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 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 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 . 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 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 . Although difficult to say for sure , it is thought that the path has been in existence since at least the early 18th century but definitely since the Great Siege of Gibraltar ( 1779 – 83 ) . Older maps of the area show paths leading from the town to the Upper Rock ] ] but none seem to follow the current route . Luis Bravo de Acuña ' s 1627 " " shows that the eastern limits of the town were well below the current level . The natural route from the town to the Upper Rock at the time would have been via [ [ Charles V Wall ] ] . The path commences at the eastern boundary of the Upper Town at the junction of [ [ Devil ' s Gap Road ] ] with [ [ Baca ' s Passage ] ] . It proceeds in a mostly southerly direction before reaching a flight of steps which link it to [ [ Green Lane , Gibraltar | Green Lane ] ] , the road leading to Devil ' s Gap Battery . Although it was previously overgrown and in a poor condition , it was renovated in 2013 as part of the Upper Rock Management Plan to make it more accessible , in a similar way to the refurbishment previously carried out at [ [ Mediterranean Steps ] ] . As part of the refurbishment works , the path was widened by pruning overgrown trees and shrubs and the drains were unclogged to prevent the path from puddling after rains . Information display panels carrying historical information about the path and on the wildlife that can be found there , together with a picnic table and waste bins designed to keep out [ [ Barbary macaques in Gibraltar | Gibraltar ' s Barbary macaques ] ] were also added along the path . The [ [ Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society ] ] and the [ [ Gibraltar Heritage Trust ] ] oversaw it to ensure the work was carried out in a sensitive manner . Douglas Path . [ [ File : Douglas Cave and Path . jpg | right | thumb | 344px | Map of Douglas ' Path ] ] Douglas Path is a path that connects a series of military installations at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar . It leads from the top of [ [ Charles V Wall ] ] to Mount Misery , one of the peaks of the Rock , before proceeding southwards to end at [ [ Douglas Cave ] ] . The first section of the path climbs a steep set of steps before running along a knife - edge ridge . It provides spectacular views over both sides of the Rock of Gibraltar . The sheer east face of the Rock and the [ [ Great Gibraltar Sand Dune ] ] , which covers a large part of the eastern slope , can readily be seen . The vista provides sweeping views over the Bay of Gibraltar to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the east . The path was cut by convict labour to facilitate troop movements on the Upper Rock . Shortly after setting off from the north end of the path , an old circular stone building is reached . Its construction has traditionally been attributed to the period of the [ [ Moorish Gibraltar | Moorish occupation of Gibraltar ] ] ( between 711 – 1462 ) . In fact , it is much more likely to be an early British structure which appears to have been built using stone recycled from an earlier building . It is nonetheless one of the oldest surviving structures at the top of the Rock . A short distance past the old observation post is a World War II structure , the Fortress Commander ' s Command Post . The path then descends to meet O ' Hara ' s Road , which leads to [ [ O ' Hara ' s Battery ] ] . Inglis Way . [ [ File : Inglis Way map . gif | right | thumb | 344px | Map of Inglis Way ] ] Inglis Way is a footpath with a length of around that traverses the middle section of the Upper Rock , linking various disused observation posts and emplacements . The origins of its name are uncertain ; it may have been named after a person named Inglis , or it may have derived from an old Spanish name , " el Camino del ingles " , " the Englishman ' s Path " . It is the second longest path in the nature reserve after the [ [ Mediterranean Steps ] ] . The path , which takes about two hours to walk , starts at [ [ Queen ' s Gate , Gibraltar | Queen ' s Gate ] ] in the [ [ Charles V Wall ] ] – one of Gibraltar ' s oldest surviving fortifications , constructed in 1540 . After proceeding through a breach in the [ [ Moorish Wall ] ] , the main section of the path passes under the cables of the [ [ Gibraltar Cable Car ] ] before passing a series of abandoned World War II observation posts and searchlight emplacements . A section of the path that proceeds through a [ [ firebreak ] ] at Bruce ' s Farm provides spectacular views over the northern end of Gibraltar and across the Bay towards Algeciras . The area of the Rock through which the path passes is one of the richest in Gibraltar for flora and fauna . The start of the path