Miyun Fruit Picking
After the bus drives to the Miyun County, it rushes westward. On the road, some picking wholesale signs constantly come into the sight. Even some small country inns show their signboards of picking grapes. The first large scenic site we will go to was Yunlong Ravine Natural scenic Area.
Yunlong Ravine: Olive jujubes are for buying instead of for picking.
It is a newly-developed scenic spot situated in Baiyan Village north of Xiwengzhuang Town. It has high mountains and dense woods with its main sight, Wuzuo Building which is of 996 meters above the sea level and is one of the highest points of the Great Wall. Seen from the Wuzuo Building, one can catch the whole sight of the vast Miyun Reservoir. In October, fruits for picking are Guoguang or Fuji apples, and muscat grapes. Tourist scenic spots with full tickets will be given four kilos of fruits.
Olive jujubes are strongly recommended. They look sharp at the two ends and round in the center just like olives. It is said that they got their name from the County committee secretary of Miyun County. They are very crisp and sweet and are grafted by zizyphus jujubes. However, the scenic spot of olive jujubes does not give away. One can buy them from the fruit growers.
Scenic Spot Tel: 69017888
Coming out from Yunlong Ravine, going backward to the main roads, and continuing to travel northward, then passing through Yunmeng Gorge, Wuzuo Building Forest Park, as well as Yunmengshan Great Wall Ruins Park, you will see one of the best major scenic spots Peach Garden Fairy Valley in Miyun.
Peach Garden Fairy Valley: Chestnuts are for picking instead of picking.
The six picking areas in the scenic spot of Peach Garden Fairy Valley are open to visitors in autumn. Visitors can pick pears, chestnuts, walnuts, hawthorns, and candied dates. Wild fruits include little zizyphus jujubes, shiandras, Shanjing fruit etc. There is a resort in the scenic spot to receive and accommodate visitors. The country food tastes nice, too. If you can have the opportunity to enjoy the fresh wolfberry fruits and strips of gourd in the own home of Laoguo-the chief of the scenic spot, you will absolutely take it as a fresh experience.
Chestnuts are the most famous dried fruit in Miyun. Picking lovers are especially reminded not to pick chestnuts themselves, because chestnuts are all so high on the tree and all of them are like hedgehogs with especially hard burrs. Local growers all hit the chestnuts on a chestnut tree with a long pole, and after chestnuts fall onto the floor, they are cracked open by hard objects.
Routes of the Scenic spots: Through buses to the spots are provided from 6:00am to 8:00am for holidays and weekends at the bus stations of Xuanwumen and Dongzhimen. One can also take the no. 980 bus at the long-distance bus station of Dongzhimen to the Chenggulou stop in Miyun County and then change to a taxi to the scenic spots. There is one coach for each 15 minutes and the taxi is available at any time.
Tel: 61025309, 61025667
Jiudaowan Gorge: The wild grapes can be steeped in wine for dringking
In the Natural Scenic Area of Jiudaowan Gorge, there are golden silk jujubes, hawthorns, oil chestnuts and walnuts all over the hills. If you intend to pick in the scenic spot, you can pick any fruit of 5shijin and oil chestnuts of jin with the extra payment of only 10yuan for picking ticket. If going beyond this limit, you need pay 4 yuan per jin for oil chestnuts. However, the wild fruit and edible wild herbs inside the scenic spot are all free, and you can pick them as you like. In winter, there are some wild herbs, like the agar, wood sprouts, and fruits like wild grapes and jujubes.
Tel: 61025204
Travel way: Get on the train at Beijing Xizhimen and get off it at Shitanglu. Take the bus at Dozhimen and get off it at Miyun, then change to the small or large bus of Miyun Reservoir West Line. Get off at Beishicheng.
From Jiudaowan, you go towards the north for more than ten kilometers, and you will get to Heilong Pool and the First Peking Waterfall.
Heilong Pool: The pears can be preserved until the first month of the lunar new year.
The Yanshan Chestnut is one of the tributes which, in past dynasties, were sent to the royal palace. It is the very chestnut whose flour was used to make Wotou which was Cixi Empress’s favorite. Shicheng Town is abundant in Yanshan Chestnuts, especially the chestnuts grown in the surroundings of Heilong Pool which are greasy and starchy. At any restaurant in Shicheng Town, you can enjoy the chestnut dishes, such as Braised Pork with Chestnuts, Fried Pork with Chestnuts, Wotou made with Chestnut Flour, and Baked Corn Cake with Chestnut Flour. At Heilong Pool, you can pick kinds of fresh fruits, such as high quality apples, Heibei Pears, Hongxiao Pears, Honey Pears and so on. Honey Pears and Hongxiao Pears have a long retention period, which can be preserved until the first month of the lunar new years.
Bus way:
Take No.987 at Dongzhimen Long-Distance Bus Station which will get to Heilong Pool and the First Peking Waterfall, or take the bus in front of Xuanwumen Cathedral, or at Xizhimen and Princess Tomb. Buses are on service every Saturday, Sunday and Golden Week of October 1.
From Monday to Friday, take No.987 or No. 980 at Dongzhimen Long-Distance Bus Station to get to Gulou Building, and then change to a taxi.
