Time: Sunday, January 19.

Where: The rolling hills and the empty lanes in Miyun County, north of Beijing.

Degree of difficulty: 3

Pick up: 8:30 am at the Lido outside Starbucks or 9 am at Capital Paradise (front gate).

Return: 4:30 pm

Driving time: Under two hours.

Walking time: 3-4 hours.

The routes: Hikers will start by walking up a lane to a small village nestled in the valley.

Leaving the village we walk up over the hills to Stonewall Village. The name came from the hill behind it.

It has grey rocks on the bald hill. Looks a bit like Dartmoor in the UK.

From the open lane you will follow the secret way to get on a clear path in the pinewoods. The floor is covered with thick pine needles.

Some hikers once lost the way on a scouting trip. But they heard the sound of breaking twigs. Following the sound they found two farmers, father and son, collecting firewood for the winter.

There is surely plenty of firewood here. Zigzagging in order to find trails you walk on through farmland with last season's corn stalks. Some of the city folks may think it would be a fine idea to be a shepherd for a few days. It is not our job to leave you there though. You will have to arrange your own trip to do that. The hills are rolling rather that craggy and steep. It is a walk that can be done by all, with lots to see and no problems with danger of slipping.

Cost: 150 yuan (US$18)

To join BJhikers: please e-mail to huilin@bjhikers.com or Call Huilin at 1370 100 3694.

Reservation is essential.

Pilgrimage to the Snow-surrounded Heaven Pond

Situated in the Heavenly Mountain range (Tianshan), 115 km northeast of Urumqi, Heaven Pond (Tianchi) is arguably one of the nicest spots in all of China.

The huge clear water lake, the pine trees covering the hillsides and the snow-capped mountains in the background make this a spectacular sight - reminiscent of Switzerland or the Rocky mountains but somehow with more vibrancy and colour.

One of the most pleasant aspects about exploring here is just being able to wander the lake and mountains at your own pace. This is a vast area and, despite the crowds, it is easy to lose yourself and there are no restrictions about where you can go.

From June to October is the best period for travellers. But if you want to enjoy a special snow and ice mountain, go there now.

You must spend at least a day there, and staying the night in the yurts or at the more upmarket Shuixin Hotel is good fun. The evening and early morning there are comparatively peaceful. There are numerous small restaurants along the western shore serving good simple dishes for about 20 yuan (US$2.4) to 30 yuan (US$3.6).

How to get there: Go to Urumqi first by air (1,400 yuan/US$168). It saves time. By train it takes three days from Beijing to Urumqi.

Buses between Urumuqi and the pond are many. The trip takes between 90 minutes and four hours, depending on the type of transport you take. Minibuses are the most efficient. The fee is usually 25 yuan (US$3).

（Beijing Weekend January 14, 2003）