The Rock
The story of the great limestone ridge.
The Rock rises 426 metres above sea level, a compact giant of Jurassic limestone.
Millions of years of rain carved caves like Gorham's and St. Michael's; centuries of humans carved tunnels for war and peace.
Today the Upper Rock is a nature reserve, home to barbary macaques, migratory birds and the slow drift of Mediterranean light across the strait.
Where to listen
- Ideal in the cable car cabin on the way up, or at the top station before you set off along the ridge.
- If you are walking up the Mediterranean Steps or Old Queen's Road, listen during the first rest stop.
What to look for
- The tilted limestone layers on the west face: the Rock is a folded slab, not a volcano.
- Africa on the horizon on a clear day, and the ferries tracing the strait below.
- Tunnel entrances and gun positions cut straight into the cliff.