Jinshanling to Simatai (Trip report)

[lecter]

Last weekend we did a Simatai run (for exercise) where we headed to Janshaling which is North-West of Simatai and went along about 13 Towers. The trek from Simatai has a daunting initial climb up to Towers 10-12. This I posted about last week. It was a nicer day then.

Today (21 September) was a hazy day here in Beijing, where it ultimately (and still is as I type) rained. It is so unusual to have so much rain in Beijing. Last year there was very little heading into the Autumn (Fall) and Winter months. The measures for the Olympics have surely has a large effect on the climate. It is an experiment in environmental engineering that proves that we can change our environment for the better with the will and fortitude to go through with it......

We had already decided, rain or snow, to head to Janshanling and do the trek back to Simatai. Last weekend we met all sorts of nice people that didn't look overly stressed at the trek. We figured then, that we could handle the pace and that we'd head back to make the trek.

It was still hazy, but there was some sun threatening to poke through, so I dreamed and hoped of some decent pictures (which in the prevalent weather around here is sometimes not a realistic one)



Being totally new to this part of the wall, we debated which why Simatai actually is. It felt like "Left" to me, and my colleague felt it was "right". We watched others plonk on up to the wall and we thought it was best just to head up there and ask one of the 00's of touts that vie for your business in "Ice Water, Coke, Beer, T-Shirts".

There is a cable car here and we decided to jump on it for a quicker ride to the wall proper. We thought we'd be well ahead of some other people we spotted, but as it was, they seemed to get up there really quickly. Go figure eh??




So were up on the wall and I am struck by the site. It's just way more beautiful and impressive than even Simatai is. The cable car takes us up to a section that's just awesome. We cannot get any really decent pictures, as it's quite hazy. But i've put a few below to give a general feel for the place, right there as we got off the cable car. Now were still chatting about the "Left or Right" issue. The climb to the left looks ominous and we look right and decide that if it's that way it will be a doddle of a walk (haha). We ask the tout that hassles us as soon as we disembark #39 at the top of the incline which way to Simatai and her "you idiot" look and reply reaffirmed our "murphy's law" thoughts. Go left, straight up!!!




Black and White, looking "Right". That's the way that looked "Easier".




Black and White looking "Left", it seems to go on and on up and up...... My aching knees are telling me that it's a good idea to go back, but we've sent the driver to Simatai, so there's no turning back, we are committed.

We get going, because looking at it won't make it any easier or shorter. This time we;ve come better prepared. We have some snacks, bottles of electrolytes and some new shoes. My old sneakers were dangerous last week, so some new shoes from the Silk Market were in order. That place is a whole story by itself.

The wind is cool, but the heat build up quickly as we head into the first tranche of Towers. At this point it seems there are touts every few hundred metres. This is not a huge hassle, but can wear thin after a while as they all tend to use the same words exactly. "Ice Water, Coke, Beer, T-Shirts", "Ice Water, Coke, Beer, T-Shirts", "Ice Water, Coke, Beer, T-Shirts" over and over . . . . I would be very surprised if they knew where New Zealand actually was.... "Where you from" . . . . It's part of what they have been taught to be friendly and conversational. We're stocked up and really want to get moving. The photography slows us down a lot, and that's not a bad thing. The Great Wall is something to be soaked up in ones consciousness.




Spot the touts on the rise? Like Lionesses they stalk their prey!!

The views are just unreal. It's like being on another planet. There are few people here and it's serene. There is a motorway being built in the distance, and a few machines can be heard from that. We seem only to meet foreigners on this section, but I am sure as we get closer to Simatai that we'll meet more locals.

The surface is quite rough. The 600-1000 years has been unkind to many sections. It's hard to tell where they have restored and what is original, but this is irrelevant as the differing surfaces and broken sections give it perspective as to age, and also give excellent glimpses into how they actually built the wall. It's a marvel of construction and it was
a. built to last and
b. built to withstand the mongol hordes (who just rode around it.. clever chaps!!)




The trip to Simatai is about 28 Towers. We sat and had a nice rest at around number 14. Darn not having a GPS, that would make "Google earthing" it all easier. But we're not here to document it that accurately. We met a nice chap who was coming from Simatai. He was thinking about going past Jinshaling to another destination (and I cannot remember it exactly to name it again). We met some nice South Africans (Who work on a Lodge at Kruger!! Small world!!)

The bottles of Electrolyte are gratefully taken by the touts. There is a good market in recycling. That's excellent news. The wall seems clean, but if you look over the sides there is still an unfortunate "not my problem attitude" by many and there is a lot of trash to be seen. Not masses, but enough to be unseemly!




And so it goes on and on . . . . . . . .




You just have to stick your head down, and do it like eating an elephant (metaphorically speaking, as I have not eaten an elephant, but I have fed many and bee chased by more than a few!!), one piece at a time.

I stop regularly to look backwards where the light was better and photograph the different sections. It's an often missed part of Photography, looking backwards. This comes from advice we used to in New Zealand when Tramping (Hiking) through the mountains "Always look behind you now and then so you recognise the way back, should you need to get back in a hurry to get help or assist someone, as what's behind you look s totally different once you have passed it."




This is sort of like being at the ruins of Ayuthaya or Cambodia. The way they did the brickwork and foundations is amazingly similar to me. This is not an experts opinion of course!!




And we get to familiar territory. I've not included in this blog many of the Simitai end images. They are better viewed on last weeks article. The one above is a decent place to sit and look at people going in all directions. This section is much busier and I have to be quick to get this shot before I am blocked by two ladies walking directly behind me.

The trek takes us about four hours. We snacked on 4 bottles of electrolytes, a bag of doritos and some snickers. We had plenty in reserve. Last week we were shattered at this point. Amazing how much difference some decent fluids and carbs make.

Oh yes, I forgot, check out my PBASE site to see Alex on the flying fox, coming back down over the lake. A great way to end the trek. There are 170+ photos of this journey. I hope you enjoy them. Not classical stuff, but a fair representation of what the day fed up to us!!!

Until the next time on the wall, or some other place . . .