Walking to the top of the rock in Gibraltar - not via the Mediterranean steps

[StickInsect]

Has anyone walked to the top of the rock in Gibraltar using an alternative route to the Mediterranean steps? I know that they are meant to have great views but they also sound a bit hazardous. If anyone has used another route, could they tell me how fit you need to be and approximately how long it takes? I am being put off using the cable car by the amount of time which might be spent queuing.

 

Thanks.

[GaryT-UK]

I did actually get the cable car up to the top. I don't remember the queue being too horrendous. Once up there though I walked back down following the winding roads and stopping off at the main tourist spots like St Michaels cave & the siege tunnels, the Moorish fort.... It's a decent length of walk back, but at least it is downhill. They were handing out free maps in the port if you haven't planned ahead so you can plan a route.

[StickInsect]

Thanks for the reply Gary. Whilst we have planned most of our other ports in some detail, I think we are going to play this one by ear. We'll see how hot it is on the day and how big the cable car queue is and then make our decision. What you did sounds sensible although going downhill is harder on the knees I believe. If anyone else has any experiences to add, I'd be glad to hear them.

[roothy123]

I'm going to Gib in August and have done a lot of research. From what I've heard, the earlier you go to the cable car, the better, as there are tons of daytrippers who line up in addition to people from cruise ships.

 

There are taxi tours available from the port and also from Casemates Square, which is a bit of a walk or shuttle ride from the port. I've read that some taxis (but not all) can go up to the top of the rock, but ask to make sure you're in the right kind. I don't think they simply take people up and that's it; you need to purchase an hour or two or three hour tour to have them take you up there. The taxi tours usually allow you to make stops on the rock (tunnels, etc.) before returning you to Casemates (to walk through the town, for lunch or shopping) or the port. I forget the price (not lots but not a little either) but if you want more info, I can copy part of my notes into a post.

 

Not sure how adventuresome you are, but there are also public buses that take you from close to the port to the cable car station. There is no bus that goes up the rock, however. You would probably need euros or British or Gib pounds for the bus (forget which).

 

Cable car does not stop mid-way up the rock during summer, so if you take it up and want to go somewhere mid-rock, you need to walk - sounds like not a problem in your case!

 

There is supposed to be a tourism office in the port terminal, with info about tours, how to get places, etc. I also found tomsportguides.com to have great info on Gib.

 

I'm not a hiker, and have started having trouble with one heel (heel spur) so don't have a clue about walking up the rock, except that I hear it takes a while and is not easy.

Edited April 8, 2014 by roothy123

[GaryT-UK]

There is a small terminal and I think a tourist info desk. There were free maps available. The taxi tours were lined up outside, and as I walked the roads they kept passing me on the Rock. It is quite a long walk from the ship to the cable car, but you do see the shops and main centre on the way and it is flat. The Rock itself is a much longer walk, but if you take the cable car up and down there are a few things close to the top you can easily walk to.

[roothy123]

Thanks; I'm not original poster, but hope he/she doesn't mind if I tack on a couple questions/comments. I have read that there is a shuttle from the port to Casemates Square in town for 3 euros. Our cruise line often provides one for free, but if not, I was planning to see if a shuttle was available as I've read. Would you happen to know if one was evident when you went? I think there is also a bus stop not too far from the port (although you have to go out of the port area to a circle near by), so that's helpful too.

 

One other question, in case you happen to know: I've read there is admission to a certain area of the rock, and it may apply to walkers, people in cabs, everyone - just haven't been able to get good info about that. I was looking at my notes last night trying to figure out if we should just take the ship's rock tour or DIY it. I found price of cable car (around 13 euros roundtrip) but don't know if there's a fee involved anywhere else. We want to go to the caves, Siege Tunnels and top of rock.

 

By the way, I think I said above that no bus goes to the rock, but after looking at my notes, I think that's incorrect. There appears to be one that goes up part of the way, and you can get close to the Siege Tunnels. You cannot get any higher, though, by bus.

[GaryT-UK]

It's a few years since I last went, so I've just been checking my photos which included a Welcome to Gibraltar sign which underneath says Way Out, shuttles, buses & taxis, so there must be a bus, though I don't recall seeing it. There is a photo with a long line of small taxis parked outside too as these are small enough to get higher up. Have a look on the website gibraltarinfo.gi This lists the attractions and ticket prices. You can buy a cable car & nature reserve ticket and this gives access to St Michaels cave & the Great Siege tunnel - both are worth seeing in my opinion. I'd say Gibraltar is definitely a DIY port. It's not really that big in the grand scheme of things - I walked the whole of the Rock in a day. I also seem to recall the ship tours were mainly afternoon tea at a hotel or dolphin tours, so check what's on offer on your ship. They can't take a coach load to the top, so you may end up in a taxi anyway. Hope that helps a bit.

[roothy123]

It's a few years since I last went, so I've just been checking my photos which included a Welcome to Gibraltar sign which underneath says Way Out, shuttles, buses & taxis, so there must be a bus, though I don't recall seeing it. There is a photo with a long line of small taxis parked outside too as these are small enough to get higher up. Have a look on the website gibraltarinfo.gi This lists the attractions and ticket prices. You can buy a cable car & nature reserve ticket and this gives access to St Michaels cave & the Great Siege tunnel - both are worth seeing in my opinion. I'd say Gibraltar is definitely a DIY port. It's not really that big in the grand scheme of things - I walked the whole of the Rock in a day. I also seem to recall the ship tours were mainly afternoon tea at a hotel or dolphin tours, so check what's on offer on your ship. They can't take a coach load to the top, so you may end up in a taxi anyway. Hope that helps a bit.

