Footpaths of Gibraltar

The footpaths of Gibraltar provide access to key areas of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, a refuge for hundreds of species of flora and fauna which in some cases are found nowhere else in Europe. The reserve occupies the upper part of the Rock of Gibraltar, a long and narrow mountain that rises to a maximum height of 424 metres (1,391 ft) above sea level, and constitutes around 40 per cent of Gibraltar's total land area. The unusual geology of the Rock of Gibraltar – a limestone peak adjoining a sandstone hinterland – provides a habitat for plants and animals, such as the Gibraltar candytuft and Barbary partridge, which are found nowhere else in mainland Europe. For many years, the Upper Rock was reserved exclusively for military use; it was fenced off for military purposes, but was decommissioned and converted into a nature reserve in 1993.

The footpaths link many of the fortifications of Gibraltar. They were constructed from the 18th century onwards using chisels, hammers and rods to dig through the solid rock, in order to permit cannon, soldiers and supplies to be moved from ground level to gun positions and observation points established in numerous places on the Upper Rock. Most of these supply routes were later widened to permit vehicular traffic. Many of the roads on the Upper Rock have steel rings embedded in the rock alongside the carriageway, which were used as safety brakes for heavy loads such as cannon being pulled up the slope. Some routes were retained as footpaths to enable troop movements to be concealed behind the surrounding shrubbery, and to provide alternative routes to key points if a road was congested with a heavy load. Several of the paths can be combined into a strenuous circuit of around 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) that takes about four hours to complete, providing broad views of the Gibraltar peninsula, the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain and the coast of Morocco.

Devil's Gap Footpath links Gibraltar's Upper Town to Devil's Gap Battery, one of the oldest artillery batteries on the peninsula. It offers views over the city, Gibraltar Harbour and Bay of Gibraltar. It takes its name from the rocky outcrop at the top of the path on which the battery stands, which was called Punta del Diablo ("Devil's Point") by the Spanish. At 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level, the outcrop provided a strategic location on the escarpment above the town and therefore commanded a wide range over the Bay of Gibraltar, making it hard for any enemy movements to go unnoticed.

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Wikipedia