Review: Xiangshuihu Great Wall Review

[Bryan]

Summary

The Xiangshuihu Great Wall is located west of Moshikou and east of Lianyunling. This section has been partially restored and is officially open to the public. It’s a good place for a brief visit to the Great Wall if you are nearby and you want to avoid crowds.

Access

Xiangshuihu is about one hour’s drive from the Huairou urban area. Go to Dazhenyu and just beyond that village you will find the entrance to Xiangshuihu at 40°27'3"N 116°26'51"E.

Condition

Xiangshuihu Great Wall has been recently restored and therefore is in very good condition. If you pass the restored section to the east, you will reach the unrestored Great Wall at Moshikou, which is in pretty good condition but the first section is virtually unclimbable and must be avoided.

Description

Taxi drivers are not necessarily allowed into the entrance gate without buying a ticket, unlike many other Great Wall locations. Since this happened to me, I had to walk in from this point. Unfortunately, I found that it was a very long walk from the ticket booth gate to the Wall. Upon arriving at the Great Wall, I walked for a short distance beyond the wall itself and found restaurant/hotel. I inquired about a room for the night and the price I was quoted was ridiculous and no bargaining was to be had. This may have been because I was a foreigner, but most other hotels along the Great Wall did not try to gouge me so blatantly. The rooms were only of average quality at best. On top of this, the staff was not at all friendly. I did not try the restaurant and quickly decided that I would not be staying here, so I just briefly explored the Great Wall, took a few photos, and left. Luckily I was able to find a driver inside of the park so I didn’t have to walk back down that long entrance road.

From the main road, the Wall heads east towards Moshikou, and west towards Lianyunling. The westerly direction was closed for reconstruction in 2008 and I could see that restoration was nearly complete except for the lowest part which was not climbable. To proceed to the east, you must cross the dam and then go up to the Great Wall. Once across the dam, the first incline is quite steep. But because it is recently rebuilt, it’s not very dangerous or difficult to climb. It was a mildly interesting area and the views improved as the altitude increased. The first part of the Wall is restored here but the restored span is not long. Walking towards the east, one quickly reaches the first summit and the end of the restored section. At this point, only a string with flags is present to keep you from proceeding to the unrestored area. There were no security guards here, but I have seen photos of security guards at this location. There are no security cameras either. The unrestored area starts with a short downhill section followed by a long uphill section, the summit of which marks the start of the spur wall and the Moyashike park section, which is covered in a separate review. The view from this point is quite good. Most of the view is the Great Wall and nature, as very few buildings or other man-made objects are visible. Up to this point, all of the Xiangshuihu Great Wall is relatively easy and safe to climb.

At the eastern summit of the Xiangshuihu Great Wall, 10 September, 2010
(40°27'23.5"N 116°27'20"E)
Moshikou Great Wall in the background

Although the Great Wall is officially open here, I found very few visitors. This does not seem to be a very popular destination, and it’s not surprising because other Great Wall locations have more to offer.