Shadows on the Greatwall
Siniatal to Jinshanling - Me and My Shadow
Morning drive for two and a half hours brings us to one of the most spectacular sections of the Great Wall. We will walk from Jinshanling to Simatai.
We had been warned in the morning about aggressive souviner sellers, as we reach the start of the wall we see a large group of peddlers ready to pounce, I squeeze my way through only to be followed by a young girl not much older than Yvonne my daughter, the girl looked very poor, I thought to myself I had paid £80 for a pair of Salomon Super Grip Hiking Boots and here she is walking the wall everyday in her plimsolls, she didn't speak much english but she did now the appropriate words.
We were told if we chased our shadow away another one would turn up, so just go along with it as if it was part of the challange, so I introduced myself to my shadow, "My name is Dougie, what is your name?" She mumbled something so I christened her Fran as I was sure an Anna would turn up soon.
She offered to carry my bag for me but I said I would buy a book of her at the end of the walk, I looked about to see that a lot of the group had taken up the offer of help and that every person now had a shadow. Fran found it funny that my name was similar to a four legged animal which was probably part of her diet.
This was the hardest but most rewarding day of the walk, following the wall as it snakes over the high mountain ridges. Jinshangling has 67 watchtowers with each one an example of different architecture. These remote areas of the wall are fantastic; there are high ridges with both ruined and restored watchtowers, with some of the wall in overgrown by vegetation and in it's natural un-repaired state. At Jinshanling the wall zigzags up inclines and straddles between peaks like a suspension bridge, the staircases on the wall here can be very steep, especially at the Simatai end where there is an option to climb another 2km further up steep staircases.
About half way along the wall another shadow (Anna) appears coming towards me from the Simatai end, I explained that Fran is my China for the trip, I had been setup as we go on a few hundred yards and Fran tells me she has to return to Jinshanling to look after her kids, being a big softie I buy a book off her and wish her well. Then Anna moves over to greet me with hello hello (whit she wis a rangers supporter - brian)..here we go again, she walked close by offering to help at awkward parts of the wall. When I stopped she stopped, when I walked she walked, when we reached Jinshanling I gave Anna a few quid which brought a huge smile on her face.
Today had been a very long walk, but a day which I will never forget, we are staying at Jinshanling guest house tonight. Around 5.30pm we walk back upto the wall to watch the sun go down, there is music coming from one of the watchtours, it's our group doing a bit of highland
dancing, The Dashing White Sergeant is getting big licks. Nothing I like better than standing on peoples toes.
After Dinner we have a bonfire and some chinese firecrackers and swally some more beers (why not), and then its off tae bed absolutely chinese crackered (knackered).