Actually, the day started on bikes. We rode up to the picturesque Dragon Bridge on the Yulong River as a warm up. I chose the far bank as we would walk back along some of the near bank later. As expected, we saw no other tourists on that side of the river; not until we hit the Dragon Bridge anyway.

After obligatory photos we headed through the village to meet Alf and Xiao Su on the far side at the start of the hiking section. They had come by car to give us our food for the day and to take the bikes back.

We headed through one small village before I could put the first challenge out to the two guests. Alf and I have been puzzled by some strange mounds on the far side of this village. They are definitely artificial - but their purpose defies reason. There was to be no enlightenment today but with photos to be posted with this article soon we are hoping for someone out there to provide the answer.

The next challenge was less intellectual. We came to the end of the village plantations only to be told that there was no way through. From memory I could recollect a bit of scrambling here so we ignored the helpful locals and skirted around the thorny goat excluder until we could make our way past without a scratch.

The sesnse of freedom was shortlived as we soon turned the corner to see back-end of Baisha, never an attractive town. Fortunately our route took us up and away from that, up to a glorious little shelter from the days before motorbikes, when this route would have been well trodden.

On the far side is a pretty little valley. We stopped to scramble up a convenient rock. The sheer face on the one side provided great sport, and the easy descent on the other could easily be hidden from the camera.

We were now walking along an ancient 'Way' or 'Dao' - the same 'Way' as used in Daoism. The cobbled path rose up over a saddle and was temporarily replaced by steps cut out of the bedrock below, only to drop back down to the next village.

I knew I had to be careful here having gone wrong at some point on my last hike. I just about managed to eliminate my previous mistake when a kindly old soul guess our intent and pointed down the least likely option. Bless him - we turned the corner and I recognised the spot where Alf and I had clambered up a small mountain as an excuse to rid ourselves of an annoying  tourist on our original passage this way.

We hiked a little further before deciding that the view proffered suited our tastes. We laid out the ponchos and tucked into the welcome lunch. Bacon and cheese baguettes - not exactly traditional but spot on.

Unfortunately, our excellent choice was recognised by the only other foreigners to pass by. They got off their bikes and started to buzz all around us, perhaps in the hope of getting some of our delicious snacks. They obviously didn't get the tranquility thing.

It didn't matter. We only had to walk out through the next village to get on another redundant path and to feel alone again. This path took us up into a rare patch of coniferous trees; a welcome bit of variety. We even got to see the results of a recent rockfall, and to appreciate that we weren't underneath at the time.

On the descent I could make out one of the options for the next section. However, the two were coping well with the terrain and opted for the longer alternative. That was lucky because the views back down through Spring blossom were glorious.

We pushed our way through dense undergrowth, surprising goats and perhaps other wildlife unseen. Whether or not we surprised the goatherd around the next corner will remain a mystery. He didn't seem at all phased by the appearance of three foreigners in his secluded wilderness; he just carried on whistling his flock down off the slopes and carrying on as if such things were either the norm or not worth worrying about.

Anyway - he was the last soul we saw until dropping right down out of the next feature of the hike. I didn't let on until we could actually see the walls before describing the fortress that we were about to enter. The mountains here are rugged enough, but someone in the the distant past had considered something important enough to fortify three passes and create a sizeable retreat up in the hills.

We scrambled through the big stone gate on the far side and I cut a way down the bramble infested slope to the last feature. This is reached by crossing a new dam and skirting the edge of a small reservoir - one that had been bone dry on our first trip.

I walked around to where two thick parallel walls were set at the edge of the bowl and asked for suggestions. Alf and I had struggled with this one for a while. Our guess, a bomb shelter, had only been confirmed once I showed my wife a photo of a plaque on a rock nearby and she had translated the characters for airfield.

Xiao Su was waiting for us just over the rise, smiling as usual. (Perhaps he is always glad he doesn't have to take part in the activities.) He loaded us up and took us back to Yangshuo avoiding a slog along the road. An excellent day again, and another one worthy of a celebratory beer

Hide

Xiao Su, the driver, and Alf arrived right on time. Everything had been arranged the day before; bikes, food and water were all loaded in the back. I just needed my camera and a change of clothes.

The drive to Guilin is normally just a chore but at this time in the morning the road was clear and the hills were glorious with a rosy sky behind. We made good time and met the two ladies at the Universal Hotel in Guilin. I stayed there many times as a tour leader so it was strange to see it now in a  different light.

