Day 7. A walk around Gibraltar

On By Little Miss TravellerIn Europe, Gibraltar, Gibraltar 2020

Our final day in Gibraltar gave us an opportunity to explore more of the territory.  From our base at the Rock Hotel we took a morning stroll all the way around to Camp Bay, a small rocky beach overlooking the Bay of Gibraltar.

Camp Bay, Gibraltar
Camp Bay

Due to its location at the southern end of the bay, it benefits from more sunshine than other parts of the Rock that can sometimes be shaded.  Camp Bay features a lido with two pools and is also home to an artificial reef popular with divers, and a haven for marine life.

Parson's Lodge Battery, Gibraltar
Parson’s Lodge Battery

Overlooking the bay is the fortress of Parson’s Lodge Battery.  Strategically placed, it covered the entrance to Rosia Bay and is still in use today as a training area for military exercises.

Waterfall, Little Bay, Gibraltar
The unusual waterfall at Little Bay

At the southern end of Camp Bay lies the smaller and aptly named Little Bay, a natural cove with its own pool.  On the cliff facing Little Bay we admired a waterfall that we later discovered is artificial.  The cascade is actually salt water on its way back to the ocean after having been processed in a water desalination plant.  Owing to Gibraltar’s small size, this is the only means of supplying water to the territory.

Nelson's Anchorage Memorial, Gibraltar
Nelson’s Anchorage Memorial, Rosia Bay

We continued through a short tunnel hewn out of rock and soon reached Rosia Bay.  It’s Gibraltar’s only natural harbour and the former base of H.M. Dockyard Gibraltar, built at the end of the 19th century and used extensively by the Royal Navy until the early 1980’s.  This was where HMS Victory was towed following Admiral Horatio Nelson leading the British navy to victory in the Battle of Trafalgar.  The Nelson’s Anchorage memorial commemorates the historic spot where his body was brought to shore before being transported to the U.K. and of where warships once anchored.

Grand Casemates Square, Gibraltar
Grand Casemates Square

Our morning stroll continued onto Grand Casemates Square located at the north end of Main Street, a place we’d enjoyed visiting numerous times during our week long stay.  It takes its name from the British built bomb proof barracks at the northern end of the square.  With its numerous cafes and bars, it has a relaxing vibe and stunning views of the Moorish Castle on the Rock.

Irish Town, Gibraltar
Irish Town, Gibraltar

Located just south of Grand Casemates Square is Irish Town, a narrow pedestrian thoroughfare and one of Gibraltar’s oldest streets featuring a variety of shops, bars and cafes.  We’d experienced a wonderful mix of dining options during our stay so it seemed only fitting that before returning home we should include a visit to a traditional British pub.

Lunch at The Clipper, Gibraltar
Enjoying lunch at The Clipper

We settled on The Clipper, a popular pub along Irish Town with a nautical theme and decided to sit outside, making the most of the warm weather while we could.  Service was friendly and our freshly prepared sandwiches filled to the brim with prawns arrived promptly and tasted delicious.  The pub was doing a roaring lunchtime trade and it was just as well that we had opted to sit outdoors as all the tables inside the pub seemed to be occupied.

Street Art, Inces Hall Theatre, GIbraltar
Street Art adorning the façade of Inces Hall Theatre

After leaving the pub we had one final wander through the shops on vibrant Main Street and on reaching the far end our attention was drawn to the brightly coloured façade of the Inces Hall Theatre.  Ben Eine, a prolific street artist from London who is noted for his alphabet lettering in England, France and Sweden was invited to decorate the façade with the words “That’s Entertainment by him”.  It certainly looked bright and cheerful as we passed by.

Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar
Narrow pathways in the Alameda Botanical Gardens

Glancing at our watches, we decided there was ample time to take another stroll through the Alameda Botanical Gardens as they were close to our hotel.  On our visit earlier in the week we’d concentrated mostly on the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park so this time we explored more of the gardens.

Whalebone Arch, Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar
Whalebone arch in the gardens

The plants contained in the gardens are a combination of native species and others brought in from overseas.  These are mainly from former British territories such as Australia and South Africa with which Gibraltar had maritime links at the time of the British Empire.  Since the early 1990’s many new varieties have been planted, some of them growing in Gibraltar for the first time.

Flower covered pergola in the Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar
The flower covered pergola over the bridge in the gardens

The gardens are terraced into the steep hillside and laid out with interconnecting winding paths. They contain interesting features such as a traditional British red telephone kiosk and a whale’s jawbone used to create an archway.

Italian Sunken Garden in the Alameda Gardens, Gibraltar
The Italian Sunken Gardens with the Gibraltar Coat of Arms

The Giuseppe Codali bridge with its shady pergola spans the Dell and Sunken Garden affording superb views down onto the Gibraltar Coat of Arms set into its lawn.  The crest, comprising a three towered red castle with a golden key hanging beneath it is a really beautiful sight.  Do make time to visit the gardens as they are easily accessible being close to the town centre and adjacent to the cable car lower station.

The Rock Hotel, Gibraltar
The Rock Hotel

It was then reluctantly time to return to the historic Rock Hotel to collect our luggage and make the short journey back to the airport.  The hotel had been perfect in every respect and we had been made to feel very welcome by its dedicated staff.

Viewing terrace Gibraltar Airport
Viewing terrace at Gibraltar airport

In less than fifteen minutes we had arrived at the airport and after checking in our luggage we took the escalator up to the open-air viewing terrace to take in the dramatic views of the Rock for one last time and to watch a Wizz Air plane come into land.  Eastern Airways will shortly commence operating flights into Gibraltar joining British Airways, EasyJet and Wizz Air who already have regular services from the United Kingdom.

