Hiking The Mediterranean Steps, Gibraltar.

The Mediterranean Steps, Gibraltar.

March 2017.

I had already enjoyed an amazing day exploring the gorgeous Gibraltar Nature Reserve. There had been so much to take in, including splendorous views over Gibraltar Strait and the ruins of the Moorish Castle. Moreover, I’d gotten a look at the territory’s fascinating World War II tunnels, crossed the awesome Windsor Suspension Bridge and hung out with Gibraltar’s world famous Barbary macaques.

I honestly thought I’d seen the best of Gibraltar and it’s incredible rock. However, I didn’t want to miss out on another walking trail that had come thoroughly recommend from a few blogs. And so it was, on my second day, that I set off for a mid-afternoon hike on the nature trail known as The Mediterranean Steps.

According to several online articles, this is the hike for “thrill seekers”. That description actually didn’t appeal to me. Rather, I was tempted by the promise of the fabulous views that stretch out across the Alboran Sea. For that, I could put up with a hairy hike, as long as the going wasn’t too wild.

First I had to make my way up The Rock’s southwestern slope on a trail called St Martin’s Path. From there, I simply had to spot the understated set of narrow stone steps that zigzag up onto the trail.

The Mediterranean Steps, Gibraltar.

That first stretch of steps lasted barely ten minutes before I suddenly emerged onto a narrow stone path. There was only just enough room for me to pass, with thick plants and bushes to my right, a jagged natural rock wall to my left.

Beyond that wall… wow! Absolutely nothing but the vast, seemingly infinite waters of The Alboran Sea. As I stopped to admire the view, a pair of seagulls flapped by before settling on a boulder. Even the birds seemed impressed.

There were more seagulls the further I progressed, but no people. Just yours truly and his phone, which I used to load up some history on the trail. You might be surprised to hear that it was the British Army who built the pathway in the late 18th century in order to allow soldiers smooth access between The Rock’s various defence posts.

Thus the trail served as a key part of The Rock’s military communications right up until the end of The Second World War. Thereafter, the path fell into a severe state of disrepair until local authorities finally closed it off to public access. 

Happily, the steps reopened in 2007 after a huge restoration project carried out by the government and several local foundations. They fixed hundreds of broken steps and introduced rope handrails for some of the trickier ascents and descents.

Furthermore, they began protection programs for some of The Rock’s rare flowers and plants. I’m talking the Gibraltar Sea Lavender and the endangered Silene tomentosa (Gibraltar Campion).

Up On The Rock.

Perhaps the stunning views were a distraction, but I didn’t feel the trail was all that challenging. Here and there the path became narrower and took a sharp ascent, but nothing to write home about.

After a while I stumbled across my first fellow human. His name was Matthew, a member of The Royal Air Force stationed in a barracks down at the airport. He was in the process of jogging to the top of the rock and back, something he’d gotten into the habit of doing every day! Still, he was happy to stop for a chat and take a photograph for me.

And then he was gone, puffing out of view within seconds. A short while later the already delicate sky began to break and before I knew what was happening it was raining! Luckily, I chanced upon a small cave to the side of the trail.

So I ducked inside and settled down for a while, listening to the rain pitter pattering. Far off in the distance, beyond the slight form of a boat, I heard a crackle of thunder and saw the faintest flash of lightning. At that moment I was certainly glad to have found the cave!

The rain didn’t last. Before long, I was back on the trail marvelling at the new shades of blue, grey and white that were forming in the sky. It was just beautiful, and all the more special that it appeared to be granting me a private audience. 

The Mediterranean Steps, Gibraltar.

Gradually, I hiked higher and higher up The Rock. As I went, the views just got better and better. At some point I spotted a large container ship with the word Hanjin painted onto the side. I figured it could perhaps be a Chinese boat. 

But actually Hanjin Shipping was a South Korean container transport company. What I didn’t realise that day was that they had recently gone bankrupt, despite being one of the world’s top ten container carriers. I even found a BBC article claiming that a number of their boats got stuck in Gibraltar because the port refused to let them dock and unload.

Eventually, the trail began closing in on the summit of Gibraltar Rock. Up at the very top stands a pair of historic artillery batteries. First, I gazed up at Lord Airey’s Battery, constructed in 1891. Named after General Richard Airey, a renowned British Army officer of the mid 1800s, it features a breech loading gun last fired during a drill in the 1970s. And then, on top of the gun, who the heck was that?

He turned out to be a Frenchman called Loic. As the only two people up on the top of The Rock, we got chatting as we strolled from Lord Airey’s Battery to the neighbouring O’ Hara Battery.

The Mediterranean Steps, Gibraltar.

From here, over 420 metres above sea level, came the most stunning views of all. Firstly over Gibraltar’s swanky Sandy Bay resort village and its pristine stretch of sand constructed using imported rock from The Western Sahara.

The spectacular bay is home to some of Gibraltar’s fanciest hotels, guesthouses and Airbnb apartments. People also flock here from all over the territory to eat at Kokonut, famed for its fresh fish and punchy cocktails. 

And then there was the killer view from O’Hara’s Battery viewing platform, with its gargantuan cannon. This battery, also built in the 1890s, stands named after The British Army Officer Charles O’Hara who fought in several notable wars, including The Seven Years War and the American War of Independence.

O’Hara Battery.

In fact, O’Hara had the distinction/embarrassment of personally surrendering to both George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte. In his later years he became The Governor or Gibraltar, hence the battery name.

Loic and I stood up there for quite some time in a state of awed silence. Before our eyes, the cloud line dramatically dropped, creating a mere corridor of vision above the sea.

It was time to set off back to town before blackness engulfed The Rock. Loic and I made the descent together, picking our way carefully down the trail, only occasionally stopping to photograph the last traces of early evening light.

The Mediterranean Steps, Gibraltar.

I’ll never forget how that evening ended. Loic and I had finally made it back into town and were walking down Governor’s Street in search of a pub for a drink and a bite. Quite suddenly, outside Governor’s Street Chambers, we bumped into an incredibly merry trio of barristers. 

“Helloooo!” cried one of the men, introducing himself as Stephen Ffrench Davis. “We’re celebrating!” he announced, his arms extending out to his companions, standing on either side of him. “Come inside, do you like jazz?”

“I’m Tom Hillman!” cried the silver-haired man, as Loic and I followed our newfound friends inside Gibraltar’s Governor’s Street Chambers. “I’m the WORST f****ing lawyer in the world!” This pronouncement caused a ripple of communal laughter among the group. The remaining gentleman, the softly-spoken (and least inebriated) Mr. Stephen Bullock, proceeded to pour each of us a glass of champagne.

“A toast!” cried Stephen Ffrench Davis, “to my sister who has just given birth!” 

And so we stood drinking and chatting for a bit to the sound of an early John Coltrane record. We talked about where we were all from, discussed families and waxed lyrical on a few choice Jazz legends, like Miles Davis.

At some point Tom Hillman, “the worst f****ing lawyer in the world”, took a seat at a piano and began tinkling away. It was a fun, warm and unexpected end to a fantastic day. Wherever Tom and the two Stephens are today, I hope they’re doing well. Thanks for a lovely surprise on that already long ago evening in Gibraltar.

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