It’s not often I get a request to do a ‘One way to do…’ so I was particularly chuffed when a fellow blogger made a request for one on Gibraltar.

This particular ‘One Way to do…’ is strictly for the fitter passengers and involves a considerable amount of walking. Please do not despair though, I have added a few tips on short cuts available for those that may need them.

A view of Gibraltar from the Cruise Terminal…

On departing your cruise ship, and assuming your ship was berthed at the ‘Gibraltar Cruise Terminal’, head towards the town. There is only one way till you see ahead of you the Casemates entrance…

Tip No 1. For those with mobility issues there are, at the entrance to the cruise terminal,  a number of transport options.  Shuttle Buses into the town and Mini Bus tours to the top of the rock…

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Having passed through the Casemates Gate the pedestrian visitor will enter Casemates Square…

…a lively area mostly housing cafes, bars and restaurants. Diagonally across the Square is the exit from the square  onto Main Street…

Main Street, as the name suggests, is the main shopping thoroughfare and it is along here that the majority of duty free shopping can be done. Good ‘duty free’ prices on cigarettes and Alcohol but not too great a saving on photographic equipment.

At the far end of Main Street you will pass The Convent. This is actually the Governor’s Residence…

…and is conveniently situated opposite The Angry Friar Pub, a favourite old haunt of mine many years past…

Continuing along Main Street for a short distance is The Battle of Trafalgar Cemetery…

An interesting small cemetery and well worth a stop. Buried here are those who died from their wounds following the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. (Those that actually died in the battle were buried at sea)

Following the pavement around the cemetery and now taking a right hand turn, the climb up The Rock now starts in earnest. Not too far  and the lower Cable Car Terminus can be seen…

Tip No 2.  Take the Cable Car to the top now if walking is not an option.

For those continuing along the road the opportunity will soon arise for some good pictures both under the cable cars and with the famous Rock Hotel all featuring…

Approaching the first junction on the climb, take the left hand road…

No need to worry about the features to the left, (Europa Point and the Victorian Supergun) there will be an opportunity to get great views of them during the ascent  The Rock.

Approximately halfway up The Rock there is a nature reserve. There is a small entrance fee to be paid, refreshments and toilets are also available here.

The main attraction at this particular point though is the monument to ‘The Pillars of Hercules’, sited on a  panoramic viewing platform…

…where the visitor can gaze over Europa Point and, on  a clear day,  see Africa in the distance…

…while on the water’s edge below can be seen examples of Gibraltar’s defences and the Victorian 100 Ton Gun…

Returning to the road there is but a short distance to a point where yet another decision should be made

One can either take the ‘halfway route’ in the direction of the Moorish Castle and ‘Siege Tunnels’, or take the right turn, onwards and upwards, to St Michael’s Cave and the upper Apes’ Den.

Whatever one’s decision, the views from this point are spectacular…

For those who proceed all the way to the top there is of course a number of choices. St Michael’s Cave is fascinating and is often a venue for concerts. A natural grotto,  it was fitted out as a hospital during WWII…

Refreshments and toilet facilities are also available. The upper Apes’ den  is approximately a 15 minute walk from St Michael’s Cave.

Having reached this point the good news is it is now all ‘downhill’ and there are a number of options remaining. The easiest is obviously to take the Cable Car down either to The midway point or all the way to the lower Terminus.

A second option is to descend down the Charles V Wall as far as the Queens Road and lower Ape’s Den.  Viewed from a distance, the Charles V Wall…

That’s it just left of centre taken from a distance…running almost parallel with the Cable Car, or, viewed from the Queens Road adjacent the lower Ape’s Den which is far less touristy and more photo friendly…

 

Tip No 3.  Ascending the Charles V Wall is not recommended, descent is far easier.

At the foot of Charles V Wall (Photo above) take the right direction along Queen’s Road. This will bring the walker to The Military Heritage Centre, The Great Siege Tunnels, the City under Siege Exhibition, and another panoramic view point where one can gaze down at the Spanish border crossing and into Spain…

In this area take the opportunity to explore the defensive arrangements installed over the years…

A visit to the ‘Siege Tunnels’ is worthwhile…

not forgetting the close-by viewpoint for that border photograph…

…and across into Spain…

…or why not spend half an hour discovering the Moorish Castle…

And finally, the road past the Moorish castle will lead almost directly down into Casemates Squares where a well deserved beer or ice cream awaits before returning to your ship.

Anyone feeling tired?

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