Hey You, Take a Hike
A lively band of wanderers is escaping the city smog each weekend by heading for the mountains with the multinational Beijing Hikers club. Those looking for a chance to stretch their legs while taking in captivating scenery have seen the club's numbers swell since its inception in 2001. Beijing Hikers take to the forest on Beijing's hilly outskirts. Organizer Sun Huijie plans trails on the city outskirts in locations that remain largely unknown to most visitors, and many locals. Sun schedules outings every Sunday, regardless of the weather, and often on Saturdays as well. The club also hosts occasional overnight hikes, which may involve camping near a remote section of the Great Wall. New walkers, both foreign and Chinese, are welcome to join the group, which meets at 8am at Starbucks Lido, and is then bussed to a starting point for the hike. The day hikes take between one and five hours, and are graded by difficulty. With walking regarded as one of the easiest and most effecti...