Xifengkou Hike ~ The "Little Guilin" and "MacLehose Trail" of Northern China

🌸Spring is the time to climb spring mountains, but I almost died of heatstroke in the spring mountains. · 😭I went hiking in Xifengkou, Qianxi, Hebei Province on the weekend. The temperature felt like 30+ degrees Celsius. It was like suddenly going from winter to summer. I almost got heatstroke. I still know too little about this unpredictable weather. · ⛰️Xifengkou and Panjiakou Castles are two important passes of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. They were the main thoroughfares from the Central Plains to the northern border and the northeastern frontier at that time. · ⛰️Xifengkou, formerly known as Lulong Pass, is located in the eastern section of the Yanshan Mountains. As an ancient pass, many touching and legendary historical events have taken place here. · 🏞️Cao Cao passed through here when he fought against the Wuhuan in western Liaoning; "East out of Lulong Pass, my thoughts drift afar" is a line from Gao Shi's poem "On the Frontier," which he wrote here; Qi Jiguang repelled Dong Fox, the leader of the Doyan tribe, here... · 🏔️Emerging from the dust of history, part of the Great Wall at Xifengkou was submerged due to the construction of the Panjiakou Reservoir, forming the wonder of the "underwater Great Wall." The Great Wall hidden underwater will appear and disappear with the change of the reservoir's water level, becoming a unique tourist attraction. · 🏔️The Panjiakou Reservoir is the main project of the Luan River Diversion Project, and I unintentionally toured it along with my geography textbook. · 🌱We hiked from Xifengkou Village to the reservoir, then to the beacon tower, and back again, a total distance of 14 km round trip. · 🏠The hiking route is divided into two parts. One part is through Xifengkou Village One and Village Two, all of which are paved roads. · ⛰️The other part is a mountain road. This part of the journey is through mountains and across waters. There are many gravels, thorns, and dust on the road. ○Pay attention to your feet and don't sprain your ankle on the stones; ○Also pay attention to what's in front of you and don't get hit in the face by branches; ○Keep a distance from the person in front of you, as dust will rise wherever people pass. ○After the whole journey, I was covered in dust, but it was very refreshing. · 📮Itinerary information 1️⃣This is not a scenic route. The total distance is about 14 km, with a cumulative climb of about 700 meters. It is an out-and-back route. 2️⃣The terrain is rich and varied. Starting from Xifengkou, the terrain is mainly wild mountain forest dirt and stone roads, country roads, gravel roads, and sections of the Wild Great Wall, combined with some mountain ridge roads. 3️⃣Suitable for people with some outdoor experience and who are not afraid of heights. 4️⃣This route is said to be a beginner route, but it is not easy at all. There are many places where you need to use both your hands and feet. · 📮Transportation 🚌Joined a group with an outdoor club, departing from Tianjin and heading straight to the starting point of the hike. · 📮Important notes 1️⃣The weather is getting hotter and hotter, so pay attention to sun protection; 2️⃣Wear comfortable shoes, preferably high-top ones; 3️⃣Bring plenty of water and food; 4️⃣Bring trekking poles!!! 5️⃣If you are tired on the way back, you can take a boat.