The Wall
Jiuyanlou
The largest multi-aperture Ming watchtower, set high inside dense oak woodland. Mobile reception drops out past the mid-mountain saddle; follow the defined forest track.
The climb is not the hard part. Finding the start is.
15 km from the hotel, 20 minutes by car, about an hour by bike.
Do not navigate to “Jiuyanlou”
Set your map to Zhuanghu village, inside the Xiangshui Lake area. There is a gatekeeper on the way in; tell him you are going to Yijing Banshan and you will not need a ticket.
Past Zhuanghu, stay on the main road, pass the Mother-and-Child Rock, and keep going. The road ends at the trailhead, where a blue sign points to Jiuyanlou and there is room to park.
Forty minutes, then the path stops
The maintained trail takes about 40 minutes and ends at a platform halfway up.
Beside it is the way to Jiuyanlou itself: not built, not signposted, at least another 40 minutes. What you follow are yellow cloth strips other walkers have tied to branches, and direction marks painted on rocks.
There is no phone signal up there.
What to carry
Shoes with grip, layers — the valley is cold in autumn — enough food and water, and a small first-aid and insect kit. No smoking anywhere on the mountain: this is a fire-control forest. And do not take photographs at the cliff edge.