
• If you prefer to have things done and settled before you leave, then book online with one of the operators and be safe in the knowledge that it's all done. 
• If booking from a station in person, be prepared to queue, especially when travelling the same day. Get there with time to spare and a hefty chunk of it just in case. 
• You must have a passport to travel by rail so keep a sharp eye on it. 
• Be prepared for airport style terminals at some of the bigger train stations and especially at the bullet train stations. You will need time to navigate the large halls and find your gate. 
• Hot and lukewarm water is available on the train free of charge, so if you have some tea handy, go for it. 
• Be aware of what you're booking - seats, soft sleeper or hard sleeper - before you book it so you don't unnecessarily decimate the budget or find yourself uncomfortable. Rail times can vary anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. 
• All trains have signs and announcements in Chinese and English, so once aboard you should be able to work out your stop and where the conveniences are. etc.
• Train tickets are very reasonable and are an affordable and environmentally stable way of getting around this large nation. For instance we paid 54.50 RMB for a 35 minute super-fast train journey, which is £5.45. And it went a distance of over 120kms. Bargain!

Moving on to air travel. It might not be quite as environmentally sound, but when faced with a twelve hour rail journey, or a short flight of around two hours, sometimes flying wins. Using China Eastern Airlines, we actually used two internal flights during our 16 day holiday. The prices were also very reasonable at around £120 for two people including ticket price, luggage and fees.  

The travel China guide mentioned above, also has a section on flights if you would prefer to book through an agent. But you can just as easily book in advance at the airline website. 

http://uk.ceair.com/muovc/newsite/main/en_GB/index.html

Please note that we booked a couple of months in advance and were informed of a change a few weeks later. The flight had been moved by several hours, which luckily didn't affect us too much, and actually opened up an extra few hours in Beijing. It just meant we arrived in Xi'an at pretty much midnight instead of late afternoon. So just be prepared for slight changes. It may not happen often but it is something to look out for. 

The airline was very organised. Everything went smoothly. They had lots of nice options to eat at the gates and the plane was new and half empty. Sadly it was the most turbulent flight I've ever been on and subsequently the longest two hour flight ever!

Before the turbulence. 

Air travel tips:

•  If you're facing an extremely long train journey and don't fancy sleeping on the train, check out flights for your destination and see if you can save yourself some time. 
• Book in advance but be aware of changes.
• Arrive at least ninety minutes prior to departure time.
• Be prepared for the cabin crew not to move for twenty minutes after departure, it's their law. It's weird because you're normally used to them being up and busy after about two minutes in the UK, Europe and the US. But don't panic, they are not sitting because they are terrified or because they have built in turbulence trackers, they're just following the rules. 

Okay, so now you're sorted. You've had your adventures in Beijing, you've had two days on the wall in remote Gubeikou and you've taken the plane to Xi'an. Now it's time for something a bit different. 

Next time join me in Xi'an, with three days of adventures and exploration. Think sacred mountains, crazy cable cars, sky ladders, high speed trains, an army made of...oh what's the stuff plant pots are made out of again?....and walking the walls. 

Until then, keep travelling. 

The Sarky Traveller.

Two Days On The Wall - Gubeikou

A trip to China would be severely lacking if it didn't involve a jaunt to The Great Wall, but where you decide to view it may be determined by different factors. From Beijing there are several locations and they are all in varying states of repair or disrepair. You can choose newly refurbished sites and super family friendly sites, or you can venture onto the more wild hikes and tricky scrambles across tough terrain.

Badalang and Mutianyu are the closest to Beijing and probably the most popular in terms of numbers of tourists visiting. Badalang pulls the biggest crowds and is probably best avoided in the summer months. However, it is easy to access from Beijing and has good customer facilities. It is accessible for wheelchairs and push chairs, so a great place to visit with the family, or if time is tight. It is, however, fully restored and thus loses a bit of it's historical beauty.

Mutianyu is the best of the closer sections of the wall, with fewer tourists than Badalang and the popular toboggan ride. Again the services for guests are great, with access for all and some off beat hiking tracks. Either of these two sites would benefit families and those less able to do a serious hike.

