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CHINA
265
October14
WHERE?
House:
Opened in 2006, The School
House is a sustainable tourismenterprise
that provides employment for village
residents, enabling them to stay put, rather
than head to Beijing to find work. Long-
term American expat Jim Spears and
his enthusiastic business partners have
transformed a former school (it closed
when the local population shrank) into a
glass-blowing enterprise and a restaurant
that champions locally produced food. In
March this year, Michelle Obama and her
daughter lunched here and visited the
Wall, amidst tight security.
They’ve also restored eight disused
village houses into comfortable visitor
accommodation that retains traditional
features. Best explored on foot, the area
offers numerous walks aroundMutianyu,
taking in the orchards and a new visitor
centre. It also produces artisanal, natural
and sustainable products.
There’s a steep track to a wild section
of theWall, which abuts the more touristy
part. Here, a solitary experience on
a crumbling, unrestored wall awaits.
Depending on the time of year, you’ll
experience spring blossoms, blazing
autumn leaves or winter snow. Stay for
the quiet that descends when the tour
groups leave in the afternoon; by 8pm
there’s not a sound to be heard nor a
person to be seen on the streets of the
village, in stunning contrast to Beijing.
Grandma’s House
is a two-
bedroom house with kitchen, laundry,
two bathrooms and large enclosed
garden, perfect for a family. Other
houses are larger, and feature gorgeous
interiors and views of the Great Wall.
Houses start from 2,800 RMB per night.
theschoolhouseatmutianyu.com
Hotel:
The Brickyard
is a 25-room lodge
and spa close to Mutianyu. Rooms
have a modern rustic feel and feature
a glass wall and outdoor terrace with
spectacular views of the Great Wall.
There is an onsite restaurant that offers
free breakfast and coffee, tea and
homemade cookies throughout the
day. Transportation is available (though
not at all times of the day) to and from
Mutianyu, which is about ten minutes
away.
brickyardatmutianyu.com
Farmhouse:
William Lindesay is a British
Great Wall researcher who has been
walking and writing about the Wall
for decades. His company, Wild Wall,
organises excursions to unofficial and
remote sections of the wall through
weekend trips (including guided hikes
with two nights’ accommodation in
a farmhouse and meals) to longer
camping-style, point-to-point “extreme”
hiking adventures.
wildwall.com
GETTING THERE:
Popular options include
taking a public bus, booking a tour,
dishing out a few more dollars for a
private guide or seeking something
offbeat, like travelling via chauffeured
sidecar. We’ve heard rave reviews
about Beijing Sideways; you’ll just want
to make sure the air quality is good
enough for your nasal passages to
travel comfortably without a windshield.
beijingsideways.com
If you decide to stay at the Wall for a
few nights, round-trip transportation can
be booked through companies like
Violet
and Kong
, a husband-and-wife team of
licensed tour guides with great English
skills and a knack for promptly replying to
emails. Round-trip transport from Beijing
to Mutianyu starts at 800 RMB.
T IP: Violet and Kong also provide day
tours (including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen
Square, Jingshan Park, the Summer Palace and
other famous sites), offer transportation to and
from airports and train stations, and can book train
tickets to Xi’an and other cities before you arrive in
Beijing. Full-day tour rates start at 1,100
RMB. To read customer reviews, see “Beijing
Private One-day Tour Guide Violet” on
TripAdvisor.
boutiquetour.com
THE MYTH THAT WON’T QUIT
The Great Wall is the only man-
made structure that can be seen
from space. FALSE!
Debunked time and time again,
this myth is so ingrained in popular
culture that astronauts, including
Neil Armstrong, have reported
being asked this question
ad
nauseum
. Recently, high-tech
equipment has been able to detect
the wall – and other objects – from
low orbit, but the fact remains that
the human eye cannot detect the
Great Wall from space.
The School
House
Grandma’s House