Let’s just get the housekeeping out of the way and answer the question we know everyone has. When we decided to go to Spain for Tomatina, we knew we were going to be close to Gibraltar, so taking a day to visit the tiny autonomous territory of the UK was an easy decision. Many people overlook Gibraltar as a viable travel destination. You can’t fill a week’s time in Gibraltar, but a day to hike up the famed Rock of Gibraltar was in order for us.
If you’re not familiar with the history of Gibraltar, it’s a long disputed territory that was conquered from Spain by the Dutch over 300 years ago. The Dutch gave Gibraltar to the British 9 years later and the folklore says that the British won’t leave Gibraltar as long as the Barbary Apes are there (I’ll get to the apes later in this post). Gibraltar is less than 3 square miles of land, with a large part covered by the Rock of Gibraltar.
We arrived in Gibraltar in the late afternoon before the planned hike, got a good night’s sleep at the Sunborn Hotel—a large yacht, converted to a hotel, and permanently docked next to the base of the Rock. The next morning we got up early and walked the mile and a half from the hotel through the empty town to the ticket office for admission to the Rock. It was mostly empty due to the fact that it was early Sunday morning, but also, there never seemed to be a lot of people around at any time. Most people take the cable car up to the top from the base. If you’ve been reading our blog, you know we don’t do what most people do—we hike up the Rock!
Hiking up the rock means taking the Mediterranean Steps. The bottom of the Mediterranean Steps begin across from the ticket booth where you purchase admission to the Rock. The first couple minutes up the stairs will appear overwhelming. The steps are very steep and between stairs sections, there are trail sections. Some of them are so unmanicured, leaving you second guessing the route to the top. Additionally, some of the cliff edges are unsupported by barriers and handrails and hand ropes are loose. If you have anxiety, this may be a bit too much for you.
If you can handle it, the climb is worth it. Hiking up the rock face, you will be handsomely rewarded with breathtaking views of the 8 mile wide Strait of Gibraltar where you can see Morocco in Africa across from where you stand on the furthest southern tip of Europe. This is only one of two places in the world where you can see another continent across a body of water (the other is Asia – North America from Alaska or Russia). It took us roughly 1.5 hours to get to the top, stopping a few times to catch our breath, take a photo or two, and for hydration. The climb was so brutal, it gave Michelle 4 blisters combined on both feet.
If you thought we travelled all the way to Gibraltar just to burn some calories and see Morocco from a distance, you’re sadly mistaken. The Barbary apes that Iive in Gibraltar are concentrated to the Rock. They roam the entire rock, but they are frequently hanging out at the top of the rock. Once you reach the top, you’ll surely be greeted by some of the 250 Barbaries that live there. These particular apes are the only ones on the entire continent of Europe. They originate from Northern Africa and became trapped in Gibraltar centuries ago during the continental shift.
Take it all in. These creatures are magnificent, and this is as close as you will ever get to free roaming apes. The apes will get close to you. They are generally docile, but they will occasionally try to jump on your back or attempt to steal sunglasses and backpacks. Just make sure you have a good grip on your belongings. And, if you decide to take the stairs down to Ape’s Den to descend the Rock, take note of the sign that explicitly states that the apes will become aggressive if you trap them on the stairs. Michelle missed the sign, which resulted in a scratched and bloody arm. She’ll tell you that she was attacked, but what I saw was one of the apes tried to jump on her back, causing her to freak out and turn away running. He went to grab for her arm and ended up scratching her.
Just like getting up, we suggest hiking down, if you’re physically capable and have the time, of course. We tried using the stairs down to Ape’s Den, but you know how that turned out. Giving into the cable car route down, we hiked a bit upward to the station at the top of the road only to find out that the ticket office had been broken into the night before and we couldn’t purchase a one-way ticket down. Having no other choice but to hike down, we took Signal Station Road to Charles Vth’s Road, then hopped on the terrain adjacent to Queen’s Road. We had to use Google Maps in addition to the paper map or we would have gotten lost on the Rock. The posted signs do not convey the directions and paths very well. We were on the Rock all day and couldn’t quite get to the Moorish Castle because we had to get back to the hotel to shower and check out, before picking up the rental car.
A few general tips if you’re going to hike the Rock:
Gear up properly. Most importantly, wear proper socks and shoes. This isn’t a Sunday stroll through Central Park. Your feet will thank you for making the right decision. Bring ample water. You can buy canned water (it’s true) from a machine at the top of the Rock, but you’ll dehydrate yourself for the few hours of climbing without something to sip on. Lather up the sunscreen. Take a snack. It’s a long day. Pack your camera. We’re Team Alpha, but you can pack whatever you shoot with. You’ll want it at the top.
The ticket booth. Gibraltar’s official currency is the Sterling Pound. But, you can pay for tickets in Euros. Don’t. They will absolutely murder you on the exchange. In fact, pay for everything in Gibraltar in Sterling Pounds using your credit card to convert the exchange rate.
Use the map. When you purchase tickets, you’ll get a map. Don’t discard it. Not only does it tell you all the points of interest on the Rock, but you can use it to figure out which route to take down to get as close to your hotel as possible. You’ll want to be close. We walked 11 miles that day. Our feet needed a rest.
Be respectful. The Rock of Gibraltar belongs to the apes and you’re just visiting. Don’t make them feel uncomfortable or threatened. Don’t feed them or give them anything that could endanger their health. While we saw one eating some Golden Oreos, please don’t partake; there are caregivers on the Rock who set out fruit for the apes, so they are well-fed properly!
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