ANOTHER TICK ON THE BUCKET LIST!!
I still can’t believe that I’ve been to the Great Wall of China, it all seems so surreal. The views were breathtaking and I don’t think any picture really captures the beauty I saw with my own eyes. Hopefully my visit will help plan your trip.
The Great Wall of China can be accessed with ease from Beijing, and if you’re in the City, I suggest that you make sure this is at the top of your list of things to do. There are various parts of the wall you can visit but I decided to go to Badaling as it was easy to access and a big plus point is there are toilets available. It sounds really silly, but seriously something you need to think about. There are people who go to other parts of the wall where there are no toilets and are known to wear nappies (diapers) on their walk along the Great Wall. I decided not to go with a tour company and to make my own way there. This way you have the flexibility of where you want to go, for how long etc. I personally find tours can be a bit restricted and having to always follow a set schedule. For a visit to the Badaling site of the Great Wall from Beijing, I recommend you allow 6-8 hours.
Before you leave for your trip please check the weather. It was super cold in Beijing when I was there and even colder at the Great Wall as it is so open. I took extra layers and luckily took my Topshop hooded rain mac with me which was perfect as it blocked out the rain and the wind. Also don’t forget to take sunscreen as again it is so open it is difficult to find shade from the sun. This also applies when it is cold.
A train from Beijing North train station to Badaling takes approximately 80 minutes on the S train and costs 6 Yuan per person (approximately £0.60GBP), which is a bargain. The train is super spacious and clean, and for that price you cannot go wrong. Once you leave the station, take a left and it is a straight road to the Badaling Great wall site, and is about 15-20 mins walk or opt to get a taxi which are parked outside waiting for travellers. The cable carts at the site close at 4:30pm. If you are not bothered by walking, climbing LOADS of stairs and want a little bit of a challenge, I would skip the cable carts, which is what I did. The entrance to the Great Wall of China is 35Yuan per person, if you have a student card it is 17.50Yuan.
I got to the Great Wall just before 4pm and opted out of taking the cable cart. For me it was perfect time of day to visit. The place was virtually empty which was great as you could take your time walking around, full access of the handrails, stop without blocking everyone’s way. One thing I hate is feeling pressured to speed up. What made the visit extra special was I got the chance to watch the sunset and it was sooooo beautiful. I managed to get some amazing pictures on both my GoPro Hero 4 (which I am so in love with) and Nikon D5000. The sun began to set about 6pm and the views were AMAZING. You could see for miles and miles.
Whilst I was at the Great Wall something really funny happened. Just thinking about it makes me chuckle to myself. If you don’t look Chinese, don’t be alarmed when you have people approach you to have a picture taken with you. It was very common at the Great Wall. At first I thought this family wanted me to take a picture of them, so theres me trying to take their camera from them. After loads of hand gestures I realised they wanted a picture of me. I was super confused and thought maybe I’ve been mistaken for someone. Then it happened again…and again and again haha! After speaking to some locals who spoke English, they said it was most probably because they were from small areas/villages where they are unlikely to ever see a foreigner. It was a funny experience and one I will never forget.
Next stop Huangshan to the Yellow Mountain!!
Outfit details
Toptop Hooded Rain Mac click here. It is available in white and yellow.
Beanie click here (Please note is not the exact same one as purchased a while ago).
Herschel polka dot backpack- Exact one is no longer available but click here for a similar one.
