Sikou Scenic Area / 寺口风景区: Zhongwei;
Ningxia
Do you have a head for heights?
Sikou Scenic Area (Do you have a head for heights?). Margie and I looked at each other, looked at the dodgy hanging bridge disappearing into the mist, remembered having seen some missing wooden planks from below and decided no, this definitely wasn’t worth it!
A park ranger offered us a harness, but even that failed to convince us and, apologetically, we beat a hasty retreat.
a striking area of sandstone gorges
The Sikou Scenic Area is a striking area of sandstone gorges. It’s a fantastic place if you love clambering over rocks and don’t suffer from vertigo. If your idea of fun is getting pleasure from clinging on to rusty chains as you scramble along narrow paths, with only a flimsy railing separating you from an abyss of several hundred meters, then Sikou is for you.
The highlight of a visit to Sikou is crossing the gorge on a near 100- meter long, swaying suspension bridge, a precarious looking structure, made of rusty cables and wooden planks, many of which are missing. I imagine the views must be spectacular, weather permitting.
However, neither Margie nor I have much of a head for heights; I get vertigo just standing on a chair changing a light bulb. As a result, we found ourselves confined to the bottom of the valley, as all routes out meant some serious climbing with vertical drops.
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