Chenjiapu Valley's rugged wall exceeds expectations

I stayed at Great Wall Fresh, a lovely little farmhouse with a garden in the center courtyard. Most of the vegetables used in their home cooked meals came from this garden.[Photo by Ian Callison/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Great Wall Fresh was a terrific homestay. Set to the ever-present honking of geese and bleating of goats, the Great Wall Fresh provided a glimpse into life in the Chinese countryside. The homestay itself was beautifully built, with a full garden in the interior courtyard, and the staff was constantly friendly and helpful.

We woke up early the following day with the intention of catching the sunrise from the wall. Though the homestay is at the base of the Chenjiapu Valley, the hike up the mountain to a totally unrestored section of the Wall is relatively short, lasting maybe 40 minutes at a decent pace.

In the morning dew and under the soft, pale early morning light, we made the ascent. The relatively unused trail up the mountain was overgrown and muddy, but we managed to maintain our pace and reach the Wall before sunrise.