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The Hebei 50

The Hebei 50 WildWall Weekend takes place at a section of Wall characterised by its astounding number of high-quality, well-preserved and magnificent-looking watchtowers.

Grey Brick Wall

The Hebei 50 WildWall Weekend takes place at a section of Wall characterised by its astounding number of high-quality, well-preserved and magnificent-looking watchtowers. Our hike is a Wall-top traverse of 10-km in length, exploiting one of the Wall original functions — a military road through otherwise impenetrable terrain. The Wall here plunges down into and then climbs out of three, deep gorges. Along the Wall-top way, we will pass in- and out-of 50 portals, aisles and chambers of its watchtowers. The ruggedness, inclines and remoteness of this section makes the tour a worthy addition to the WildWall Frontier Series of tours. ​

Hebei is the province that completely surrounds the Beijing Municipality, making it look like an island. The capital region, which is equivalent in area to the UK’s Wales, or New Jersey in the United States, has ‘only’ 400 km of Great Wall. Hebei Province has approximately 1,388 km of Great Wall!

 

Most of the Great Wall in Hebei is of very high-quality construction, built of stone and brick and dotted at fairly-regular intervals with blocky-shaped multi-storey watchtowers. As William narrates in his film ‘The Great Wall: The Greatest Views’, it is the Ming Dynasty Wall’s architecture in Hebei that defines the fortification’s ‘Period of Grandeur’ …

 

To cap off a splendid day’s hiking and learning, walkers will arrive at a well-prepared and appointed camp, set up on thick grass, beside the Wall. A watchtower overlooks the campsite.

TOUR SUMMARY

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  • Begins at 13.00 hrs on the Friday of departure from a central pickup location in Beijing; return to Beijing on the Sunday, by 4pm;

  • Small group tour, typically 5-8 participants per departure;

  • Departures only twice per year, spring and autumn; 

  • 3-4 hrs’ drive to location; arrive at approx 5 pm on Friday, stay at a nicely-appointed and superbly-located lodge, tucked right under three Great Wall watchtowers;

  • Evening drinks and dinner, mainly from the WildWall kitchen;

  • Saturday — Western breakfast of croissants, Bircher muesli, fried eggs and fresh WildWall home-roasted coffee;

  • Early set-off, at approx 7.30 am. A 10-km traverse through 3 gorges and 50 watchtowers;

  • Mid-morning ‘elevenses’ snack of fresh coffee and home bakes;

  • Great spend sandwich lunch with a view;

  • 5pm arrival at Wall-side campsite; ice-cold beer and perfectly-chilled Sauvignon Blanc;

  • Camp in top-quality Black Yak tents (Korea), sleep in Mountain Equipment (UK) or Sea to Summit (Australia) sleeping bags with freshly-laundered cotton liners and pillows; 

  • Greek salad starter and luxury spaghetti bolognese main-course dinner, prepared on the spot, enjoyed while the sun goes down in the west;

  • Sunday — Sunrise from the door of your tent, or up on the nearby Wall;

  • A breakfast to remember, bacon and Spanish omelette and fresh coffee;

  • After breakfast photography and Wall talk,

  • Break camp; a 1.5 km walk mainly downhill to meet minibus;

  • Return to lodge (40 minutes’ drive) for hot showers, or better still, take a plunge in the ice-cold stream outside (highly recommend invigoration/recovery method);

  • Homemade dumplings before departure;

  • Drive back to Beijing, lovely scenery.

 

 

Departure months: May and September 

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