Travel Tips

Had read in a number of sources both print & internet that Ba Da Ling section of the Great Wall was over commercialised, overly touristy etc, etc so when I found out that was where we were headed I was a bit sceptical, a bit apprehensive as to what it would be like.

Of course I was still more than a bit excited. After all the Great Wall of China is something I learnt about as a child & something I didn't ever think I would see so it was only natural there was some degree of excitement.

The photo I've selected to be the main one is the 2nd I took after getting out of the bus. The first thought that crossed my mind on seeing was of the Dave Matthews Band song by the name of "Ants Marching" as that's exactly how the thousands of people climbing the right hand section of the wall looked like to me.

When we got out of our bus at Ba Da Ling we went though the entrance & were presented with two aspects of the Great Wall here.

This photo shows the left hand section.

The first thing we did before setting out to explore was to have a group photo.

Then our tour guide Jim said we had about an hour & twenty minutes & left us to our own devices as to how we spent that time.

So it came down to choosing it to go left or right.

If you come to this section of wall & have limited time such as we did I really couldn't recommend one or the other . The right hand side is longer, but a gentler slope. The left hand side of the wall here is a shorter climb, but quite a bit steeper, especially in a couple of spots such as the "Ladder". A couple of photos of that section later.

It's an interesting comparison between this photo to the left & the above photo to the right. You need to click on this one & enlarge it to see what I mean & how different the two sections are. The one to the right, above is a much straighter section with a gentler climb. This one, to the left, is, as you can see has more turns & you get just a glimpse of the steepness in a couple of parts. It also goes beyond that top tower you can see.

Forgive my butchering the line from the Rocky Horror Show. "It's just a jump to the left, and a step to the Ri - i - i - i - ight". I guess I'm just loosely keeping to the music theme from above.

Now, more seriously...., Here we begin to see some more of the extent of this section at Ba Da Ling. Quite amazing & that my friends is understating the case quite considerably. Please clcik on this to enlarge so you see a better, clearer picture of what I saying about the extent. Beautiful mountains & this beyond superlatives structure that follows the ridges as they wind their way around, across almost like a river lazily snaking its way through a valley. Mind you mountains have an inherent kinetic energy that you may or may not think, is more apparent than rivers.