 

Yep, you're right, the two ship's excursions that go up top simply take you to the cable car station, put you on that, and then collect you at the bottom for (in one case) another stop or (another case) return to the ship or drop off at Casemates Square. There really isn't anything wrong with the ship's excursions, and at $115, they're not as expensive as I thought they'd be, given that they visit all the places I want to visit on the Rock. However, I really like to DIY it, and also save my money a little, so I've been snooping around. I think I'll give the web site you mention another look, and perhaps ask them some questions, too. I want to walk across the airport, too, just for grins, and go down to Europa Point to see the lighthouse, but those are easily doable by bus. Yes, our ship offers a dolphin watch trip - and probably tea, but I can pass on that!

[StickInsect]

Thanks for the info. I think I will look into the part bus/part walk option - I think that would suit us.

[roothy123]

Here's info I compiled:

Bus: Per Google Earth pics, can catch bus 1 to lower Rock at North Bastion in Casemates Square. Looks to be tiny bit past Ocean Village – go through “gates.” Think this is the “Market Place” on schedule. Here is description from bus co. of route from Rock to closest point to dock: Commences from Willis’s Road (close to Tower of Homage). Travels up Flat Bastion Road & down Europa Rd. with bus stop beside Trafalgar Cemetery. Continuing through Queensway via Reclamation Road with bus stop that gives access to Main St. & continues to Mid Harbours Estate with bus stop just beside Hospital which also has Morrison Superstore near by. Journey goes through Waterport Rd with stop very near Ocean Village, then to terminus in Market Place, 30 seconds away from Main St. via Casements. Route 2 commences from Market Place through Glacis Rd to Line Wall Rd with several stops adjacent to Main Street & popular hotels. Route also stops at Elliott’s Way with cable car within 200 meters. Then continues up Europa Rd with stop just opposite Rock Hotel, then continuing to Europa Point. Buses 3 & 8 go by Ocean Village. (Not sure about 5, as that is covered by different site.) You can buy day pass (2.25 pounds/2.75E for day pass per bus website and 1.5 pounds/2E for day pass on bus 5 or 1.20 & 1.7E for single trip) & go round island but not to top of island; cable car is other end of town but many buses go there. Residents ride buses for free, except to border. http://www.gibraltarbus.com/ shows good bus & port info (see p-o) & also gibraltarbuscompany.gi. (Latter is official site, but doesn’t cover line 5 past airport to border).

[roothy123]

Stick Insect, I'm not sure you're still following this, but if so, I managed to figure out that there is a public bus from close to the port to the Willis Road area of the lower Rock. From there you can visit the Moorish Castle and then walk a bit to the Great Siege Tunnels. I'm not sure how much more you need to see the other attractions on the Rock (cave, macaques (spelling?), etc.), but it's a start. The bus is route number 1 and the closest stop is somewhere around "Waterford Terraces" which is a big building that runs into the 1st roundabout that you'll encounter as you walk from the ship (North Mole Rd) away from the water. There is a statue in the roundabout called the "Immigrants." I'm guessing it's about a 5 minute walk from the cruise dock at the end of North Mole Rd. There's a day pass you can purchase for the bus (although I have not yet been able to determine if it's available from the bus driver) or just pay the fare. Most of the buses are blue; not sure of the frequency, but that can probably be obtained from the bus web site. If you can't find that particular bus stop, just about all of Gib's buses end up passing through a place called "North Bastion" which is very close to (or perhaps part of; not sure) Casemates Square.

 

There are also buses to the cable car station as I probably mentioned before. However, you may have to walk to North Bastion to pick those up (lines 3 & 4 I think).

 

Hope this helps you or future independent travelers to Gib!

Edited April 10, 2014 by roothy123

[StickInsect]

Thanks for the info Roothy123. Yes, I am still following the thread. I think the siege tunnels and St Michael's cave are our two main priorities. We'll probably get the number 1 bus to visit the siege tunnels then maybe walk to St Michael's cave then get a bus from near there back to Casemate's Square to have a look around that.

[shemp2000]

Has anyone walked to the top of the rock in Gibraltar using an alternative route to the Mediterranean steps? I know that they are meant to have great views but they also sound a bit hazardous. If anyone has used another route, could they tell me how fit you need to be and approximately how long it takes? I am being put off using the cable car by the amount of time which might be spent queuing.

 

Thanks.

 

We walked up the steps but came back down the road. So you could walk up the road.

 

I would say that the steps are not hazardous, it is just a hard climb that is steep in places. Not sure of you age, but my teenage kids had no problem, and me, at 50, did it but considered it a workout. I would do it again for the view.

[Cornishpastyman1]

Thanks for the info Roothy123. Yes, I am still following the thread. I think the siege tunnels and St Michael's cave are our two main priorities. We'll probably get the number 1 bus to visit the siege tunnels then maybe walk to St Michael's cave then get a bus from near there back to Casemate's Square to have a look around that.

From last October

[YOUTUBE]0UWYOuN4phs[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]EHNGMyY7v-A[/YOUTUBE]

 

The first shows the Great Siege Tunnels, the second one has a bit of St Michael's Cave. I would say allow 30/40 minutes for the Great Siege Tunnels, as there's quite a bit to read and 15 for the cave. We took the taxi shuttle from the ship-Casemates Square. It was £3 return and there was a steady stream of them to meet us as we poured off the ship. Going back you might have to wait a few minutes but it's a good service. All the best, Tony