Walking the Great Wall of China is one of those things you’re always going to do, but haven’t quite got around to yet; am I right? That certainly seems to be the case with everyone I ever speak to about it anyway, so I was amazed when a friend recently told me she was walking the Great Wall at the end of November.
‘Won’t it simply be freezing cold and miserable?’ was my comment, but apparently that doesn’t tell half the story.
Anyway, this friend of mine went and told me it was one of the best holidays she’s ever ventured forth on – and she is a really keen walker.
The Great Wall of China was originally created in 221 BC by joining various local walls built by ducal states to defend their territories. Construction continued up until the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), when the Great Wall became the largest military structure in existence.
Today, the Great Wall, which stretches across northern China from east to west, is 4,300 miles long – so you probably aren’t going to walk the lot!
Beijing is the best place to visit the Great Wall. Here, can visit lots of different sections – each of which presents different features and challenges depending on your level of fitness, and the time of year you visit.
The most-visited sections are the Badaling and Juyong Pass – mainly because these areas are also the most easily accessed.
Overall, the Badaling section is the most popular, because it’s close to China’s capital, so is easy to get to – but also because it offers some of the most dramatic scenery. This walk takes around three and a half hours, though there is a cable car if you want to cheat in getting to the top.
The Great Wall has excellent tourist facilities in this area as you might imagine. And it was the Badaling Section of the Great Wall that my friend visited – because of its accessibility in the winter months and the dramatic snowy landscape. She strongly advises the use of ice grips for shoes and the best winter clothing you can lay your hands on like North Face jackets or at least something else just as good.
The section is also perfect for winter as there are handrails, the afore-mentioned cable car and even a toboggan if you fancy a very quick descent.
