Frozen scenic spot is icy retreat

At this time of year, most people try to keep away from the cold and bunker down in a cozy indoor nook.

But winter also brings a good reason to throw on the thermals and get outdoors, and not just for skiing.

About 90 kilometers northeast of Beijing's city center is the impressive Taoyuan Xiangu, a frosty winter wonderland and a haven for ice climbing.

Situated in Shicheng village, Miyun county, and expanding over a total of 16 square kilometers, Taoyuan Xiangu is a very different picture in the warmer months of the year.

The surrounding mountains are lush with silver birch, filbert, cypress, pine and fruit trees, and squirrels and birds dart about among the foliage.

I counted more than 10 ponds scattered around the area, together with Taoyuan Lake, six waterfalls, a spring and four pools, which, when not frozen solid as they are now, lend themselves to swimming, angling, rowing and paddling.

Stretching over a length of 8 kilometers, the park offers a full day of hiking along winding tracks that weave among the mountains.

The air is distinctly fresh and there are relatively few man-made obstacles to break the line of vision. The patchwork of mountains, ponds, streams and waterfalls creates ever-changing postcard vistas at every turn.

At this time of year, the foliage is a little thin but the beauty is perhaps even more striking, with sharp contrasts created between the white ice with the blue sky and the grays and browns of the land.

Crowds are also relatively sparse in January, so a day trip here really does feel like a good escape from the crush and rush of Beijing city life.

Not all the ice formations at Taoyuan Xiangu can be called "natural" but they are fabulous and fun. Someone came up with the idea for a dragon ice cave and by running water over a structure made with logs and branches, they have created a 30-meter-long cave filled with icy stalactites that kids will enjoy.

Further up the path is the main feature, Taoyuan Waterfall.

Rising 66 meters above Qinglong Pond, it forms the main climbing wall for those who come bearing ice picks and hefty spiked boots.

With the natural waterfall flow not quite adequate for the task, most of the ice here is man-made and the result is a thick and solid icy white wall fit for scaling.

There are no climbing shops or clubs in the park so, while established routes are already bolted along the wall, you will have to bring your own gear or come with a climbing group.

On the day we were there, a group of students from the Tsinghua University Ice Climbing Club were navigating the wall.

"Many people think it's dangerous," said one student. "But if you do everything step by step, it's not."

Unfortunately, it can be a little difficult as an outsider to get in with the university crowd. Thankfully, O'LE Climbing regularly takes groups out to Taoyuan Xiangu for both training and climbing.

Ice climbing enthusiast and manager of O'LE Climbing Takako Hoshi, from Japan, said it's a great place for climbing.

"In winter you tend to be inside, so it's really nice to be outside ice climbing, especially in Beijing where you don't get much wind or rain," she said.

"And with ice climbing you also get the same sensation you get with regular rock climbing, that great feeling of satisfaction when you get to the top."