Three months later we sheltered from a strong wind in the lee of the Roman Wall near Housesteads. In just a day and a half we were having a brief taste of escapism. We talked about self-reliance and how we were concerned only with our stomachs, our feet and knowing our location. Nicholas thought of a distant relative of Hadrian’s Wall. A very distant relative indeed.

“What do you know about the Great Wall?”

	Theatre could not have created a finer setting. The Wall ends where the stony desert plain grades towards a slope before the foothills of the Qilian Mountains. It is here, completely hidden and unnoticeable from afar, that nature lends an insurmountable hindrance, a secret weapon as an obstacle to potential invaders.At first one hears a hiss, and then a roar, before
the turbulent torrent of muddy water is seen. For here is a cliff, below which the Taolai River has cut a deep ravine in the loose and uncemented desert sands and gravels.

Looking to the Yellow Sea coast, I watched the sun’s disc edge above the horizon and the slow trading of colour between the fading orange sky and the brightening green and yellow hues of the plain. Gradually my route of the previous day clarified, from the sea to the town, over which now hung a patch of dawn smog caused by the coal-burning stoves of townsfolk. Between town and mountains, the low angle of sunlight gave the Wall a shadowed edge, underlining the strategic importance of Shanhaiguan – mountain-sea-pass. I thought of soldiers from centuries ago billeted in this very watchtower, waking up and pausing to witness this morning ritual of the sun.

	Opening my rucsac, I delved inside to find my notebook. The eldest boy peered over my shoulder, eager to learn what I carried. As soon as he saw the Chinese characters on the front page, he muttered excitedly and the others gathered around. The boy handed the old man the book, but he was unable to read. He called the women, who arrived carrying two watermelons.
They all gathered around the young woman who took the book and read aloud the introductory lines of my diary: “Wei, zhong guo de peng you, wo jiao wei lian lin sai…” (Hi Chinese friends, my name’s William Lindesay…”)

Before I left the couple presented me with a snapshot of themselves. I, in turn, gathered the family outside and prepared to frame a photograph using the self-timer mechanism. They all appeared puzzled as to who would take the picture! Suddenly, on recognition of this unique occasion, the mother ran off with her daughter, returning minutes later with the little girl’s dusty blue tunic replaced with a pink dress!

From afar the uneven outline appeared like the backbone of a dinosaur. It was an intermediate condition of Wall hitherto not encountered. Its base was widened by the banking of sand and it crumbled easily, for large clods of rammed earth lay on the sands. Animals could easily mount its banked sides, and shepherds driving their sheep and goats to and fro between the foothills and the plain had  further damaged its structure.

There were many small dugouts in the Wall, with rings of stones and ashen twigs scattered around where shepherds could keep vigil on their stock. But there was too much activity nearby for me to settle for the night. Dogs were barking. The noise grew louder. Two dogs. Coming towards me. Quickly putting my rucsac back on I grabbed four or five stones. They ran, barking and growling, kicking up the desert dust as they screeched to a halt about twenty yards away. Stealthily creeping on their forelegs, they stretched their necks, snarling to show overfull mouths of canine teeth.

I hobbled off along the track, sore, stiff and starving. A flagging spirit, yearning for the simple comforts of life, was soon lifted, for there, about half a mile to the south, I spotted the Wall, at the foot of the Wu Jiao Hills….Sunlight reflected off the hardened mud path winding its way across the fields.

Seeing three small figures came along the track gave me hope of  finding breakfast.Arriving at the Wall, I called on the first farm whose smoking chimney showed signs of cooking in progress. The occupants were a jolly fat woman, bushing the dust from the yard, and an old Moslem in a black skullcap. Steamed breads and black tea were offered, the piping hot gulps thawing my throat and leaving a trail of fire to my empty stomach.

Then the county leader wrote in my diary:

“ We the various nationalities of the county welcome our friend Will to come to Yanchi County for his inspection of the Great Wall on foot.

Yanchi County is situated in east Ningxia and was liberated by the Party’s forces and established as a base area in 1936. It is located between a desert tableland, the Ordos, and loess plateau, and it is a region of agriculture and animal rearing. The climate is typically continental in character and includes the following weather: drought, wind with sand, sunshine in abundance and a shortage of frost-free days.

The country produces three treasures: salt, fur and young sheep, and sweet licorice root, all of which are well know throughout China and the world. The Great Wall crosses our county from west to east. It is the remains of the Sui and Ming dynasty Walls which are very well preserved in Ningxia.

You came here along your route from Jiayuguan on foot. Your spirit is respected and admired. We sincerely hope your journey will be a success. Please return here again.

County Magistrate, Wang Shiying, representing the The People’s Government of Yanchi County, Ningxia.