Nature’s wonders at China’s Great Wall

Just north of Beijing, the town of Gubeikou’s sections of the Great Wall are slowly being taken over by the area’s luscious natural landscape. The quiet, scenic space offers a nice respite from China’s bustling metropolises.

A majestic view of the hazy mountains that surround Gubeikou.

A drawing of a cat adorns a sign welcoming visitors to the Great Wall Box House in Gubeikou.

A scenic view of Boston Globe reporter Michael Kranish and his daughter on a particularly overgrown section of the wall.

A view of a small canal next to a paved main street in old Gubeikou.

On the outside, the Great Wall Box House looks just like one of the many farmhouses found in the region. However, the interior has been renovated into a comfortably modernized hostel.

Due to the dilapidated conditions in some sections of the Wall, overgrowing flora has started to compete with hikers for space.

A view of the Panlong Shan, or Curling Dragon, section of the Great Wall from one of the area’s many watchtowers.

The unrestored sections of the Great Wall found near Gubeikou are notably more rugged and receive fewer tourists than in other areas of China, such as Badaling.