Badaling is the part of the Great Wall that most of the world has seen, and for good reason. The Ming dynasty rebuilt and strengthened the wall here in the sixteenth century, at a pass in the mountains northwest of Beijing, to guard the approach to the capital through the Juyong Pass. The wall climbs steeply over the ridges, with watchtowers at intervals, and the view from the top, with the line of stone snaking away over bare hills, is as epic as the photographs suggest. Restored in the 1950s, it was the first section opened to visitors, and later received many foreign leaders, including Richard Nixon in 1972.
The popularity has a price. On weekends and national holidays, thousands of people crowd the steps, and the experience can be slow and noisy. Go early on a weekday, ideally in spring or autumn, and walk beyond the first towers, where the crowds thin out. Summer can be hot and hazy, while winter, cold and crisp, gives the clearest views, with snow on the walls and almost no one around.
The area lies in the Yanqing district of Beijing, and the nearest large town is Changping, about twenty-four kilometres away, with plenty of fuel and food. The road from Beijing follows the Jingzang expressway, a fast, modern highway, which is closed to motorcycles, as in much of China. Foreign riders will need to arrange touring through a licensed operator, since independent riding is heavily restricted. Parking is organised, and the approach is mostly by coach or train.
Many visitors combine Badaling with the Ming Tombs, the burial ground of thirteen emperors in a valley near Changping, reached by a Sacred Way lined with stone animals and officials. It is a fine pairing: one monument for defence, the other for the afterlife. The Temple of Heaven, in the city itself, is a third part of the same imperial story. Dress in layers, wear proper shoes, and bring water.