Little Switzerland in the suburbs of Beijing, a good place to escape the heat in summer

I have been to Beijing many times intermittently in the past few years. Compared to Shanghai, I like Beijing more. I like the leisureliness of old Beijingers, the gossip in the alleys, and the daily routine of old men walking birds.

Perhaps it is because I have never lived in Beijing for a long time, so I cannot feel the fast pace here. In August last year, I also came to Beijing. During those few days, I plunged into the alleys within the Second Ring Road, lived in a courtyard house, got up early to have a Beijing-style breakfast, and went to Houhai to listen to a song after sunset.

A year later, I returned to Beijing again, and this time I embarked on a short self-driving trip with my father. My father stayed in Beijing for seven years. He knows more about this city than I do. It's just that he, like me, has never been to such a large suburb of Beijing.

For this short vacation, let’s go to Haituo Valley.

1. Driving for 3 and a half hours, I approached Little Switzerland

I have always longed for Switzerland, and I like the environment and landscape there.

But travel has always been delayed due to one or another thing. Taking advantage of some free time in August, come and take a closer look at this little Switzerland on the outskirts of Beijing to see if the scenery here is as unforgettable as what is said online.

In order to make traveling more convenient the next day, I chose to stay in Nanfaxin the night before. The advantage of staying here is that I don’t have to experience Beijing’s terrible morning rush hour the next day, and I can get onto the expressway relatively quickly. .

Departing from Nanfaxin at 7 a.m. via Badaling Expressway, it takes 3 and a half hours to reach Haituo Valley.

Haituo Valley is located at the junction of the north of Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing County, Beijing, and Chicheng County, Hebei Province. It is about 18 kilometers away from Yanqing. It is adjacent to the Haituo Scenic Area. The natural environment is very good, so many Beijingers I come here every weekend to breathe fresh air.

Before I arrived here, I was driving on the road, surrounded by mountains on both sides, and I felt like I was in Switzerland.

The current construction in Haituo Valley is quite good. There are special trails and sightseeing buses to ride on.

Walking on the trail, the mountains in the distance look particularly green against the blue sky and white clouds.

As I walked, I actually saw the words. On this trail, there are slogans like this all the way out, and many young people sit here to check in.

It’s not like summer at all in the valley. The temperature is around 20 degrees with wind, so you need to prepare a thick coat when you come here. Compared with the temperature in urban Beijing, this is really a good place to escape the heat.

There are such statues everywhere on the lawns of Haituo Valley. They are very cute and many people take photos with them.

At present, many experience areas, tourist areas, resort areas, etc. have been built here. If you come here for a weekend, in addition to camping, you can also experience the projects here.

2·1473, the highest cafe in Beijing

1473 Cafe, this is also one of the biggest highlights of Haituo Valley.

It is said that this is a log cabin with the same door as the Queen of England’s hunting lodge. Every piece of wood used in the construction here came across the ocean from the west.

The cafe is built on the top of the mountain. Follow the signs at the bottom of the mountain and go up the stairs. It takes about 10-15 minutes to reach it.

The steps are not easy to walk, and it is a "challenge" for people like me who have difficulty climbing mountains. Fortunately, the weather is cool and there are shadows of trees along the way, so it is a kind of scenery to stop and go.

We met a statue like this on the way, which probably showed us the process of transporting goods. Compared with other people carrying heavy loads, we were much happier.

There are signs like this guiding us along the way.

Remember, don’t walk too fast, happiness is chasing you.

The mid-mountain trail is like this. The leaves block most of the sunlight, and the tree shadows on the steps are mottled.

As we approached, we could already glimpse a corner of the 1473 Cafe through the gaps in the leaves.

The wood used to build this cafe is more than 100 years old and has the same quality as the Queen's hunting lodge in 1962.

The altitude of the mountain where the cafe is located can reach 1472 meters, but the reason why it is named 1473 is that the extra meter is a feeling and an attitude.

