Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

magical, first-light, wall-top hiking, I reach the striking remains of 24-Eye Tower,
unique in that it once spanned three storeys, with three windows, or ‘eyes’, on each
side of the two lower levels. It seems astonishingly well preserved, but I soon realise
that the side facing me is the only one fully intact, and that only 15 ‘eyes’ remain.
After a short detour through some farmland, to circumnavigate an off-limits
military zone – I’m back on the wall again, but not before negotiating the most
unusual of doorways, which is built into the wall itself, allowing me to walk through
the Great Wall of China to reach the steps up on to it on the other side.
I’ve now hiked all the way to another Chinese province – Héběi – and am
walking on top of the Jīnshānlīng section of the wall. It’s astonishingly handsome,
having been renovated in recent years and opened up to tourists, but it still feels
very remote, especially at this far end, where the wall dips and rises in and out of
foggy valleys, and where day-trippers rarely venture. An old lady sitting alone on a
stool in one of the turrets is startled by my ‘good morning!’, but then sells me a
ticket for this section. She is the first person I’ve seen today. But today, like
yesterday, hasn’t been about meeting people. It’s been about landscapes, about
history, and about walking along one of the most epic stretches of Great Wall I’ve
ever visited. DMC
CAMPING ON THE GREAT WALL
The half-ruined turrets dotted along the top of the Great Wall built at intervals of 3
miles (5km) and 1.5 miles (2.5km) during the Ming Dynasty are some of the most
wonderfully romantic places to camp, but be aware that strictly speaking you’re not
allowed to camp on top of the Great Wall. In practice, the stretches people camp
on are so remote that nobody is around to tell you otherwise, but remember what
you’re on top of and camp responsibly: take away all your litter, and don’t disturb
any bricks.
ORIENTATION