Left Beijing and headed for Huangyaguan for the first part of the walk on the Wall. The accommodation was basic but the area is not renowned for it's five star luxury... no Four Seasons here!
The wall and the views were amazing, since it's getting near Autumn the trees had started to turn gold and red. I had done no training for what lay ahead with the exception of Chinese take-aways on three consecutive nights prior to leaving the UK. Fortunately this didn't seem to matter, since the group had a good mix of fitness.
Needless to say I knew at this point I would not be at the back. After trekking a moderate walk we returned to the village we had dinner at a local village restaurant.(Restaurant in the loosest term). It was freezing cold that night so the owners lit a fire outside for us to warm up.Very hospitable people and were made very welcome.