In the cafe, you can drink coffee, try drinks, eat freshly baked pizza, have an exquisite afternoon tea with friends, etc.

I also saw a warm reminder in the ordering area, but unfortunately I didn’t see the cute furry kid, probably it was taking a lunch break.

The cafe is not big, there are not many seats on the first floor, and there is a spire on the second floor with even fewer seats. In comparison, the second floor is quieter, with many people sitting quietly reading books.

There are seats outside, but the wind on the top of the mountain in Beijing is really strong. I caught a severe cold just 10 minutes after working outside.

Standing on the top of the mountain, you can overlook the entire Haituo Valley.

On the other side of the cafe, there is another mountain surrounded by mountains.

Seeing the continuous mountains and the drifting clouds in the distance is probably the so-called climbing up to see far away.

3. Another year of Gesang flowers blooming

The summer here is the most comfortable summer.

There is a gentle breeze, the wind is high and the clouds are clear, walking among the mountain roads, spending the weekend leisurely.

The Gesang flowers in the mountains are in full bloom. Along both sides of the road, it feels very comfortable to walk here without driving.

This is a small slope. Galsang flowers are planted along the slope. There is a European-style windmill at the foot of the mountain. Looking at it like this, it feels like we are in a foreign country. But in fact, we are just a few steps away. The city is a 3-hour drive away.

If you come here, you may like it as much as I do and the purest air here.

4. From the Heart of the Swans in Swan Lake

The heart of Haituo is actually in the Haituo Valley There are two lakes, one large and one small.

This lake looks very good whether viewed from the tent area or the side of Ruilan Hotel. Everything you can see here are mountains.

The green mountain landscape in summer and the rapidly moving clouds are all unforgettable.

The lake is surrounded by many beautiful European-style buildings. If I didn’t say this was in Beijing, I might really think it was in a European lake area. During the day, the building is reflected on the water, set against the blue sky and white clouds, like a uniquely decorated gem.

The owners of the lake are groups of swans, both black and white swans. They are swimming and playing very close to the lake.

They are not afraid of people. When there are many people, they will even perform to show off their "singing voices" and long necks.

Compared to white swans, black swans are more likely to attract people’s attention. When two black swans are together, their long necks can easily form the shape of a heart. They are also expressing their love and friendliness to us. .

A lot of supporting facilities have been built around the lake, such as lawns, boardwalks, campsites, etc.

Walking by the lake is the best slow time.

Wu·Children’s Library, a place only for children

In the Haituo Valley, there is another place that I think is particularly considerate, that is, there is a dedicated children’s library here library. This place is aimed at teenagers aged 3-12 years old who have independent reading ability, and the bookshelf is also partitioned, and books of different ages are placed in different places.

This is also where children’s autonomy and reading habits are cultivated. Adults are not allowed to accompany them.

For several families traveling together, the children can read here and be supervised by a dedicated person, and the adults can also go and do their own thing, killing two birds with one stone.

The design of the children's library is very beautiful. In addition to the appearance, Indoor Sea has specially designed bookshelves with "undulating hills and valleys, shaped like mountains".

This design is inspired by the rolling mountains on the outskirts of Beijing.

The bookshelves are densely packed with books, mainly picture books but also some suitable for older children. Of course, in addition to books, there are also Lego bricks here, which are mainly provided for relatively young children. Generally speaking, children who enter here will spontaneously keep quiet and will not affect other children's reading.

On the other hand, for safety reasons, climbing on the bookshelf is not allowed, although the structure is very similar to a slide.

When I came in here, several children were reading quietly. They seem to be regular visitors here, their parents leave them here after leaving them, and they also pick out their favorite books to read.

This quiet space has become a paradise for children.

Lu Camping Park, a glimpse of summer

In the hot summer, how can you miss the different starry sky camping. Although this kind of camping model has become very common in foreign countries, it is still relatively rare in our country. Especially those that provide campsites on such a large scale and with mature supporting facilities are even rarer.

