{"id":3427,"date":"2016-11-27T17:01:03","date_gmt":"2016-11-27T17:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3427"},"modified":"2021-09-17T15:10:45","modified_gmt":"2021-09-17T14:10:45","slug":"whos-crossed-great-wall-of-china-amazing-expeditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/china\/whos-crossed-great-wall-of-china-amazing-expeditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Who’s crossed the Great Wall of China? The Wall\u2019s most amazing expeditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

In around 18 months of walking, you could traverse 5,000 miles of the Great Wall of China<\/a>. Perhaps the most famous wall in the world, this incredible landmark carves out the landscape of China. The entire stretch of the wall lies at over 13,000 miles, but much of it is now inaccessible. It is no surprise, though, that climbing the Great Wall is on many people\u2019s bucket lists. With incredible views and rich history, the wall is an unforgettable sight. Attracting millions of visitors from around the world each year, the Great Wall of China<\/a> \u2013 although once a barrier to human transgression \u2013 has been traversed by countless people in numerous ways.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just by foot that people have reached the wall. From skateboards to space hoppers, some of the ways that people have crossed the Great Wall of China, and the feats they have performed on it, may surprise you!<\/p>\n

Transgressing the wall throughout history<\/h2>\n

\"Great<\/a><\/p>\n

Built over 2000 years ago, various sections of the wall were first erected in the Warring States period in the states of Qin, Wei, Zhao, Wi, Yan and Zhongshan to defend their borders. Around 220 B.C., under Emperor Qin Shi Huang, sections of earlier fortifications were joined to form a defence against invasions from the north. Construction of the Great Wall continued until the Ming dynasty of 1368 to 1644, when it became the largest military structure in the world.<\/p>\n

However, despite thousands of years of effort, many of the country\u2019s enemies of history managed to transgress the barrier. In fact, the Manchurian invasion of the Wall in the 17th century resulted in the famous fall of the Ming dynasty.<\/p>\n

Animals crossing the wall<\/h2>\n

\"mountain<\/a><\/p>\n

The construction of the Great Wall of China has not only divided nations and political sects, but also animal special. Since the 3rd century B.C.E, it has split habitats, as The Independent reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fences can \u201ccurtail animals’ mobility, fragment populations and cause direct mortality,\u201d according to an article published last month in Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Scientists describe the effect of this Great Wall on local wildlife in the research paper, \u201cThe Great Wall of China: a physical barrier to gene flow?\u201d<\/a>, saying<\/p>\n

\u201cthe Juyong-guan Great Wall has served as a physical barrier to gene flow between subpopulations separated for more than 600 years.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, some particularly agile animals such as mountain goats cannot be curbed, and are able to scale the wall with relative ease in a stunning natural spectacle. Wild boars, oryx gazella and Chinese monal pheasant can be seen from the walls, and during autumn you can see migrating birds on the Wall.<\/p>\n

Walking across the Great Wall<\/h2>\n

\"Walking<\/a><\/p>\n

When most people visit the Great Wall, they simply want to take in the awe-inspiring views, so walking is the perfect low-key mode of transport. Shannon from A Little Adrift<\/a> explains her own experience, saying,<\/p>\n

\u201cThe history of the Great Wall has always intrigued me and so when I decided to meet up with friends and travel through China, all three of us knew that we would start in Beijing so that we could take a daytrip to the Great Wall. We used a day tour to provide the transportation out to the wall, and then spent several hours hiking along the length. I enjoyed that the Mutianyu section has been restored to give a glimpse of what it looked like in its heyday. It had gorgeous views of the countryside and I would love to make it back one day and spend a week hiking along the wall.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In 2007<\/a>, a couple from Devon, UK were the first people to walk the whole portion of the wall that is open to the public. Although a few people have trekked the entire length of the Great Wall, this is certainly not necessary in order to gain a sense of the scale of the landscape. Many groups have undertaken charity treks of sections of the wall, such as a group of hikers from Dorset<\/a> who raised \u00a373,000 for Weldmar Hospice Care Trust this October. For a week they tackled the varied and challenging terrain, with temperatures soaring during the day and plunging at night.<\/p>\n

Usually, a cable car will take visitors the majority of the way up through the mountains to reach the wall, whereupon they take a short, steep hike to reach the monument. But whether you choose to take a short stroll on the site or attempt a grander feat, walking is the perfect way to really absorb the atmosphere of this monument.<\/p>\n

Running the Great Wall<\/h2>\n

\"Running<\/a><\/p>\n

Since its inception in 1999, the Great Wall Marathon<\/a> has become revered as one of the world’s most challenging marathons. Each year, more people flock to participate in the event, where over 2,500 athletes from 60 nations run a full 26 miles over the steep terrain of the Great Wall. The Great Wall Marathon event offers three distances: a marathon, half marathon and an 8.5km fun run. So, if you\u2019re an avid jogger or a competitive runner, these are contests that could really push your skills \u2013 and what better setting off for a run on one of humanity\u2019s greatest landmarks?<\/p>\n

