China-2023. Me + companion: over to Pingshan Canyon!

You’ve already read so much and seen so many pics from our China-2023 trip – but that was just the first day! Yes – action packed that first day sure was, taking in Enshi Grand Canyon in the morning, and the nearby cliffs and crazy paths in the afternoon. Which brings us, logically, to day two – and another… grand canyon! Well, why not? (You can never have too many grand canyons on a trip to China)…

Introducing – Pingshan Grand Canyon (as is common for lesser-known (to foreigners) Chinese tourist attractions, there’s no Wikipedia page for it). Its depth is around a hundred meters, and just a dozen or so in width = a super-thin crevice. The clean river water that runs through it is emerald green, apparently colored so by the dissolved minerals in it. Which minerals? Not sure – it seems only the Chinese internet knows ). What I am sure of is that tourists are taken on narrow boats like this one down the river ->

It’s situated around half-way between yesterday’s Enshi Grand Canyon and tomorrow’s Wulingyuan Scenic Area – here. Indeed, you can check out the canyon, plus take the boat ride along it, and by evening make it to the next attraction, which is what we did.

屏山 – aka Pingshan – is well-signposted, features good access paths, and was practically empty (you’ll recall the reason) ->

Also like yesterday, there could have been no getting lost here:

We covered some six kilometers walking here and covered an altitude of some 100 meters (as our trackers showed). And we started out here:

Yes – another cliff-face-hugging path!

Alas, the sun wasn’t shining bright the day we were here, but they say that when it does, the river’s purity (= transparency:) helps create the most astonishing optical illusions ->

(Photos from here)

This here overhang wasn’t made by the ingenious Chinese, but by the Maker himself (herself/itself:). You have to crouch down to get under it ->

The safety barriers are all mock wood – which gives an effect that blends more suitably with the natural surroundings ->

Nearly there…

The paths and steps, as mentioned, are well made. It’s just their extensive length and number, respectively, that bring on knee pain – today going down as well as up (unlike yesterday’s going down only). DZ agreed! ->

Once down by the river, we find that the clear, green-tinted water is a hit with the locals. We arrive mid-photo-session:

Traditional national costume of the Miao people ->

Assorted river views ->

Our turn came to get onto one of the levitating boats ->

As per, the stalls at the entrance – empty:

And here’s our captain:

Oh my gap! ->

Oh my gradient! ->

Meanwhile, the canyon keeps getting narrower and narrower ->

Water drips down from up above, plus occasionally small stones fall and plop into the water; now I see why we need to wear helmets ->

Let me guess… is that a café? And to the right of it – is that a gusli being played?!

Onward. In all the boat ride lasts about a kilometer ->

We arrive at the landing pier. You can walk back from here, but we were offered to stay on the boat and sail [sic] back – and we agreed! ->

Xièxiè, master helmsman!

This dam apparently maintains the correct water level in the canyon:

And now comes the hard bit: climbing back up to the top. But we took different steps – in a tunnel through the mountain! ->

Half-way up there’s a “balcony” from which the view’s also not bad:

We finally make it to the top ->

And that was that for Pingshan Canyon. But the day’s tourism wasn’t over yet, so off we set in the car to the next one – about which I’ll be telling you shortly…

The rest of the photos from China-2023 are here.