WildWall Day Adventure With William Lindesay

Ever wanted to learn about the fascinating 2,300-year-long history and discover parts of the Great Wall that many don’t know?

About this Journey

Escape the city and slow down the pace of life to the countryside with a day adventure out with conservationist and Great Wall expert William Lindesay. Join like-minded adventurers  for an epic discovery of China’s most iconic landmark in a way you’ve never before. With new eyes and untold stories from the Lindesay family, you’ll be sure to have an awakened appreciation and inside look into the Great Wall.

Learn more about the Great Wall with our recent book talk on Lindesay’s The Great Wall in 50 Objects which examines the landmark’s fascinating history through global artifacts. Catch our conversation here.

Itinerary

• Transport out to ‘The Barracks’ – a rustic courtyard in Huairou, and enjoy coffee and pastries with a private lecture about the Great Wall by William Lindesay
• Discover more of the history on a hike along the unrestored Ming-era Great Wall, led by Lindesay’s sons and historians James and Thomas
• Head back to The Barracks for a home-cooked lunch and “fly” along the Great Wall with viewing of James and Thomas’s documentary A Slow Odyssey: The Great Wall of China. See the Great Wall like never before, from the air, along 20 stunning sections

Photos

Photos Beijing_GreatWall-001 Lunch near Shigu (1)-X4 The Barracks

Meet William Lindsay

William Lindesay has spent more than 800 days on the Great Wall during his many years in China, completing “the most successful foreign exploration of the Great Wall” according to China’s Xinhua News Agency.

The British researcher has conducted extensive surveys on the Beijing portion of the Great Wall, publishing three books on the subject including documentation of his 2,470km solo journey Alone on the Great Wall. Organizing efforts to protect this wonder of the world, William has founded several societies and programs that engage in Great Wall conservation.

In 2001 he founded “International Friends of the Great Wall”, a Hong Kong based society to assist China’s cultural relics protection team in preserving the Great Wall.

Lindesay’s contributions to the conservation of the Great Wall and Sino-UK relations have earned him international recognition. In 1998, he was awarded the Friendship Award – the highest award for foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country’s economic and social progress – by the government of the People’s Republic of China for his lifelong work in conserving the Great Wall. He received the medal from former Premier Zhu Rongji. 

In 2006, Lindesay was included in the 2006 New Years Honors Diplomatic Service and Overseas List, and was made an Officer of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for services to UK-China understanding and to international conservation of the Great Wall.

In 2008, he was named a “Top Ten National Defender of Cultural Heritage” by the Chinese government, and in 2016, he was awarded the Special Award of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs in recognition of exceptionally outstanding and unusual achievement in Asia.

One rarely finds a perfect story of the distant past, complete and in one place, and certainly not for such a complex series of landmarking structures known simply as the Great Wall of China. Rather, one must embark on a journey, gather the parts of the story and slowly piece them together.

Related Events:

• China Adventure Club Book Club: The Great Wall in 50 Objects by William Lindesay

Details

What’s included

• Group transportation from Beijing and in-transport refreshments
• All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
• Meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water
• Ground transportation, including airport transfers
• Guided hike and expert lectures

What’s Excluded

• Travel and medical insurance
• Meals, apart from those included in the itinerary, and alcohol
• Expenses of a personal nature