But, if you're thinking of escaping the bustle of Beijing, the crush of the capital city, and want some piece and space, along with some of the wildest must rugged views and wanderings on the wall, I would highly recommend Gubeikou. Sitting on the border of Hebei province, the village of Gubeikou is a perfect place to explore the wall. It boasts a fantastic international hostel called The Great Wall Box House and offers two very different hikes.

If you can stay here two nights to gain the full benefit of the two hikes and also the fact that evening meals are cooked and prepared for you as part of your room fare, then do it! There might be nothing to do after 6pm and nowhere to go, but the rooms are warm and cosy, there is wi-fi in the communal dining area, and the fridge is stocked with Chinese and some Belgian beers, as well as snacks and soft drinks. And besides, when coming from five days in Beijing, as we were, the peace - and lack of traffic and crowds and beeping horns - was just what we needed.

How to get there......
From central Beijing, you want to head to Dongzhimen Station and find the bus station there. You take the 980 express service to Miyun and you 'Pay the Bus'. What we did was see how much it cost in the guide, show the bus driver the Chinese symbols of where we were headed and then put the money in the slot on the bus. It's an odd system, 'paying the bus' but I sort of liked it. After all the bus takes us there.

Anyhoo, if you are carrying luggage, as we were, you may have to let a couple of buses go, but they are every 15 minutes or so, so not too much waiting around. One of the buses was full, one was too small to take luggage, and finally the third would take us and our luggage.

Now this is quite a journey, and yes you could opt for one of the sections of the wall that was closer and more convenient in terms of travel, but once you realise what awaits you in Gubeikou, you might change your mind.

It takes around an hour and forty five minutes to reach Miyun Bus Station, then you can attempt the death defying road crossing to change to the 25 bus, but the odds are that bus will be rammed and not even stop, and there are even higher odds that there will not be any room for luggage. So your best option is taking a taxi. There will be lots of taxi drivers out there, waiting, and you must haggle and agree on a price before you ride, but bear in mind it is an hours drive from Miyun, so something like 120RMB to 150RMB (£12-£15) is more than reasonable. Oh and don't panic if after ten minutes they pull over and swap drivers. They tend to place the drivers with some English at the Bus Station to catch the fare and then swap them over to someone else - probably with no English - so they can go back and get more fares.

Accommodation.....
They dropped us at The Great Wall Box House, our accommodation for the next two nights and having set off mega early it meant we were there around eleven am, giving us plenty of time to settle in and later squeeze in a hike.  http://en.greatwallbox.com/about/ Check out the website for information and reviews from travellers; rooms and rates; and lots more information about the hostel, the wall and surrounding areas.

The workers at the hostel - except the cook - all spoke English and were very welcoming. We had opted for a private room with shared bathroom which was not the most expensive room they had, but one of only four private rooms. The other rooms were dorms and of course were much cheaper per night. But in saying that this was the most expensive accommodation over our entire time in China, it really wasn't much when you compare to prices in Europe or Britain. And when you're in a tiny village, almost three hours away from Beijing, with wonderful hospitality and food, you feel like you've just found the best deal.

Free tea, and hot or warm water is available all day every day. Cold water from the tap is not drinkable in this country; cold water is only available in bottles and you can purchase them from the communal dining area. The way they run it is like a tally system. So you write your name on the pad at the side of the fridge and every time you take something out of it you mark it down and pay when you leave.

Breakfast is available at a small fee and carries mainly continental style items, such as toast and jam, waffles and fruit, and orange juice. Again this is payable when you leave and goes on your tab. The evening meal included in your stay is served around 6pm, but if you are there at an off peak time - we were there November - and there are very few guests, they may push the time forward depending on when it goes dark/when the food is ready, so aim to be back from your hikes with enough time to freshen up before you have some incredible food lavished on you.

N.B If you have an aversion to cats or an allergy, this place might not be for you. There are around eight cats that call the Box House their home and they are super friendly.

The Map.....
This is one of my favourite things about the hostel, this hand drawn, completely not to scale, map. Somehow it makes sense. Somehow people manage to hike and make it back again, but the sheer vagueness and almost child like depiction of the area adds an additional wonder to this already legendary landmark.

