Walking the Great Wall: what students should know before they go

Every student knows what the Great Wall looks like. Few are prepared for how steep it is, how far it runs across the hills, or how it feels to stand on it. It is one of the rare famous places that is better than its photographs.

Which section to choose

The Wall is not one structure but many, built and rebuilt over some two thousand years. Most of what visitors see near Beijing dates from the Ming dynasty.

Badaling is the closest section to the city and the busiest. Mutianyu, about an hour and a half from central Beijing, is fully restored, less crowded and set among wooded hills, with a cable car up and a toboggan run down. It suits most school groups. Jinshanling, further out, is partly restored and quieter, and rewards fitter groups with long views and few other walkers. Unrestored sections, often called the wild Wall, are not suitable for student parties.

What to expect

The Wall follows the ridge line, so walking it means climbing. Steps are uneven, some are knee-high, and there is little shade. Good shoes, water, a hat and sun cream are essential. Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Summer is hot and winter is bitterly cold, though clear winter days have a beauty of their own.

More than a photograph

Before the visit, students should know why the Wall was built, who built it and what it cost them. On the Wall, give them time to walk alone or in pairs between two watchtowers, instead of gathering for one group picture and leaving.

One popular claim deserves correction: the Wall cannot be seen with the naked eye from space. It is very long, but it is narrow. The truth is impressive enough.