Wizz Air aircraft at Gibraltar Airport
Wizz Air aircraft at Gibraltar Airport

Before we left home friends questioned whatever we might find to do for an entire week in an area covering only 6.8 km2.  Although it’s undeniably tiny, Gibraltar punches above its weight with its wide range of top attractions, activities, accommodation and high quality dining options.

I Love Gibraltar sign in Casemates Square, Gibraltar
This sign sums up my feelings about delightful Gibraltar

Would you believe that there were actually so many fun things to do in the territory that we didn’t find time to complete them all.  Still, its a good reason to return, not that we needed one as our stay in this small outpost of Britain on the Mediterranean has already won a lasting place in our hearts.

During our stay in Gibraltar we were guests of the Gibraltar Tourist Board but as always all views and opinions are entirely my own.

 

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A Walk Around Gibraltar

 

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52 thoughts on “Day 7. A walk around Gibraltar”

  1. I enjoyed Gibraltar when I was there in late 2019. We stayed in La Linea and walked across the border and across the runway. I was wondering if Brexit has made the border crossing more difficult.
    Thanks for sharing this….since we walked from La Linea, we didn’t get as far south as you did.

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    1. I’m so pleased to learn that you enjoyed visiting Gibraltar from La Linea. It really is a lovely little place. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to return again sometime in the future! Thank you for taking the time to comment.

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  5. Pingback: Day 7. A walk around Gibraltar – Daily News Made Simple

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words and interest in this series of posts on Gibraltar. It really is a lovely destination and we were so lucky to be able to slot our visit in between lockdown periods. Definitely somewhere to look forward to visiting in the future!

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  11. Parson’s Lodge Battery reminds me of the fortifications in Dubrovnik, Croatia: I think it’s the position on which it’s perched overlooking the sea which resembles the other. Your time in Gibraltar looks to be a good balance of adventure and leisure, all with a bit of British comfort mixed in. I don’t know if you went anywhere else afterwards, but I look forward to any trip you share with us next!

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    1. Thank you so much for your continued support of my blog Rebecca, your comments are much appreciated. Gibraltar was lovely in all respects and we were so fortunate to be able to slot in the trip just between lockdown restrictions in December. Hope your weekend is going well. Marion

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    1. We visited in mid-December Jo when there was a travel corridor between the two countries. Up until then Gibraltar had only suffered one death and had endured one month of lockdown in March 2020. Shortly after we left, restrictions were imposed as cases were rising so we timed our visit well. Hope you are doing well.

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  14. jasonlikestotravel

    Another wonderful read and a good way to round up the trip. I thought Camp Bay was lovely. I had no idea that waterfall was artificial though! I love the “I love Gibraltar” sign, I must have missed that when I was there. You definitely seemed to make the most of your week 🙂

    Also, you pretty much sum up how I felt about Gibraltar too. An odd blessing of the Covid if there was one because, like yourself, I don’t know that I’d have visited in a normal travel year. A really good discovery of 2020 and somewhere I’ll certainly return to 🙂
    Good to see some they’re introducing routes at some of the airports nearer to you too!

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    1. Thank you Jason for your welcome thoughts. I’m so glad we both ended the year with visits to Gibraltar. Definitely a great discovery and a glimmer of light during the pandemic. Yes, it’s excellent news that new routes are opening up, a sign of optimism for the coming months. Marion

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  15. I have thoroughly enjoyed all your posts about Gibraltar, another place to visit that hasn’t been on my radar until your introduction. I have been rethinking my future travel plans and I suspect that I will begin by visiting places that are slightly closer to home, rather than ‘far flung’. I was particularly fascinated by the post on E-biking in Gibraltar. I do have an ordinary bike and enjoy cycling – especially beside the Canal du Midi – but I have never tried an E-bike. I do have a friend who has one and he’s a massive fan!
    I’m already looking forward to where you will take us next, Marion.

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    1. Thank you so much for taking an interest in this series of posts on Gibraltar June. I still can’t quite comprehend why it hadn’t occurred to me to visit before now, but I’m so pleased I did and would return in a heartbeat as the small territory and its people are both lovely. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to visit as well once things start getting back to normal. By the way, e-biking is great fun and definitely takes the strain out of steep uphill sections but probably unnecessary along tow paths! Hope you are having a good weekend! Marion.

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  19. I traveled to Gibraltar (by boat) once years ago.. I’m trying to remember if there were monkeys (on the loose) there…or if I’m getting it mixed up with some other place. Anyway..also wondering what travel restrictions are in place ..I’m in Florida, so I can’t say I keep up with all things European, but are you all able to freely travel? I was under the (mistaken?) impression that no travel was allowed.
    Thanks for sharing ..these days I travel vicariously through everyone else’s photos!

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    1. Hi Cindy, Thanks for taking an interest in this series of posts on Gibraltar. Yes, there are monkeys in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve so you have remembered well. My week long stay in Gibraltar was just before Christmas when there were safe travel corridors between the UK and a few other destinations. Sadly, travel is banned at present but hopefully by the Spring we should be able to start exploring again. Hope all is well with you in Florida too! Best wishes, Marion.

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  22. Thank you very much for continuing to share your travels. I know it is time consuming and somewhat interfering to document what you see but I and so many others appreciate your efforts. I think you British would say, “Carry on!”

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