The host took us to what they deem the Starting Point of our first hike which was heading out towards the 24 Windows Watch Tower, a walk that should take around five hours all round. But first she helped us out by taking us to a very local restaurant and ordering lunch for us. (No one speaks English here apart from the few hikers and workers at the hostel.) This was extremely helpful and gave us a picture into rural life in China. We were ordered a Chicken and Mushroom stew with rice, and believe me when I say every part of that chicken was thrown in. My partner was kind enough to hide the head when he found it, but the food was very tasty and obviously fresh. They also supplied Jasmine Tea. We might possibly have been their only customers, but as it was lunch time and eating is a very community/family led activity, the owners and workers ate at another table too.

Dog trying to pilfer some food. I don't think so. 

The Hike. Day 1

1. Firstly when hiking around Gubeikou, you need to know that it is not marshalled - or at least it wasn't when we went - and so you may be alone, or you may go hours before you see anyone. 
2. Secondly there are places where there are huge drops and not much to hold on to. You need to keep your wits about you at all times. Take it easy. 
3. Not all the turrets are in a state where you can enter. If they are roped off then stay out, they are roped off for a reason and are in various states of decomposition. 
4. This section of the wall has not been refurbished. It is wild and unkempt and absolutely breath taking!
5. Take lots of bottled water with you as there is nothing en route. There are also no toilets, but the odds are you will sweat out whatever you take on as the route is not easy going. There are plenty of ups and downs, steps and paths, and very narrow sections. 
6. Take lots of layers with you. The temperature and your temperature will be constantly changing depending on height, wind, time of day and exertion. It's important to keep warm enough as conditions can change rapidly. 
7. Please take any rubbish away with you. It was sad to see some of the turrets flooded with litter. There are no bins and no patrols up here, so it just remains. 
8. Also take some small snacks with you, energy bars, chocolate, something with sugars and salts to give you a boost. You'll need it.
9. Oh, and this probably goes without saying but I'm going to say it anyway: sensible footwear. Trainers, hiking boots, or something similar are needed to give maximum support to your feet and ankles.  

And now to the hike. It takes around an hour from the starting point to actually reach the wall, which gives you an hour of quite pleasant trails, wooded areas and some great views. Then it's simply a case of following the wall. It's like the easiest navigational tool ever. You certainly won't get lost.

  

We didn't come across anyone for the first two hours of the hike, but that just added to the beauty of it, the vastness of it, and it made it ours, no one elses. We did eventually come across a few bird watchers that were quite a way ahead, but I think the final tally was five people we encountered in our five hour hike. Ah, sweet solitude.  

The Sarky Traveller and her walled kingdom. Behind is the hike for tomorrow, named Crouching Tiger, a tad steeper than the first day, but no less ruggedly handsome. 

Reaching the end point: Looking out to the 24 Window Watchtower. 

On a hike like this there are lots of ups and downs. It is not easy going. I'm not saying you have to be crazy fit - not something The Sarky traveller can exactly contest to - but if you have an injury or cannot make a five hour hike, then perhaps one of the other more accessible and family friendly destinations might be better for you. 

There's something so majestic about this sprawling, sinewy serpent, the way it slithers and curls around the hills, clinging in gravity defying ways. And the fact that it survived so many thousands of years really emphasises the fact that they 'don't make 'em like that any more.' 

The way back to the hostel wove down into the village giving us a bigger picture of rural life. There were people bringing in their crops, lots of yapping dogs - not happy at the visitors - and a whole lot of chickens. 

As the sun was setting, the temperature really began to fall, and from moments in just a t-shirt out on the wall, it was soon cardigan, coat, scarf, weather. The hosts said it wouldn't be long before the snow set in and they were actually only open another few days before closing for the winter. Despite the proximity to the closing season, as you can see we had amazing weather, perfect for hiking on the wild wall of China. 

