Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

moment.
Gŭběikōu, these days a quiet rural village about 80 miles (130km) from Běijīng,
means ‘ancient northern gate’, and was once heavily fortified, guarding the main
northeast route into the capital. Different branches of the Great Wall converge on
the village, creating a kind of Great Wall crossroads; dream territory for historyloving
hikers. After spending most of the morning on buses from Běijīng, I know it’s
too late to make it today to my intended destination – a section of wall known as
Jīnshānlīng, in neighbouring Héběi province – so I’ve packed a tent and plan to
find a suitable camping spot. First, though, I need to negotiate the Coiled Dragon.
© Dave Porter Photography | Photoshot
sections of the Wall towards the finish
The ancient stone section of Great Wall I’m on soon joins up with its younger,
bricked, Ming-dynasty brother, and eventually I see Pan Long (Coiled Dragon)
curled out in front of me. It’s an awe-inspiring, sweeping stretch of wall that arcs its
way around the lip of a forested depression, and before long I’m on top of it,
walking along the spine of the sleeping dragon. The views are stunning – folds of
mist-shrouded mountains overlap each other in the distance, each a slightly lighter
shade of grey than the one before – but I’m forced to keep my eyes on the path.