is relatively sparsely vegetated and includes species such as White Asparagus , Common Asphodel , Germander and Esparto Grass . Its later sections proceed through dense vegetation that is typical of Mediterranean [ [ maquis shrubland ] ] – a widespread [ [ biome ] ] in southern Europe that consists of densely growing evergreen shrubs adapted to resist droughts . The trees along the path are predominately [ [ olive ] ] s . These have all grown since the [ [ Great Siege of Gibraltar ] ] ( 1779 – 83 ) when the Upper Rock ' s original woodland was felled by the British garrison to serve as fuel . It is thought that the present arboreal flora of Gibraltar is the result of seeds being brought onto the Rock by birds . The maquis flora includes dense knots of [ [ creeper ] ] s such as Smilax , December Clematis , Pipe Vine and Black Bryony , while [ [ fern ] ] s such as Southern Polypody and the Rusty - back Fern exploit the shade provided by the canopy . Many species of aromatic herbs and flowers also grow alongside the path , including Purple Jerusalem Sage and [ [ Ophrys | Bee Orchids ] ] . The fauna includes various species of birds that are adapted to life in the maquis , including the [ [ Sardinian Warbler ] ] , [ [ Wren ] ] and [ [ Woodcock ] ] . Barbary Partridges can be seen in the more open areas adjoining the path . Europe ' s largest lizard , the [ [ Ocellated Lizard ] ] , also lives in the vicinity , along with [ [ Iberian Wall Lizard ] ] , [ [ Algerian Sand Racer ] ] and [ [ Moorish Gecko ] ] . Mediterranean Steps . The Mediterranean Steps are one of Gibraltar ' s more strenuous paths , descending from O ' Hara ' s Battery near the Rock ' s summit to [ [ Jews ' Gate ] ] at the southern foot of the Rock . They consist of a rock - cut staircase " which winds and bends and twists around precipice after precipice , and from point to point , with the Rock above and the blue expanse of the Mediterranean below . " They were constructed as part of the military communications system built by the British to allow access to their various installations at the southern end of the Rock . Royal Anglian Way . [ [ File : Royal Anglian Way . gif | right | thumb | 344px | Map of Royal Anglian Way . A – eastern entry / exit point ; B – [ [ Rooke Battery ] ] ; C – military buildings ; D – [ [ Hayne ' s Cave Battery ] ] ; E – western entry / exit point ] ] Royal Anglian Way is a path that begins near [ [ Prince Ferdinand ' s Battery | Apes ' Den ] ] , where there is a feeding station for the [ [ Barbary macaques in Gibraltar ] ] , and runs a distance of to a point near [ [ St . Michael ' s Cave ] ] . The feeding of the " apes " takes place twice a day in the early morning and late evening . They live in a number of troops with defined territories on the Rock ; the Anglian Way Macaque Group has its feeding area at Apes ' Den and the entirety of the path is within the troop ' s territory . The macaques can be observed from the path dwelling in their natural habitat , away from the tourists who gather at Apes ' Den to see the feedings . Much of the path was already in existence in the early 20th century to provide access to a number of gun batteries and other military installations . It takes its name from the [ [ Royal Anglian Regiment ] ] of the [ [ British Army ] ] , whose 2nd Battalion refurbished the path in 1968 – 69 and still maintains it with help from the [ [ Gibraltar Regiment ] ] . From its western starting point at Old Queen ' s Road , at a height of above sea level , Royal Anglian Way runs along the western slope of the Rock past a number of abandoned military installations . It first passes [ [ Hayne ' s Cave Battery ] ] , a gun position established in 1797 . One of the artillery pieces installed there in the 20th century is still present . Several former military support buildings are located further along the path , including kitchens with elongated ceramic chimneys . A little further along is [ [ Rooke Battery ] ] , built in 1907 and last used during World War II to mount a searchlight for illuminating the bay and to house the Fire Command Headquarters . The remains of the searchlight mounting can still be seen . The area around the path has been heavily shaped by human activity , leading to its colonisation by nitrophilous plants which benefit from nitrate - rich environments created by human interference . Flora and fauna that can be seen along the path include [ [ Esparto Grass ] ] , [ [ Gladiolus | Wild Gladiolus ] ] , [ [ Toothed Lavender ] ] , Rough Bugloss and [ [ Felty Germander | Felty ] ] and [ [ Shrubby Germander ] ] , which grow in the area . [ [ Barbary Partridge ] ] , [ [ Northern Raven ] ] and [ [ Common Kestrel ] ] s nest near the path . A less welcome presence is that of a number of feral goats which have caused serious damage to the vegetation , although eradication efforts are being pursued . References . [ [ Category : Environment of Gibraltar ] ] [ [ Category : Paths of Gibraltar ] ]