The camp is a large open grassland where you can camp, listen to classes, drink, chat, and be in a daze. You can also watch stars and listen to music at night. Currently, there are several types of tents available in Haituo Valley. The steeple-top tents like this one are relatively better and larger. They can sleep two people or a family of three at 600 per night.

Of course, there are also common tents, which are relatively cheaper, but the space is smaller and the overall price is relatively ordinary. The price of a bowl is 200. Of course, if you choose to bring your own equipment, it’s okay, but the temperature in the mountains is low in the morning and evening, so you must pay attention to keeping warm and cold.

Falling asleep here, accompanied by the stars in the sky, watching the most beautiful sunrise, filtering out the impetuousness of being in the city, combining bustling and quiet, nature and beautiful scenery. Nowadays, it has become one of the favorite party modes among young people.

7·The largest RV in Asia, trendy life in Europe and America

The RV-themed hotel here is the largest in Asia. This kind of RV travel life has been popular in Europe and the United States for many years, but The domestic craze for it has just begun.

The RV hotels in Haituo Valley are all American Jayco trailers. The interior space of the RV is still very large, with basically independent bedrooms, living rooms and bathrooms included. Living here is not much different from living at home.

The RV hotels here basically cover an area of ??600 square meters in a single camp. There is a tent next to each RV as an auxiliary. You can play in the tent during the day and return to the RV at night. Fall asleep.

Of course, here, in addition to falling asleep, you can also do some BBQ, picnic and the like. Wouldn't it be nice to look into the distance and enjoy delicious food on the grass?

The RV campground also has an exclusive area, and the staying experience is relatively high. Compared with tent hotels, which are more suitable for young people, this place is more suitable for family travel.

Some little surprises in the 8. Ruilan Hotel

In the Haituo Valley, in addition to tent camping and RV hotels, there is also a Ruilan Hotel. This hotel is rated by stars The hotel is built to the standard. Compared with the first two, the environment is better, and the stay experience is naturally more comfortable.

As soon as I walked into this area, I saw slogans like "Companyship is true love". Vacationing here is a process of companionship.

The architectural style of Ruilan Hotel is more Western-style. The rooms are built against the mountains. Some small details always make people think they are in Switzerland. They are very exquisite.

There are two important places here in Ruilan Hotel, one is the if book bar and the other is Taotaro.

The book bar is mainly used for people to rest. The space is not big, but there is a dedicated person in charge, so the room is very quiet. There are rooms on the left and right sides of the second floor, all of which can be entered, and there are quite a lot of experiences inside.

I first met a clay-making place here. Usually there will be a lot of people during activities, and there are special teachers to teach how to draw clay. It happened to be noon when we arrived and there was no one there.

In the two rooms on one side of the hall, one is filled with magazines and books, and the other is filled with potted plants and exquisite bowls.

There is a reading area just outside the door of another room. The bookshelves are filled with various types of books. If you want to read here in the afternoon, you will not be bored.

I sat on the sofa and read books for a while. Some of them were works that I was very familiar with and had read many times when I was a student.

But the most surprising encounter is probably this small room.

When you walk into the room, you will be greeted by old tapes all over the wall. In this age where listening to music relies entirely on mobile phones and computers, it is not easy to still see tapes that were popular in the last century.

I said, maybe I can find Su Youpeng’s tape here.

Taotaro is more of a good place for children. The interior decoration of the room will also be relatively cartoony and cute, which is very suitable for children to play here by themselves.

When I came here, there was a girl wearing a little princess costume who was very focused on playing Lego, and no one could affect her. Her parents should have gone to do other things, leaving her alone. There is someone to take care of her here, so the parents can rest assured.

At the entrance of Ruilan Hotel, there is a waiting platform for scenic transportation buses. Stand here waiting for the bus to your next destination.

Jiu·Black Pine Forest Cycling Club, coffee and the joy of cycling

If you think that coming to Haituo Valley is just for leisure and gentle itineraries, then you are in trouble So wrong. Here, there is also a Black Pine Forest Cycling Theme Park, which has also spawned a Black Pine Forest Cycling Club.