Train route: Take the train at Beijing Northern Railway Station and get off at Shitanglu, and then change to a taxi.
Self-driving way: Drive along Jingshun Road to get to the northern reservoir of Miyun County, and you will get there directly.
Tel: 61025028、61025029、69016268
Drive on toward the north from Heilong Pool, and pass by Fairy Valley and Baiheyuan Holliday Villa. Then, you will get to the north part of Miyun Reservoir West Line where the large-scaled scenic spot—Qingliang Valley is located.
Qingliang Valley: Adjoining a magnificent scene
The scenic area of Qingliang Valley is a streamlined scenic gallery which is famous for its water. The water here is well-known for its three distinctive features. The first is the abundant water flow. Whether in flood seasons or drought seasons of spring and autumn, in the scenic spot, you can enjoy the spectacle of clear pools and torrential waterfalls. The second is the intensive pools and waterfalls. Within less than 4 kilometers, there are five waterfalls and thirteen pools of different sizes. The third is the steepness and peculiarity of waterfalls. The Pearl Waterfall attached to the scenic area of Qingliang Valley has a height of 85.6 meters, which is 5 kilometers west of the scenic spot. You can enjoy the grand sight of the huge waterfall that stretches down swiftly.
Here, golden bananas, Fuji Apples are provided for picking. There are apples of 40,000 or 50,000jin in the scenic area.
Admission Charged: 26yuan.
Bus way:
Take Dongmi Line at Dongzhimen to get to Miyun, and then change to small buses.
Self-driving way: Beijing—Miyun—Xiwengzhuan—Shicheng—Heilong Pool—the First Peking Waterfall—Qingliang Valley;
Beijing—Huairou—Yanxi Lake—Dingle Fairy Pool—Yunmengshan Forest Park—Baichazi—Longtan Ravine—Qingliang Valley
Tel: 69015455
After leaving Qingliang Valley, you go along the road toward the north, and then turn to the west and go down the mountain. The first scenic you will find is the very Longtan Ravine.
Longtan Ravine: Paradise for drift
In Longtan Ravine, the most famous is the Thirty Six Pools. There is the turbulent Longtan River which is regarded as “the First Pool of the North of Beijing”. When you drift on the river, steep cliffs and overhanging crags on both banks will suddenly come into sight. Later, you can catch sight of the beach shining in the sunlight or weeping willows swinging gently on banks. On the outskirts of Beijing, the most well-known place for drifting is Guihe River of Yanqing County, but visitors who like drifting often say that Longtang River is more thrilling and challenging. Descend from Longtan Ravine, and you will find a crossway soon. Turn to the left, and that is where the Yumengshan National Forest Park is located.
Yumengshan National Forest Park: Tread on leaves and pick mushrooms
As soon as you enter into Yumengshan National Forest Park, you will see some people airing mushroom on the ground. The park is heavily forested, has luxuriant vegetation and rich resources of wild animals and plants, with the forest coverage of more than 91%. Every year, as soon as November arrives, Yumengshan will be closed until next March when visitors will be allowed to enter. In autumn, though there are so many apples and pears at the park, the most attractive seems to be mountain walnuts and wild mushrooms.
Bus way:
Take No.936, the dedicated bus from Dongzhimen to Labagoumen, which will pass by Yumengshan Park Stop. On weekends and holidays, there are dedicated buses in front of Xuanwumen Cathedral which go past Yumengshan Park Stop.
Self-driving way: Drive along Jingmi Road to Huairou and drive on along Huaifeng Road for 35 kilometers.
Tel: 61622381
Tel for food and accommodation: 61622481
Leisure tour and country pleasure of Simataitai Travel
As to the travelogues and schedules of Simatai travel, the tourist section has provided a lot which is quite complete. However, those who published them are mostly energetic and adventurous people, often with a full schedule of travel. On this October.1 holiday, I also went to Gubeikou and Simatai with another one boy and two girls. What we experienced was the leisure tour with quite a different savor. None of us had much travel experience, and one of the girls had just recovered from illness and was kind of weak. So we did not make any detailed plan before setting out. What we did is only to have studied the essential areas, printed some relevant articles and bought a lot of food and water according to others’ experience. Then, we contacted that well-known Uncle Xu e and had him arrange our lodgings. Our trip began. At 7:20 a.m., October 2, we four took No.3 travel bus at Qinghua Park Stop and got to Gubeikou at about 10:30 a.m where Uncle Xu was waiting for us. We had a rest in uncle’s house and had lunch at 11:30. Uncle Xu helped us charter a bus and we set off at 1:00 p.m. with another five students in his house and got there at 2: 30 p.m. At about 4:00, we reached the twelfth floor of General Building where we got some rest. Instead of going on, we went down and got to the parking lot after 6:00. At 7:00 we took the bus and went back to our lodging place, finishing the supper and having a rest. On Oct.3, however, the weather was not cooperative, and it began to rain. So we just visited Linggong Temple nearby in the morning. In the afternoon, the day became clear. We looked around the village and then picked some wild jujubes and hawthorns. On Oct. 4, we set off at 9:00 a.m. to catch the train of 9:36. We got to Qinghua Garden at 1:40 p.m.