Day 16 - 19: From Panjin to Shanhaiguan to the Great Wall of China

Route: 376 km (of which 164 km by transporter)

Day 16: It rains and rains and rains... There's no use, we must continue. Zhaoyang organizes a transporter again, which spares us the drive in the rain and takes us 160 km further from Panjin to Huludao.

The aging minibus sounds pitiful right from the start. In front of the small back seat, several batteries are set up, connected with a tangle of wires. Where are we supposed to put our feet without touching a wire? The engine sputters and jerks; we get closer to our destination, leave the highway, and then the vehicle stops. The alternator has given up (the driver was already aware of the issue and brought along the extra batteries, which are now empty), and so we cover the last 25 km on foot. Fortunately, the rain has stopped...

Day 17: Phew! A strong wind picked up at night, its howling was already audible in the hotel room. After 29 km, which we covered against the wind at a snail's pace, we give up and end the tour in Xingcheng, 60 km before the actual destination.

The city has existed for over 2,300 years and is full of history. During the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), Xingcheng was expanded into a fortress, and the famous general Yuan Chonghuan fought there in a 26-year-long war against hostile forces. Then the city was conquered by the Jin people, from which the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) later emerged. By the way, the surname of Zhaoyang comes from the Jin people.

Day 18: The wind has died down, and the rain only appears at night. So we continue along the coast and various river courses in excellent weather until we reach Suizhong. We encounter a Chinese bikepacker and cover part of the distance together.

Day 19: The next stage destination is Shanhaiguan, where the name says it all: 'Shan' means mountain, 'Hai' stands for sea, and 'Guan' for pass. Here runs the easternmost part of the Great Wall of China from the steep mountains to the sea. Only in Shanhaiguan (a district of Beidahe) was it possible to pass through the wall via large gates from south to east.

The fortress with the historic old town and the Great Wall of China is worth a visit. The wall was built up to 510 m high in the mountains, 7 to 10 m wide, and then it runs with 3 to 5 m over the further mountains. We hike along the wall and climb about 300 meters in elevation over large steps, with a breathtaking view over the landscape and the course of the wall...