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Suburban sojourns
By Beijing Weekend ,
Updated: 2004-01-14 13:24 If you are in Beijing for
long, it could be worth getting a bike. Biking around Beijing is a fun way to
get to know the city and its suburbs.
It's now fashionable for cyclists
to travel as far as 40 to 70 kilometres from downtown Beijing on an organized
bike trip.
Here are some destinations around Beijing for your next bike
adventure.
Miaofeng Mountain
 Miaofeng Mountain, rising majestically to more than 1,300
metres, is the major peak in the northern range of the Western
Hills.
Situated about 40 kilometres from downtown Beijing, its sheer
cliffs, jutting crags and tortuous mountain paths make it one of the most
renowned scenic spots in northern China.
It's a tough trip by bike to
the mountain, which is topped by a group of 1,200-year-old temples. And it's
difficult to find without directions - unless you follow the bus to the
mountains.
Bus stations servicing Miaofeng Mountain are usually located
at Pingguoyuan, at the end of the line one subway, about 15 kilometres west of
Tian'anmen Square. From there, you can follow bus routes 336 or 326 to
Hetan.
Please note that it is almost impossible to cycle to the top of
the mountain along the wide cement road without pushing your bike part of the
way.
It takes about one and a half hours to get to the mountain by
bike.
Admission: 20 yuan (US$2.50) per person.
Tel:
6985-3974
Yanqi Lake
 About 60 kilometres north of Beijing, this lake is
surrounded by green mountains.
It is relatively easy biking from downtown
Beijing to the lake because there are no mountains blocking your way en route.
The roads to the lake are wide and flat, taking more time than energy.
You have to ride for about two hours one-way. Once there, the routes
around the lake and mountains are rougher and more difficult.
While it's
easy to find the lake, the best way there is along bus route 936 starting from
Dongzhimen. Or you can ride along Jing-Mi (Beijing-Miyun) Road to the town of
Miyun and then head towards Huairou. You will find the lake is on the left of
the road.
Admission: 21 yuan (US$2.50)
Tel: 6966
1696
Ming Tombs
So far only Dingling Tomb is open to
tourists. But you can have fun finding the other 12 tombs by bike.
The
tombs are 40 kilometres north of the North Third Ring Road. It takes one and a
half hours to get there by bike, cycling at about 30 kilometres an hour. It
takes about three hours to tour all 12 tombs in the area, covering more than 30
square kilometres.
There is no charge to visit the 13 Ming Tombs except
for Dingling Tomb.
It is easy to find the tombs. First go along the
auxiliary road of Jingchang (Beijing-Changping) Highway. After you get to the
town of Changping, ask the local people for directions to the Ming Tombs (Shi
San Ling). They are about 10 kilometres from the town of
Changping.
Fragrant Hills
This is another popular place for
cyclists in Beijing.
Although the red leaves of autumn in the mountains
have faded, there is still some fun to be had here. There is also no need to
worry about the crowds who visited earlier in the season.
Fragrant Hills
Park is about 35 kilometres northwest of downtown. It usually takes one hour to
get there by bike.
Admission: 10 yuan (US$1.20)
Organized
hike
Sunday, November 9
Where: Mentougou District, 50
kilometres west of Beijing
Driving time: 1.5 hours
Walking time: 4
hours
Pick up: 8:30 am at the Lido outside Starbucks
Return:
5:00-5:30 pm
Cost: 150 yuan (US$18)
This is one of the few hikes
BJ Hikers offers in the western hills. It is to the north of the Miaofeng
Mountain range. The highest point of this hike is the pass, which makes a
perfect lunch spot. It is more than 800 metres above sea level. The hike starts
at about 100 metres and involves a 700-metre ascent. The trail is clear and
well-maintained, offering great views all the way. It takes about 4 hours to
complete the walk with a lunch break and a look around the temples. It takes
about two hours to reach the pass and one and a half hours to descend on the
other side.
People who want to extend this hike can walk along the ridge
before going down. The valley is wide and open, offering great views. The only
sound is the singing and twitching of different birds, including a
woodpecker.
To join BJ Hikers and sign up, please email:
huilin@bjhikers.com or call Huijie at 1391 002 5516. Reservations are
essential.
To find out about upcoming hikes, check
www.bjhikers.com.
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