You might be one of up to 65,000 on a busy day jostling to view a small section of the Great Wall cheek by jowl.
You might have discovered how you can quietly contemplate kilometres of this spectacular creation all by yourself.
But what can’t be done, despite a widely held belief, is to see the Great Wall from the moon.
NASA has found that none of the original 21,200 kilometres can be seen with the naked eye from satellites, let alone the moon.
Above: How the mighty are fallen.
Man-made structures visible with the naked eye from satellites include the world’s widest road, the 26-lane wide Katy Freeway at Houston and, closer to the wall, Beijing’s seven ring roads, each one much wider and more distinguishable than the five-metre wide paved area atop the wall.
More amazing is the fact that much of the wall can’t even be seen from ground level.
Nearly a third of the wall has disappeared, leaving no trace, since the first sections were built 2,300 years ago and more of it was looted for homes and major infrastructure during the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976.
Below: Up to 65,000 people a day cram
into the modernised section at Badaling.
You might have discovered how you can quietly contemplate kilometres of this spectacular creation all by yourself.
But what can’t be done, despite a widely held belief, is to see the Great Wall from the moon.
NASA has found that none of the original 21,200 kilometres can be seen with the naked eye from satellites, let alone the moon.
Above: How the mighty are fallen.
Man-made structures visible with the naked eye from satellites include the world’s widest road, the 26-lane wide Katy Freeway at Houston and, closer to the wall, Beijing’s seven ring roads, each one much wider and more distinguishable than the five-metre wide paved area atop the wall.
More amazing is the fact that much of the wall can’t even be seen from ground level.
Nearly a third of the wall has disappeared, leaving no trace, since the first sections were built 2,300 years ago and more of it was looted for homes and major infrastructure during the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976.
Below: Up to 65,000 people a day cram
into the modernised section at Badaling.
In the north-west of the country, where earthen bricks were used, it is being eroded by sandstorms caused by desertification. |  |
If you’re intrepid there are, of course, hundreds of stretches you could visit if you’re prepared to venture into the country’s vast interior.
But if you’re on a budget and are time poor the closest section of wall to Beijing is at Badaling, just 90 minutes’ drive from the city centre.
What most of the 10 million visitors a year see here is less than four kilometres of wall reconstructed specially for tourists in the last 60 years or so.
But if you’re on a budget and are time poor the closest section of wall to Beijing is at Badaling, just 90 minutes’ drive from the city centre.
What most of the 10 million visitors a year see here is less than four kilometres of wall reconstructed specially for tourists in the last 60 years or so.
Above: Teetering and disappearing.
Yes, despite the modern makeover, this section is still spectacular, climbing and snaking over rugged, vertiginous wooded hills and up to 14 metres high.
Perhaps because of the steep climbs, few people reach the extremes of the tarted-up section.
What I found fascinating was to walk to a barrier at the end of the modernised wall and climb round it to experience the wall as it actually exists in its decrepitude.
There are a couple of officially sanctioned opportunities to tramp on similar sections of the original wall but they involve round trips of five hours from Beijing.
I preferred my unorthodox clamber.
There was no guard to prevent my excursion but bearing in mind the propensity for the present government to put people behind bars or into re-education camps it’s probably sensible to check with someone in authority before ducking round the barriers as I did.
Once on the other side I was totally alone, walking for an hour or so in wooded hills in this hugely populous country with no sign of habitation or another walker.
The wall meandered around and over contours with great chunks having fallen away, with trees piercing its heart and with its fabric and reputation in ruins.
Recommended. Memorable.
Yes, despite the modern makeover, this section is still spectacular, climbing and snaking over rugged, vertiginous wooded hills and up to 14 metres high.
Perhaps because of the steep climbs, few people reach the extremes of the tarted-up section.
What I found fascinating was to walk to a barrier at the end of the modernised wall and climb round it to experience the wall as it actually exists in its decrepitude.
There are a couple of officially sanctioned opportunities to tramp on similar sections of the original wall but they involve round trips of five hours from Beijing.
I preferred my unorthodox clamber.
There was no guard to prevent my excursion but bearing in mind the propensity for the present government to put people behind bars or into re-education camps it’s probably sensible to check with someone in authority before ducking round the barriers as I did.
Once on the other side I was totally alone, walking for an hour or so in wooded hills in this hugely populous country with no sign of habitation or another walker.
The wall meandered around and over contours with great chunks having fallen away, with trees piercing its heart and with its fabric and reputation in ruins.
Recommended. Memorable.
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