In modern times, the famous tourist attractions include Badaling, Juyongguan and Makuta Great Wall. They are conveniently located, well-maintained, and suitable for all ages, so there are more people. With my personality, I naturally don’t like to go to crowded places, so the "wild Great Wall" naturally becomes the first choice.
Tips:
Wild Great Wall: a section of the Great Wall that has not been specially repaired and managed.
Recommended routes
The main route this time is located in Miyun County, Beijing, and is generally divided into two sections of the Great Wall:
1. Gubeikou Great Wall
2. Jinshanling Great Wall
Gubeikou Great Wall is a completely unmanaged wild Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall is semi-developed, and Simatai Great Wall is managed by an outsourced group. The admission ticket price is of course also increasing, and each has its own characteristics.
Gubeikou Great Wall
Gubeikou is one of the important passes in history and is the throat of Beijing and the northeast region. In 555 AD, the Great Wall from Juyongguan to Shanhaiguan was built here. In 1403, when Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he rebuilt the Great Wall to strengthen Beijing's defense. In particular, the 600-kilometer section of the Great Wall from Juyongguan to Shanhaiguan was built particularly solid. Juyongguan in the northwest and Gubeikou in the northeast became important gateways from the capital of the Ming Dynasty to Mongolia. Because of its rugged terrain, it is known as "the land strangles the throat and tends to the desert, and the sky leaves the key to the majestic pass."
After the Qin Dynasty unified, all dynasties had policies of garrisoning and guarding the border. The garrison soldiers were both soldiers and farmers. In addition to providing food and grass for the army, they also developed local production and economic development and promoted social and economic progress. Most of those living at the foot of the Great Wall are descendants of these ancestors. Some still retain their traditional lifestyles, but most of the young people have gone to the city to work hard.
How to get there?
1. Dongzhimen Bus Station → (980 Express) → Miyun Bus Station
Please be sure to choose the express bus, which will take you directly to the highway to Miyun County. The ticket price is 17 yuan. If you take the 980, it will stop at every station and take a long time. If you have a Beijing-specific card, it is half the price.
2. Share a car to Gubeikou Town
I originally checked to transfer to Mi 25 bus. When I got off the bus at Miyun Bus Station, a van driver came up to solicit passengers to share a car to Bakshiying Town. Because it was my first time here, I was wary and decided not to take it. However, the guy I met on the 980 Express said that he usually took a van. It happened that he was going there too, so I got on the bus with confidence. The place where I got off was a small village. I asked the villagers for directions, bought enough snacks and water, and walked inside. It was not easy to find. You need to push away branches and weeds to move forward. If you don’t ask for directions, it may take a lot of time to find it yourself.
Climbing the Gubeikou Great Wall route
You need to pass through several corn fields and push aside the bushes to climb up. Some of the tree branches here have thorns, which are easy to cut, so be careful.
It is autumn, and the trees on the mountain have turned golden, which is a bit similar to the poplar forest in Enaji Banner or the golden autumn scenery of Kanas in Xinjiang. Although I haven't been there yet, what I see is enough to make me intoxicated.
Climbing the Gubeikou Great Wall route
You need to pass through several corn fields and push aside the bushes to climb up. Some of the tree branches here have thorns, which are easy to cut, so be careful.
It is autumn, and the trees on the mountain have turned golden, which is a bit similar to the poplar forest in Enaji Banner or the golden autumn scenery of Kanas in Xinjiang. Although I haven't been there yet, what I see is enough to make me intoxicated.
Jinshanling Great Wall
Before the Jinshanling Scenic Area is officially opened, there are discounts on the ticket price of the East Gate.
After reaching the East Five Eyes Tower, there are two roads, the left and the right. The right one towards Gubeikou is the repaired part, which is wide and easy to walk; the left one towards Simatai is the unrepaired wild Great Wall. I chose the left one without hesitation. Going forward with Gubei Water Town as the goal is naturally not to go back.
Photography Tips
To make the photos unique, we usually have to make big things small and small things big. The perspective seen by our human eyes is about 35mm in terms of the focal length of the SLR lens. We usually call it wide-angle if it is less than 35mm, and medium-long focal length if it is greater than 35mm. Using the characteristics of these two different lenses, we can take more special pictures.
1. Emphasis on tension
Use a wide-angle lens to shoot from the window of the enemy tower, let the wall spread at the edge of the picture, and the tension will naturally come out.
2. Emphasis on continuity
Use a medium-long focal length lens to shoot more sections into one picture to create a sense of compression.
Climbing the Jinshanling Great Wall Route
Part of the Jinshanling wall has collapsed due to lack of maintenance, and the originally flat bricks and tiles on the ground are scattered. When going up and down the slope, you often have to use your hands and feet to maintain your balance. The excitement and sense of accomplishment of walking on it are much better than the repaired Great Wall.
Transportation details
1. Dongzhimen Bus Station→(980 Express)→Miyun Bus Station
Time: about 1h15m
Please be sure to choose the express train, which will directly take the highway to Miyun. If you take the 980, it will stop at every station. The fare is 17 yuan. If you have a Beijing City Card, it seems to be half the price.
2. Miyun Bus Station → (van) → Gubeikou Town
Time: about 40m
There are vans from Miyun Station to Bakshiying Town, 40~50 yuan per person for a shared car. Gubeikou Town is between the two places, and the drop-off point is about 300m after the checkpoint. I don’t remember the specific drop-off point, but tell the driver that you want to climb the Gubeikou Great Wall, and he should know where to drop you off.
3. Gubeikou Town → → Gubeikou Great Wall → → Lower Great Wall in the Military Restricted Area → → Exit of Jinshanling Great Wall Scenic Area
Time: about 4h~5h
Avoid walking at night. If you are walking for the first time, remember to ask for directions when you see someone, and stay in a farmhouse near the east gate of the scenic area at night.
4. Jinshanling Great Wall → Jinshanling Tower → Jinshanling East Gate → (Take a taxi) → Gubei Water Town
Time: About 4h
There was a tower on the way to Simatai that was guarded by scenic area staff and people were not allowed to pass. I took a taxi back to the water town. I don’t know if anyone is still guarding it now.
Conclusion
If you want to avoid the crowds, exploring the wild Great Wall is also a good place.