Recommended Cycling Routes in the Guyi River Ecological Corridor, Beijing

The Guyi River Ecological Corridor in Yanqing District, Beijing is a great place for cycling. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, this cycling route is also incredibly scenic. Here are some recommended routes for cycling in the Guyi River Ecological Corridor. If you are interested, let’s take a look!

Cycling in the Guyi River Ecological Corridor

With the Guyi River as its center, the route is picturesque with beautiful scenery. The whole route is about 70 kilometers long, relatively flat, and with a small slope.

「West Section: A Journey to Appreciate Flowers by the River 」

Cycling Route: Xiadu Park – Beijing World Horticultural Expo Park – Guyi Forest Park – Guanting Bridge – World Grape Expo Park – Guyi Forest Park – Xiadu Park

Route Length: About 26 kilometers

Difficulty Index: ⭐⭐

Highlights of the Route: Pass through the beautiful Guyi Forest Park, and cross Guanting Bridge to the World Grape Expo Park. All the way you will enjoy birdsong and fragrant flowers, emerald green ground cover, and gurgling waters – a truly beautiful view.

Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scenery Along the Way:

1. Xiadu Park

Xiadu Park is a landmark park in Yanqing, located in the heart of the city and easily accessible. The beautiful Guyi River flows through the park, creating a large expanse of water. On a sunny day, the sparkling surface of the lake is stunning. Although bicycles are not allowed in the park, it is a great starting point for a cycling journey.

2. Beijing World Horticultural Expo

The route passes through the famous Beijing World Horticultural Expo Park, an urban park that hosted the 2019 Beijing World Horticultural Expo. This park gathers horticultural treasures from around the world, and its spring scenery is particularly beautiful, making it well worth a visit. During the peak of spring, the pavilions, terraces, and courtyards, along with the bridges and streams, are all adorned with a variety of blooming flowers: apricot blossoms, mountain peaches, golden bells, lilacs, irises, hyacinths, and more. You can find both familiar and unfamiliar plants here.

Note: Bicycles are not allowed in the park. If you plan to visit the park, please park your bike in an orderly manner outside the park and lock it before entering.

3. Guyi Forest Park

This is a riverside forest park built around the Guyi River, with a gentle, easily navigable cycling path, perfect for cycling. Along the bank, there are over 30 types of trees, including white poplar, locust tree, ash tree, goldenrain tree, and spruce, as well as over 40 types of flowering shrubs, including golden bell, purple-leaf plum, deutzia, and honeysuckle. Riding your bicycle amidst this “mountain and water painting” while enjoying the spring breeze, “the apricot flowers rain that moistens the clothes” and “the weeping willows by the embankment drunk on the spring mist”, there is no better experience than this.

4. World Grape Expo Park

The turning point of the route is recommended to be at the World Grape Expo Park. Park your bike and enter the park on foot, and you will encounter a brilliant spring scene in the clear and gentle sunshine. This park not only has the largest collection of grape varieties in the world, but also a wide variety of flowers: apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, peonies, lilies, tulips, and more. After a long bike ride, take a break in the park, enjoy the flowers, take photos, have a picnic – happiness is as simple as that.

「East Section: A Journey to Find Human Flavors in an Ancient City 」

Cycling Route: Xiadu Park – Hubei East Road – Caoguan Village – Xixiaozhuangke Village – Yongning Ancient City – Binhe South Road – Liugou Phoenix Ancient City – Hunan East Road – Donghu Park – Xiadu Park

Route Length: About 44 kilometers

Difficulty Index: ⭐⭐

Highlights of the Route: Along the banks of the Guyi River, you will encounter quaint villages, visit the traditional market of Yongning Ancient City, and enjoy the authentic braised tofu with a fire pot in Liugou Phoenix Ancient City.

Recommendation Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scenic Spots Along the Way:

1. Yongning Ancient City

Named for its “its peace and serenity will last forever”, Yongning Ancient City was one of the filming locations for the movie “The Ancient Artifact Bureau”. Here you can find the towering Yuh Huang Pavilion, the quaint stone-paved streets, and Beijing’s most traditional and lively market. A dazzling array of mountain produce, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and the shouts of vendors with their strong Yanqing accents – this is life, the warmest human touch.

2. Liugou Phoenix Ancient City

Probably no one in Beijing doesn’t know about the fire pot tofu feast in Liugou Phoenix Ancient City. So how can you pass through Liugou without stopping to indulge? The three-color tofu made from acid plum, combined with the secret recipe of marinated pork, plus a whole table of side dishes, you won’t truly understand why it’s so popular until you’ve tried it yourself. After lunch, take a bike ride around the village, the remaining ancient city walls, earthen Great Wall, and ancient wells are all worth seeing.

3. Donghu Park

Donghu Park is a small, peaceful park. The quietly flowing river, the swaying reeds, the tranquil lake, the clear and expansive square… The scenery here is beautiful, and there are fewer people. As the last stop before arriving at the destination Xiadu Park, take a break here, sit quietly and enjoy the lake breeze – it is sure to be very comfortable.

Warm Tips:

1. Bicycles are not allowed in Xiadu Park, Beijing World Horticultural Expo Park and the World Grape Expo Park. If you want to visit these parks, please be sure to park and lock your bicycles in designated areas outside the park.

2. During the epidemic prevention period, please follow the epidemic prevention regulations when going out for a trip, take good personal protection, wear a mask, and travel civilly.