In the Black Pine Cycling Club, you can drink coffee and afternoon tea here, sit indoors with the cycling theme everywhere you look, and sit outdoors with the breeze blowing , looking at the open scenery is also a good experience.

In the afternoon, there are a lot of people here, most of them are small groups of family and friends. When you walk in here, the aroma of coffee is everywhere, and the air is a little sweet.

Sit in the open-air seats, enjoy the wind and listen to music, and experience the petty bourgeoisie life in Beijing.

The Black Pine Forest Cycling Theme Park is a cycling park built with millions of dollars in Haituo Valley for cyclists. Here, cycling enthusiasts can get the greatest satisfaction. Of course, if you are not special It doesn’t matter if you are a professional, there are professional TO leaders here, so you can immediately experience what "freedom like the wind" is.

There are professional mountain off-road vehicles here, as well as high/intermediate/junior tracks. It is a "rider" experience that the whole family can enjoy.

Come here and start a friendly competition along the professional track. After staying in the city for a long time, life is stressful and your physical function will decline. Come here to exercise and you can ride more. The happier you are, the healthier you are.

Shi·Haidibao Restaurant and Lawn BBQ

In the valley, you don’t have to worry about eating. There are also restaurants here. The most convenient and quickest one is the Haidibao Restaurant. , this is a restaurant where you can discover the delicious taste of potatoes. In addition to potatoes, it also comes with burgers, fried chicken, pizza and other meals.

It’s good to try these fast food occasionally. Of course, this has become the most popular Western fast food restaurant among children in the valley.

The restaurant is very large and can accommodate many people dining at the same time.

Different from fast food restaurants in the city, the French fries here are made from high-quality potatoes that have been exposed to strong sunlight at high altitudes, and the fried chicken is also organic from selected local farmers. Poultry, both taste and health are taken into consideration.

In addition to Sea Castle, there is a music festival on these two days, so there is an all-weather BBQ. The lawn is filled with tables, chairs and parasols. You don’t have to worry about being exposed to the sun when eating. It feels good to have a breeze.

There are also a lot of things to eat here, including old Beijing style, such as noodles with soy sauce, as well as very common cold noodles, tea eggs, etc.

There are many seasonings here, you can add them according to your own taste.

This kind of large grilled sausage seems to be very common, and meat lovers prefer it.

There are fried chicken, grilled skewers, roasted sweet potatoes, etc. In fact, I am not particularly interested in other things, but how can there be no barbecue in summer? What is summer without skewers? A complete summer!

Pairing skewers with beer is perfect on a summer night.

In Haituo Valley, there is also specially provided mineral water. The packaging is customized. Just like on the roads here, there are some interesting words. For example, this bottle says "This bottle of water" It has no taste. If you think it’s sweet, it’s because you feel sweet in your heart.”

Shiyi·Super-burning summer memories in Haituo Valley

The most anticipated thing after dinner. , this is the Birch Forest Music Festival.

When it was just getting dark, the music on the stage started to sound. The lights, stage equipment, and music were all ready, and we were waiting for the event to start at 18:30.

The night here is very lively. Accompanied by rock musicians, everyone present turns into a little fan, waving the light sticks in their hands and integrating themselves into the music. .

Each band will sing several songs. Sometimes I feel that playing music in Beijing is really a great atmosphere. As long as you like it, you can turn it into a career.

I also stood in the audience, swaying to the music like all the fans.

People gathered here, waving their arms and interacting with the singers and composers.

The night in Haituo Valley is just like this, a crazy and lively night.

The light shines very far here, taking pictures of the infinite horizon.

On the lawn, the small picnic mat lights were still on. Sitting on the grass, enjoying the wind, drinking wine, listening to songs, and chatting about their own stories.

Part 12·Epilogue

The busy urban life has been too long, remember to slow down.

If you live in a different environment, maybe the years will be gentler.