Famed for its Ming-era guard towers and excellent views, the 3km-long section of wall at Mùtiányù, northeast of Běijīng in Huairou County, is largely a recently restored Ming dynasty structure that was built upon an earlier Northern Qi dynasty edifice. US President Bill Clinton visited this section of the wall in 1998.
With 26 watchtowers, the wall is impressive and manageable, with most hawking reserved to the lower levels (hawkers go down to around ¥15 for cotton ‘I climbed the Great Wall’ T-shirts): the further you get away from Mùtiányù central the better. It’s actually possible to hike from Mùtiányù all the way west to Huánghuā and the front section of Jiànkòu .
From the ticket office at Mùtiányù, there are three or four stepped pathways leading up to the wall, plus a cable car , a chairlift , called a 'ropeway' on the signs here, and a toboggan ride , making this ideal for those who can’t manage too many steps, or who have kids in tow.
