Everyone in Gibraltar has visited the Upper Rock
Nature Reserve on multiple occasions throughout
their lifetime. But more often than not, we only
head up there to show visiting family and friends
around its well-known sites and introduce them to
our world-famous furry residents.
Living here, I’m guilty of not taking advantage of
the Upper Rock, with its unique nature trails, stunning
views and extensive history. Often forgetting that it’s
not just for visitors but that it’s available to all of us.
Allowing us to get away from the busy streets below
without having to venture out of Gibraltar.
To encourage locals and visitors alike, the Nature
Reserve together with Visit Gibraltar have mapped
out four themed trails, each one suitable for walkers
with different abilities and interests.
This month, we decided to try one of them out,
the ‘History Buff’ trail. Traversing the length of the
west side of the Rock and split into two routes, it
passes numerous popular attractions, as well as
various lesser-visited historical batteries and fortifi-
cations. From the Moorish Castle in the north, all the
way up to O’Hara’s Battery in the south.
Each trail is colour coded, with circular markings
painted on the Upper Rock roads to guide you on
your chosen route. There is also an app that you can
download with maps and more information about
the sites and Gibraltar’s flora and fauna.
The trails are mapped out for anyone who wants
to walk the entire route and are available on the Vi-
sit Gibraltar website. But you can adapt them and
avoid the strenuous uphill walk on a hot summer’s
day, which is what we decided to do.
We opted to take the Cable Car to the top station
and begin our descent from there, completing both
trails in one go from top to bottom. For tourists that
have the time, this means that you can enjoy a ride
on the cable car, visit some of the popular attrac-
tions and also hit historical spots that don’t often
feature on the regular tours. But make sure to have
your walking shoes at the ready!
When we reached the top station, we were met
with awe-inspiring near 360-degree views of the Rock
and its surroundings. To start the trail, we strolled south
along Signal Station Road and then on to St Michael’s
Road. A fork in the road led us on an uphill climb along
O’Hara’s Road towards our first stop, O’Hara’s Battery.
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Located on the highest point of the Rock, near the
southern end of the Nature Reserve, this artillery ba-
ttery was built in 1890 and named after the Gover-
nor of Gibraltar; General Charles O’Hara. Originally
designed as a watchtower, O’Hara believed that it
would allow them to observe enemy movements in
the port of Cadiz. When these plans proved unsuc-
cessful, the tower was nicknamed O’Hara’s Folly. It
currently houses a 9.2-inch cannon with a 26-kilo-
metre range and offers magnificent views across the
bay and towards North Africa.
Returning down O’Hara’s Road and then turning
left back on to St Michael’s Road, we reached St Mi-
chael’s Cave in 15 minutes. Here, you can opt to visit
the beautiful limestone caves or continue as we did
up to Spur Battery via Spur Battery Road.
Dated 1903, Spur Battery used to be home to a
9.2-inch artillery gun now displayed at the Impe-
rial War Museum in Duxford. If you climb up on to
its walls, and if you don’t suffer from vertigo, you
can look straight down on to Europa Point and gaze
across the Straits to Spain and Africa.
Enjoying another downhill walk, we made our
way back down Spur Battery Road to Royal An-
glian Way. This 600m footpath begins just past St
Michaels Cave and ends just before the Apes’ Den.
Along the path, you can stop at several batteries and
military installations, including Rooke Battery where
you can see the remains of a searchlight mounting
used during World War II.
Depending on the time of year, the footpath is
also a great place to spot native plants and wildli-
fe including several different bird species that nest
nearby. There are also picnic benches and resting
areas to take a breather along the way.
At the north end of the Royal Anglian Way, is the
Windsor Suspension Bridge. Opened three years
ago, it stretches 71 metres across a 50-metre-deep
gorge, offering incredible vistas of the town and
across the Bay of Gibraltar. I have to admit, even
though I’m not usually afraid of heights, the slight
wobble of the bridge incited a lot nervous giggling
as I tentatively made my way across, but it’s well
worth it!
From there, we joined the Old Queens Road and
made our way down to the Apes’ Den, with the base
of the upper section of the Charles V Wall marking
OTWO 03 / OCTOBER 2019
OTWO 03 / OCTOBER 2019
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