Just Back From

A rock and a hard place

(clockwise from this) Gibraltar’s Rock peaks at 426m and is riddled with tunnels – part of a network that spans 55km; St Michael’s Cave was used as a hospital in the Second World War; the city’s Catholic cathedral sits on the site of a 15th-century mosque; driving Monument Valley in Utah

Gibraltar

Wanderlust digital editor Jessica Reid finds history and culture in the UK’s rocky outpost on the edge of the Mediterranean

The highlight: At just 6.8 square kilometres in size, ‘Gib’ – as the locals call it – has more to see than most people give it credit for. With its position at the southern tip of Europe, the UK overseas territory is a melting pot of British, Spanish and North African influences. Just stroll down Main Street and you will find a Mediterranean atmosphere, the odd British phone box and splashes of Moorish architecture. This mix of cultures is evident in its food scene, too. Must see: Upper Rock Nature Reserve is an area of protected green land home to Gibraltar’s most noteworthy attractions. From the glass-panelled Skywalk, located 340 metres above sea level, you can gaze across to Africa’s silhouette as well as the coastline of Spain. Explore St Michael’s Cave and its new immersive light-and-sound installation, which brings to life the story of its formation. Elsewhere, the Great Siege (1779–83) and Second World War tunnels offer insight into life during conflict and the feats of engineering that went into their creation. Top tip: The surrounding waters are home to populations of common, striped and bottlenose dolphins. If joining a dolphin boat tour (dolphin.gi), grab a seat at the bow to watch these playful creatures swim alongside, flashing their white bellies as they go. Cautionary tale: Gib’s only UNESCO-listed site, Gorham’s Cave Complex, pokes into the eastern side of the Rock and has evidence of Neanderthal life. As studies continue, only a handful of people can visit each year on guided tours arranged in advance with Gibraltar National Museum. I wish I had known: The expression ‘cheeky monkey’ has never been truer. Around 300 wild Barbary macaques live up on the Rock, and they will attempt to steal your bag or unzip your rucksack to hunt for food if you’re not wary. Enjoy them from a distance while keeping your possessions close. Anything else: It’s not just about the Rock. Take an e-bike tour (ebike-gibraltar.com) around it and visit gems closer to the shore. Camp Bay and Europa Point are worth a pit stop, while the eastern coast offers a quiet escape, with its shell-littered sand beaches and colourful clusters of houses and fishing boats in the Italianesque Catalan Bay.

LETTER OF THE MONTH

I have just returned from a two-week circuit of the parks and canyons of Utah and Arizona in the USA. I thought that it would be useful to share some of what I encountered. For instance, the campgrounds and roads limit campers (RVs) to less than 22 feet (6.7m), which is plenty long enough for a family but worth knowing. Many park campgrounds also fill up at least six months in advance, but can be booked online from the UK. They are also much cheaper than commercial sites and far more pleasant. At Archers Canyon (Utah) you have to book entry time slots to get in at all, and it’s essential that you do this before getting to America. The same applies to some trails in the parks, though you may get lucky with the daily lottery for trail permits. All in all, it was the trip of a lifetime, with litterfree and pot-hole-free roads and like-minded people in the parks and campgrounds. John Sharvill

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