dave and jayne walk the wall
| On Saturday 24th April, Dave Shephard
we be leaving before he begins his charity walk to raise funds for
Macmillan Cancer and he will be taking on the challenge of walking
the Great Wall of China.
Dave and his wife Jayne will be taking on the mammoth event which involves hiking miles. Dave is currently in remission after being diagnosed with cancer three years ago and is putting something back into the nursing scheme which helps cancer sufferers with help, support and advice. You can still sponsor Dave and Jayne by visiting their site at www.justgiving.com/dave-jayneshephardmacmillanchinawalk2010 and help them achieve their target figure of £8,000. Alternatively, you can see Dave at training to complete a sponsor form. Throughout the challenge the hikers will be camping in remote, rural villages. One night will be spent with local Chinese families in their homes which provides a truly cultural experience. Trekking time varies from three to eight hours per day. The route is both on and alongside the Wall, following it through the Yanshan Mountains, camping in valleys along the way. The Wall has been renovated in parts, but in other areas is rough and uneven under foot. At times there are steep drops on either side. This is a challenging trek due to the many steep, stepped sections, including 'Heavens Ladder' which is a climb of over 300 steps. Frequent ascents and descents, the variety of terrain and the chance to stay with local Chinese families make this a fascinating trek. ScheduleDay 1 Fly from London -
Depart from London for Beijing.
Day 2 Arrive in BeijingWe arrive in Beijing early in the morning and head straight for a tour of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. After lunch we head for the hotel and sort our kit out ready to start the trek the following morning. The evening is spent relaxing in the comfort of the hotel.Day 3 Beijing-HuangyaguanWe transfer in the early morning from Beijing to above Huangyaguan (3.5-4.5 hours) where we get our first glimpse of the Great Wall as it snakes along the ridgeline of the Yanshan Mountains. In the afternoon we walk along a renovated section, predominately down hill, to the village of Huangyaguan, where we camp the night. Walking time approximately three hours. Day 4 Huangyanguan-mountain villageHuangyaguan is situated in a beautiful valley in the heart of the Yanshan Mountains. We start our day's walk heading up the steep renovated steps towards what appears to be a sheer cliff face. This is where we encounter 'Heavens Ladder', a steep ascent of over 300 steps leading us up the cliff face. Once we have caught our breath the path continues gradually up to the top of the ridge and once again joins the old Wall, which follows the contours of the mountain. We descend into the neighbouring valley by way of a steep path alongside the Wall and end the day with a easy walk up the valley beyond. We bed down in the houses of a local village, which is a real cultural experience. Walking time approximately seven hours. Day 5 Mountain village-mountain villageBeyond the village where we sleep, the Wall snakes its way across a wild and sweeping landscape steeped in history. It is a stiff ascent through farmed terraces to start our day, but the views from the top are just reward. Once at the Wall we follow alongside it before reaching the 'Three Border Stone', the meeting point of the three Chinese provinces of Beijing, Tenjing & Hobe. After taking in the view and photo opportunities we head down and away from the wall along the path down into the next valley. Once on the valley floor we continue walking through farmland with the Wall above us and jagged hills all round. We make camp on the edge of another small and remote village. Walking time approximately seven hours. Day 6 Mountain Village-Gubeiko
|
