The Great Wall less travelled

(Again, with apologies to Robert Frost)

As I mentioned in the last post, I chose to climb the steeper, less crowded route at Badaling. Climbing was hard work; it was very steep. I would have quit, but my partner and his brother were ahead of me and I wanted them to know I had gone back. And, I’m competitive. So I kept trekking.

When I reached the tower from which this photo is taken, someone told me they had seen Frank and John at the end of the route.

The end is in sight. After the tower on the far hill, the wall in this area is closed to tourists.

So I ventured on.

The structure on top of the wall (a fort? a barracks?) was the only one like it in this part of the trek.

And on.

Folks from Sinorama Bus #1, the French bus, heading back to ground level after having gone as far as they could.

And on – until it seemed foolish not to go to the end, since I was so close.

View of the last stretch from a round topped door in the fort in the previous pictures.

And when I got to the end, Frank and John were not there. We must have crossed paths inside one of the buildings while I was taking photos out of a back window.

So I headed back, and back generally meant down.

Looking down the steep part. My knee gave out near the top, and I had to walk down sideways.

Saved the best photo for last.

A favourite photo with a 200mm lens on a crop sensor.

Next post: details from the Great Wall trip.