Gibraltar

Thought we’d revisit one of our favourite places – the rock, that is, not the town. Things have changed since we were last here two years ago – need to get the passport stamped both ways now.

Got good parking at the port again with a great view of the rock, then started the long walk in, just in time for a military plane to land on the runway right in front of us. Its quite a strange set up as the road crosses the runway and has to be closed five minutes before the planes come in. After warning bells and announcements, you could here the controller’s frustration at people dragging their heels when he said ‘For the third time, can you please hurry across as there is a plane due in’!

Walking through the town, which is a mixture of Clumber Street and Skeg’ on a bad day, we were so eager to start climbing up the steps to the nature reserve, we turned left too early and ended up climbing inside a block of flats. 🙄

Eventually, we found the right path and died a small death just getting up the million steps to the first bit of road. It was just so much harder than we remembered. The worst bit is around where the macaques are fed, as you climb up the cliff face on really steep steps, fortunately with a hand rail thank God.

The wildlife was as entertaining as ever as one macaque climbed on to Guys back as he was taking a photo and promptly started unzipping the top of the rucksack – it was all so fast, they’d make great pick pockets.

The views from the top of the rock are amazing and it is a world apart from the busy town below. We went up to the skywalk and then to the battery at the other end of the rock. There are gun emplacements and tunnels everywhere – some really interesting stuff.

On the way down we discovered Saint Michael’s Cave, which we must have missed last time. Such a surprise – we thought it was some gimmicky little tourist attraction as entry was included with our ticket, but no, it was a fabulous cave system full of ‘mites and ‘tites- really quite spectacular.

Hobbled back down the steep roads late in the day and then fell into a couple of chairs at a bar in the square. Ordered all the fried tapas, beer and Aperol, boots off under the table, then gradually started to feel human again. Not sure how we did the last mile back to the van even though it was flat!