Dinner our first night was in celebration of the official start of winter on the lunar calendar. That meant we had to have dumplings. (Oh no. Gutted.) They were incredible. Tofu, with spices and vegetables. There was also a chicken and vegetable dish; mushroom soup; rice; a bean, carrot and cauliflower dish; and a mushroom and pak choi dish. Amazing! And all freshly prepared on site. It brought all the guests and hosts together and was a really nice end to the day. We stuck around for a while, checking emails, drinking beer and chatting but then around 7pm everyone went back to their rooms, and believe me after five hours hiking the wall, all you want to do is curl up in bed and watch whatever you have downloaded onto your Ipad. 

At this point I must mention the best thing about the bathroom here: the heated Japanese style toilets. It was actually hovering around freezing when we went to bed, so the idea of braving it in pyjamas to brush and floss didn't really appeal. But the heated toilet seat did. Mmmmmm. Bum warmth. 

The Hike. Day 2

Before tackling the biggest hike - Crouching Tiger - it was time for breakfast. 

All the points I made about the first hike are definitely relevant for the day two hike as well, but this may take up to two hours longer depending how fast you are. There is no where to purchase lunch en route, though there are a few local stores in the village. We opted for a large variety of snacks and biscuits to get us through to what we knew would be a mega evening meal. And again, many bottles of water were needed. I can't stress enough the importance of the clothing layers too, especially if you start early morning time. It may take a couple of hours to warm up and as you climb higher the temperature will fluctuate all over the place. Take care. 

 Tunnel

 Bridge

 Steps

 Exhibition

Temple

All this is before you even start your trail up to Crouching Tiger. This time you're heading in the opposite direction to yesterday's hike and you will be climbing higher and steeper, a lot of it at the side of the wall, as it would be too dangerous to climb on it.

 Water Break

There are a lot of big steps too and spiky woodland plants, so full trousers (even in summer time) would be recommended. This way also gives you great views over Gubeikou. 

 Looking down on Gubeikou

Still a few hours to go:

Yes, we're going all the way up. 

You hit a point about two hours in, where you can loop down and go back, or you can continue an extra hundred minutes to reach the summit. The Sarky Traveller ain't travelled thousands of miles around the world to give up now, but she might have wished she had done in parts. 'I don't like it,' became a sort of mantra and there was some very definite chances of death. Anyone suffering from vertigo or a severe dislike of heights would probably want to turn back about now, because this is where it gets really interesting. 

Yes, this was where we were headed next. And this section takes place solely on the wall. It is extremely dangerous underfoot and there are places where the stones move and you have to scrabble on your hands and knees, and haul yourself into the turrets as the steps up have worn away. This is extreme walling, but so worth it. 

 Two of the scariest bits, as you can probably tell from my face. 'I don't like it' was on repeat. 

Now the only problem with this route, was the fact that once you hit the summit, you had to retrace your steps back to the original decision point, which is another 100 minutes back, and it's worse in reverse. But before we headed on down, there was time for some brief respite and a snack or two.

Be careful on the descent. It's beautiful but definitely a time to take it slow. There is no rush, and certainly no one chasing you. 

When you reach the trail again, heading down, it's a relief but also tough going. The steepness and the loose stones of the path surface make for a slidey way down. You will do some of this on your bottom and you probably won't like it very much. Going up seems a doddle compared to the relatively short way down. Still, some beautiful colours and scenery.

At the bottom. That's where we've just been. What an adventure and what a way to see the wall. 

We took the short time we had before dinner to explore a bit more of the village, and then it was time for food and beer and bed:

 This time we were treated to a tomato and egg dish; a carrot, cauliflower and bean dish; chicken, potato and beans; and green beans and rice. You can't argue at your five a day. I think it is well and truly reached.

So that is Gubeikou. A fabulous find and not somewhere amazingly advertised to the wider world. I would class it as a hidden gem and would urge anyone who could make those climbs and who has ample time in the country to take one or two days to explore this litte hideaway. You'll feel good for it, the clean air, the exercise and the tremendous food. It is also a lovely way to break down the speed of your holiday. Five fast pace days in Beijing can really wear you down, but two days chilling on the wall, with very few people, can make you feel like the time slowed down for you. 

Please visit Gubeikou and enjoy the wall responsibly. (I feel like an alcohol ad.)

Join me next time as we make our way back to Beijing for a last look at anything we missed, before taking a flight to explore more of China. Join me then and thanks for reading. 

The Sarky Traveller