Eight O'Clock was still a bit early for most people leaving to do the famous Li River Cruise. They were still at breakfast and so formalities were soon over and we left, heading for the start point. Before we even got there, Alf had a call to say that someone had left a wallet in the room. Though Amy had to return and miss the start of the ride, that averted a possible disaster.

Georgina, Alf and I set off on our mountain bikes, using the relatively flat first section to warm up and get to know each other. Alf had taken the two for a Guilin City Tour the day before but this was my first meeting.

The kilometres rolled away under our wheels with Alf pointing out the local crops and giving a run down of local issues. We soon arrived at a small town where we stopped for Guilin Miefen (local rice noodles - a favourite breakfast). Still no sign of Xiao Su and Amy so we carried on.

We stopped at the first section of Li River and watched a local lady busy at her laundry. We could just about make out the Li River Cruise Docks at the end of the straight. The car caught up with us not long after we had passed there. Amy was amazed by the distance we had covered but none of us was really feeling it yet. Good bikes make all the difference.

The four of us now carried on together. We stopped again at an abandoned temple now used as a community centre. The pool table at the back looked like it could have done with a brick or two for levelling off. No-one seemed to care.

The flat ended soon after that. Alf considered the first hill just a warm-up and told us that the day included two much bigger ones. The first of those started as we left the road heading to Crown Cave and turned left. The sign clearly said Xingping though no road is marked on any local map. No wonder - the tarmac gave way to dirt and the switchbacks ahead soon became obvious.

I ride a fair bit and so the relentless up was no great hardship. Georgina was coping well and Amy did after we sorted out her gears. Alf, cheeky chap, dropped back until he could use the support car for a lift - a fact we would not have noticed had Xiao Su stopped further back as instructed. Fortunately for us he either didn't understand or was having his own little laugh and Alf had to make excuses.

With the height gained we could now see for tens of kilometres all around. The best views were to the west, over the Li River and to an absolutely stunning backdrop.

We passed Da Tian (Big Field), a charming little village with a style of porch over the doors that I had never seen before. New breeze-block buildings were going up all around so, no doubt, this innovation will disappear before long.

Despite the noodles, hunger struck not long after twelve. We could see the lunch spot, a small lake, far below and had great fun free-wheeling all the way down and around to a patch of green grass that would serve as our picnic site.

Alf had a couple of bags of goodies to fill our bellies to bursting. We didn't eat it all but certainly felt heavy as we set off again. We took it easy for a while but then, with the next big hill on us, had no choice but to drop down the gears and go for it.

At the top, the scenery was quite different. The hills were more open and the road contoured around on an almost treeless landscape. We could see big mountains off to the east but not the conical ones that have made the Guilin/Yangshuo area so famous.

The next descent was welcome but less enjoyable. The road here was very bumpy and arms and bums began to ache. We stopped just before reaching the valley floor as the views out over the now lush looking paddy fields was well worth a photo stop even if none of us had the camera or skill to quite capture the beauty completely. Cows and goats took the opportunity to get snapped too, on their way back from a drink down in the brook below.

The run into Xingping is pretty much flat. We went past a couple of great swimming spots but, it being only March, we were not tempted in.

We entered Xingping but did not head to the guesthouse straight away. Alf had one more activity planned first.

We took the bikes on the short ride out of town to a spot now famous, especially with domestic tourists. After a day of stunning scenery it was hard to say that this spot was better than any other - but since the view we were now looking at had been chosen to decorate the back of every 20 Yuan note we decided it was worth a visit. Like everyone else we took a couple of photos holding up the brown note just to mark the occasion.

We celebrated the end of the bike ride with a beer on the guesthouse rooftop. Alf and I then headed back home to Yangshuo to freshen up and collect our respective boys from school. The two ladies stayed in Xingping as Alf would return next day to cycle with them the rest of the way to Yangshuo. I would have to miss out on that; other work to do.

Hide

We were dropped off along the river from Xingping which allows for a pleasant wander back into town up through the old street...( which keeps evolving very quickly) to the bus station. At Yangdi there is a very good restaurant ...the last building before the river. Very good food at a resonable cost. On both my trips we had lunch there before taking the raft. To get to Yangdi catch a local bus at the bus station.

Highly recommended trip.

Hide