Dreams without limits: crossing the wall via wheelchair<\/h2>\n

\"wheelchair<\/a><\/p>\n

The Great Wall of China is a demanding landscape for any able-bodied person, but there are several brave people with disabilities who have overcome the odds and taken on challenges on the Great Wall. Rick Hansen is one of the most famous quadriplegic individuals to defy previous perceptions of possibility. In 1986, as part of his World Tour<\/a>, he wheeled through Beijing and to the wall, before climbing one of its steepest points. Reflecting upon the trip for his 25th anniversary of the tour, his blog stated that,<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a defining moment that brought home Rick\u2019s belief that there are no walls too big that cannot be climbed.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kuen Tang, a young woman from Edmonton, Canada, is another such individual who has traversed the wall despite disability<\/a>. After being paralyzed in a car crash at age 23 she has taken on many adventures such as skiing, skydiving and scuba diving. Recently, she embarked upon an 11-day visit to the wall, where she wheeled up one of the steepest parts of the wall to raise awareness of the lack of provisions for disabled people in China.<\/p>\n

Can you jump over the Great Wall? Apparently it\u2019s possible!<\/h2>\n

\"Jumping<\/a><\/p>\n

For many, simply crossing the wall by conventional means does not suffice. Some have chosen to jump across the wall rather than use two feet or wheels.<\/p>\n

In 2005, Danny Way made history<\/a> when he used the largest quarter pipe ramp ever built to jump over the width of the wall. He was the first skateboarder to jump the Great Wall of China \u2013 and even completed the incredible feat four times! Watch the epic jump here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Jumping<\/a><\/p>\n

Ashrita Furman is a name synonymous with a whole host of record-breaking endeavours, as the person with the most records<\/a> to his name in the world. A new record has been set for the fastest mile bounced on a Space Hopper. According to the BBC<\/a>, Furman\u2019s 92nd record since 1979 was undertaken in 2005 on none other than the Great Wall. Using a space hopper, he bounced an entire mile of the Great Wall in just 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

More recently, in May 2016, famous US wingsuit pilot Jeb Corliss took to the skies for an even more dramatic leap over the wall. He dived over the wall and successfully hit a target suspended above it, as the BBC report<\/a>. He even recorded the flight on a GoPro video, which you can watch here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

The Great Wall \u2013 a great playing field?<\/h2>\n

\"golf<\/a><\/p>\n

These extreme travels are certainly impressive, but the excitement doesn\u2019t end when the wall is reached. Visitors have embarked upon all manner of activities on the wall, from the classic photo shoots to slightly quirkier activities. Golf Digest<\/a> praised golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez who, during the Beijing leg of the European tour stop, visited the Great Wall of China and turned it into a driving range. In this video<\/a> you can see him smack a golf ball into the wild yonder in style.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just golf that has been played on the wall. In June, three brothers from Sweden even set up a volleyball court on the wall, and put together a film of themselves playing the game from the heights. They claim to be the first people to do so, and told The Local<\/a>,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were nervous that the police might stop us but it turned out well. We didn\u2019t see any signs saying we couldn\u2019t play sports on the wall so we just went for it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Making the world\u2019s longest wall their stage<\/h2>\n

\"trumpet\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Providing a platform visible from miles around, what better stage could there be than the Great Wall of China? Evidently, many people agree, from \u2018Trumpet Man\u2019 John McGough who regularly performs musical shows on the wall, to a group of Irish dancers<\/a> who recently performed for onlookers at the wall. Accompanied by a live Irish fiddle, the group brought huge excitement and a fantastic cultural fusion to the wall.<\/p>\n

Getting down from the high: sliding down the wall<\/h2>\n

\"michelle<\/a><\/p>\n

So you\u2019ve been to the walk, looked around and either taken it easy with a stroll and some historical learning, or taken it to the extreme with a phenomenal feat. Do you simply walk back down? Well, for the uber-adventurous this is, of course, not an option! Some people have even tobogganed down the Great Wall! 13 WTHR reports<\/a> on how retired NFL player Peyton Manning is seen getting an adrenaline rush in an Instagram post where he toboggans down a slide on the Great Wall of China<\/a>. He visited the Mutianyu portion of the wall on Wednesday. What an amazing way to let the views pass you by! As you can see in the photo above, even Michelle Obama has done it!<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next? The world\u2019s largest railway at the Great Wall?<\/h2>\n

\"future<\/a><\/p>\n

Currently, the world\u2019s longest escalator<\/a> is located in the Enshi Grand Canyon area of the Great Wall, where visitors can take in the captivating sights from 688 metres of escalator. But soon, visitors may even be able to reach the Great Wall via rail! Ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, plans are underway for the world’s largest and deepest high-speed railway station to be built just below the most popular section of the Great Wall. According to Travelers Today<\/a>, the station will be at Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall. The station will run through the mountains under the Great Wall, meaning that it will soon be even easier to travel to this terrific site as part of a tour of China<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Which famous people have been to the Great Wall?<\/h2>\n

\"barack<\/a><\/p>\n

As such a historic site, the Great Wall of China has been visited by many famous people \u2013 over 300 heads of state and VIPs, in fact. Here are a few of the celebrities who have been to the Great Wall:<\/p>\n