Day 3 – Dayingpan area – Monday

Woke up at 4am and couldn’t get back to sleep thanks to jetlag.

Today’s trekking was very different. The organisers have added an extra day for our trip as a way of experimenting with a new part of the wall.

It was quite remote, in a area North West of Beijing. We were up in the hills and the bus could only take us within 4km of the start of the wall. We hiked up a long road and made our way through a tiny and very old village. Everything was as it would have been a hundred years ago (rustic) but the process of modernisation had started and the local council were making efforts to make the area suitable for wall tourists The concrete was still very fresh.

A group in the past had attempted this day but there was a rather perilous section near the end that was too dangerous and Charity Challenge had decided not to return here until that stretch of the wall had been repaired. They had been told by the government that it had been fixed and was ready and so we came.

It was very windy and exposed and so we were all quite chilly with everyone putting on their layers and windproofs. A few people were quite anxious at how exposed we were, being on top of a rather high wall with long drops on either side, crumbling rock underneath and strong gusts of wind. I thought it was fun!

We reached the bit where the wall dips sharply into a deep valley and it became obvious that nothing had been repaired. It was just as dangerous as before and so Penny our guide had to pull the plug. Many were relieved, but I think a handful of us were a bit disappointed to not be doing a bit of sliding and scrambling.

So we made our way back and went up another section of wall instead and then walked back, the way we came through the little old village, just as the sun came out.

Just about everyone slept for the 2 hour coach ride to our next destination and the next lodge, somewhere North East of Beijing.

This lodge is not government run and so is ‘a lot more fun’. The meal was excellent (all of the food has been good) and afterwards they lit a fire in their courtyard and opened the bar and played thumping house music. Hilarity ensued till about 10pm and then everyone crashed.

I’ve got a new roommate at this lodge. Jeff is from Edinburgh (and is the chairman of the Water Aid charity in Scotland) and has come on this challenge with his two daughters. They’ve all been raising money for Breast Cancer.

Everyone here has a story and an inspiration, some don’t talk about them much and others wear t-shirts with tributes to their family members that inspired them to come. It’s all very moving.

Updated photos are here.

We’re staying here at the moment.

c