A visit to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in all four seasons
Another part of the Great Wall of China that I regularly visited was Mutianyu. This part of the Wall is about seventy-three kilometres out of Beijing which is about and hour and a half drive. I always booked a driver and did the same when I sent my visitors there as it was so much easier than finding buses and sticking to a rigid timetable.
This section of the Wall was first built by the Northern Qi Dynasty over 1,400 years ago. It was re-built and strengthened during the Ming Dynasty and the main part which attracts the most visitors is a 2½-kilometer section which was fully restored in 1986.
What I love about the Wall is that the surrounds look so different in all seasons; the Wall is slippery during winter in the snow and boiling hot in the dreadfully hot summer days.
There is a cable car to take you to the top and after you take a walk along the wall you have the option of taking the cable car back down or hopping into a toboggan and riding the way down. There is an option of walking up and down which takes about an hour each way and said to include about 4000 steps…I wouldn’t know this as my mode of transport was always the cable car and toboggan.
Under the westernmost towers, on the side of a grassy ridge, is a 200 metre long phrase 忠于毛主席 which means ‘loyalty to Chairman Mao’ It is said that Chairman Mao once wrote: ‘If you don’t get to the Great Wall you’re not a good man.’ (source: http://www.chinahightlights.com)
Of course as with anywhere in China, there are many Chinese entrepraneurs selling all sorts of everything with many foreigners paying way too much for t-shirts/Chaiman Mao caps and many other things. The fruits and foods are always delicious and worth spending a few RMB on.
After my first visit to Mutianyu in 2010 I had my photograph taken with a couple of good looking fellows dressed in Chinese attire; it was great to see them during another visit in 2013…for a few RMB (about$6 or so) you can have your photograph taken. Same lovely fellows; same lovely smile from the one on my left.
Unlike Badaling which is one of the most commercial and busiest parts of the Wall, Mutianyu is great to visit because it’s not at all crowded so you can spend time taking photographs without thousands of people in them.
panhirsch said:
The Great Wall is an amazing wonder. Would love to see it…
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Sophie - cookingtrips said:
Sue, all of your pics are stunning! You have a very good eye for taking photos. I have been to Mutianyu too, but i’m glad you took photos with the snow as i had never seen this site in winter.
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Little Miss Traveller said:
Looks amazing Sue, really good to view the contrasts between the seasons too. I hope to visit one day, I’m off to bed now on a cold, miserable Sunday night dreaming of a visit to the PRC!
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Amy said:
Beautiful photos, Sue! I so enjoy your Great Wall series. 🙂
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Yes it truly is amazing. Every part I saw I loved.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thanks for your lovely compliment Sophie.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you. I hope you get to see it. It’s an incredible structure at all the various parts.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you again Amy. So glad you like them. You are so lovely.
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vinneve said:
You have some good shots there and looked like you enjoyed!
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sileas said:
I love the views of the different seasons, each has its own beauty! And it looks so empty again, amazing 🙂
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you very much Vinne.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
An amazing structure and you are right – beautiful in each season.
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Vicky T. said:
The great wall looks like a lovely place. I would like to visit it one day.
Vicky
http://vickysscrapbook.com/
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Carissa Hickling said:
How fabulous to see it in all seasons!! 🙂
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Dalo 2013 said:
My first time to the Great Wall, I had very large expectations – and usually whenever I have such expectations I walk away disappointed…but in this case, the Great Wall exceeded all I could have imagined. To visit it in each season, that would be brilliant. Great post Sue ~
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you so much again. Every time I visited any part of the Wall It was mesmerising. So glad you loved it too.
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sim1jr said:
I only hope that one day I am fortunate to visit China and see and experience some of the beautiful and breathtaking sights that you have. The Great Wall is truly amazing and somewhere I will definitely visit when that day arrives.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
You will Simone. You will!!!!
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twobrownfeet said:
Stunning captures of the Great Wall! Loved the shots taken in winter. In April, last year, it was hot and the sun sapped the energy out of us. The watch towers were a blessing in disguise. I couldn’t complete the trail due to a throbbing pain in my knee. The only regret I have.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
I am sorry to hear you could not complete the trail but you know what you walked on the Wall and that is a wonderful achievement. But I do know how hot it gets on the Wall too – relentless in summer. Yuck!!! Thank you also for your lovely compliment about my photos. Very lovely of you.
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LaVagabonde said:
That’s great that you visited in all four seasons. Fabulous photos.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you so very much. Really appreciate your comment.
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