Ian Rambles
After trekking in Thailand I knew that my leg was highly likely to give way on some of the steep downhills I found described online. Without parapets or guardrails a tumble which left me with an amusingly muddy butt in the Thai highlands could well involve a fall of hundreds of feet - so, with George and Harry, I opted for the shorter section of the wall and left Fi and Arthur to be intrepid!

We took a chair lift up to the wall and were "adopted", like Fi and Arthur, by a couple of souvenir sellers. They kept us company for several towers, insisting on holding all our hands over the steeper bits. They left us when I made it clear that we were going to sit and have our picnic while we waited for Fi and Arthur to walk towards us.

To be sat "on the wall" after having seen it so often in photographs was awe inspiring. The work involved in its creation is immense - and the life of the soldiers who once manned it difficult to imagine.

Fiona's Journal
Today we finally met The Great Wall of China. That was how it felt somehow – as if this “Wonder of the World” is some hugely famous personality that we have read about, heard about and seen pictures of, all our lives, and have finally got to meet in person. Unlike most celebrities it did not disappoint. In fact it exceeded my expectations.

The expedition did not start all that auspiciously. We were picked up at 6.00am in an elderly minibus and within half an hour it was belching forth steam and hot engine smells from beneath the dashboard. Half our drinking water supplies were emptied into the radiator and we continued on our way without further problems. Having cavalierly condemned all Chinese drivers as “adolescent”, our driver for this trip was very good and relatively patient, despite his youth, and at least two dogs owe their lives to his quick reactions.

It took over three hours to reach Jinshanling where Arthur and I and a Spanish couple were to start our 10k stretch of the wall. After our early start and stressful drive I felt more in need of a kip than a hike! Ian, Harry and George continued in the minibus as far as Simatai where they did a 4k section of wall.

It was a warm day and we were already sweaty by the time we had completed the steep climb up onto the top of the wall. However, the amazing views across the mountains, and of the wall itself following its serpentine route along all the highest peaks and ridges, inspired us as did the cheerful company of a young women called Jo and her friend whose name I never did grasp. They offered to be our guides and companions to the midway point in return for which we agreed to buy ten pounds worth of souvenirs from them before we parted.

The first fifteen towers, half the total distance, took a steadily upward gradient but between each tower the wall goes sharply downhill and then equally steeply up again to the next tower so there are no nice flat sections to stroll along. In some places these slopes were at 40 degrees and stepped, in other places they were nearly 70 degrees with no steps and those were a real sweaty scramble, whether heading up or down.

At each tower we stopped for a few minutes to catch our breath and drink some water and Jo gave me lessons in Chinese. I learnt quite a few words and phrases during that walk but almost the only one I can remember now is “zhu baa” which means “Let's go!”, to be said with enthusiasm!

In some places parts of the wall have fallen away completely and we had to find our way across the remaining ledges and rubble and at one very crumbling tower Jo lead us on a short cut across the mountain which bypassed it altogether.

After Jo and friend left us at tower 15 the trend was generally downhill and a refreshing breeze had sprung up so Arthur and made good and cheerful progress on our own. Some of the most spectacular views were in this section too, which inspired me onwards. We reached the bottom of the river valley and the suspension bridge in good shape, planning to stroll nonchalantly back to rejoin our party, looking as if we had just been to the corner shop for milk. Then it dawned on us that this was not, in fact the end of our hike. We had to climb two towers up the opposite side of the valley to reach the others and these sections were amongst the steepest we had met. We were almost defeated at this point, and if there had been any alternative way out of the valley we might have been, but there wasn't so, of course, we managed it. We did not arrive looking as if we had just strolled to the corner shop though!

We were speedily and completely revived by a zip-wire ride down the river valley and across a dam to a landing stage from which a small boat then took us downriver to where our minibus was parked. We arrived just as Ian and smaller boys were descending by cable car from their end-point.

We were all impressed by our encounter with The Wall. It deserves its status as one of the wonders of the world. I like the fact that it is not being conserved with that British “stay off and don't touch” approach that we have to our ancient monuments. You can climb on, and fall off, any part of it you want to and it is used very casually, as a communal resource, by the local mountain villagers. They gather in the watchtowers, some with a few souvenirs or drinks to sell, but mostly to chat with neighbours and play cards as far as I could see.

Arthur's Log:
Today we set out early for the Great Wall of China. Me and mum opted for the 10k walk while the others chose the 4 k version. I can't remember being that tired ever ever ever in my whole life.

Usually 10k is nothing, barely more than a pleasant stroll with the dog - but this was not easy. By the time we were half way I was seriously worrying that we had missed it. The wall just goes up and down up and down for ever, the steepest bits going up at 70 degree angle with 2.5" steps with only a sliver to stand on each time. I really can not exspress how tired i was by the end of it, we had to walk 30 towers and on the last 3 I gave out for 15 minutes, my system just gave up and I collapsed and after that it took forever to do the last little bit.

If I can stop talking about how tired I was for minute then I will say it was AMAZING!! I can't even express how amazing it was! Just phenominal! Nothing I have ever seen has come remotely close the awsomeness of the wall never ever ever.

The final stretch looked like it was going to be pleasantly down hill but after a drop into a steep valley we ended with a steep climb.

A pleasnt suprise ending though. There was a zip line all the way down to the waters edge, then a boat to the car park.

We got back, I TOOK THE LIFT and fell asleep from 5 that afternoon to 9 the next day.