Walk the wall Stretching for some 4500 kilometres from the Yellow Sea westwards to the edge of the Gobi Desert, the magnificent ramparts and watch towers of the Great Wall were built to protect China\'s northern frontier from raiding Mongol horsemen. Our walk concentrates on some of the most interesting and spectacular sections of the Great Wall, and gives us an insight into China \'off the beaten track\'. After visiting the major sites of Beijing, we make for Shanhaiguan where the Great Wall begins - thrusting out into the sea, it\'s known as the \'Old Dragon\'s Head\'. From here, we begin our exploration of the wall. Watch towers and warriors At Panjiakou, we take a boat excursion on the lake. Here, the ancient defensive wall rises and falls along precipitous mountain ridges, crossing the water several times. At Luowenyu, we make another scenic walk before continuing by road via Zunhua to the Eastern Qing Tombs. After admiring the red walls, golden roofs and marble bridges of the Tombs, we drive to a point where we join the Great Wall to hike into Huangyaguan before perhaps the most beautiful section of the Great Wall is walked from Jinshanling towards Simatai. After a final night in Jinshanling we take an overnight train to the Xian. The old Imperial city is famed for its life-size terracotta warriors and horsemen, unearthed after 2000 years.