# Mediterranean Steps

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mediterranean_Steps.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Steps
> Source revision: 1266614902
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{coord|36.125034|-5.343172|region:GI|display=title}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
 |name=Mediterranean Steps
 |photo=Gibraltar nature trail.jpg
 |caption=The steps were refurbished and made safe in 2007
|location=[Upper Rock Nature Reserve](/source/Upper_Rock_Nature_Reserve), Gibraltar
 |designation=Nature Trail
 |length= 
 |trailheads=
 |elev_change=
 |highest_name=[Lord Airey's Battery](/source/Lord_Airey's_Battery)
 |map= Mediterranean Steps key to route.gif
 |map_caption = A.[Jews Gate](/source/Jews'_Gate_Cemetery) B.[Levant Battery](/source/Levant_Battery) C.[Martin's Cave](/source/Martin's_Cave) D.[Goat's Hair Twin Caves](/source/Goat's_Hair_Twin_Caves) E.Tunnel and Pumping Station F.WW2 Observation Posts G.View point H.[Lord Airey's Battery](/source/Lord_Airey's_Battery) Top of Steps
 |highest_m=400
 |lowest=
 |difficulty=
 |season=All year - £16.00 entry <ref name=vg>{{cite web|title=Admission Prices|url=http://www.visitgibraltar.gi/nature-reserve-info |publisher=Visit Gibraltar|accessdate=2022-10-24}}</ref>
 |sights=[Levant Battery](/source/Levant_Battery), [Martin's Cave](/source/Martin's_Cave), [Goat's Hair Twin Caves](/source/Goat's_Hair_Twin_Caves), [Lord Airey's Battery](/source/Lord_Airey's_Battery), [Strait of Gibraltar](/source/Strait_of_Gibraltar)
|hazards=lack of water, vertigo, worn path
}}

'''Mediterranean Steps''' is a path and [nature trail](/source/educational_trail) in the [British Overseas Territory](/source/British_Overseas_Territories) of [Gibraltar](/source/Gibraltar). One of the [footpaths of Gibraltar](/source/footpaths_of_Gibraltar), the path is located entirely within the [Upper Rock Nature Reserve](/source/Upper_Rock_Nature_Reserve) and was built by the British military but is now used by civilians as a pedestrian route linking [Martin's Path](/source/Martin's_Path) to [Lord Airey's Battery](/source/Lord_Airey's_Battery) near the summit of [Rock of Gibraltar](/source/Rock_of_Gibraltar). The path offers views over the [Strait of Gibraltar](/source/Strait_of_Gibraltar), [Windmill Hill](/source/Windmill_Hill%2C_Gibraltar), [Europa Point](/source/Europa_Point), the [Great Sand Dune](/source/Great_Gibraltar_Sand_Dune), Gibraltar's east side beaches, the [Mediterranean Sea](/source/Mediterranean_Sea) and the Spanish [Costa del Sol](/source/Costa_del_Sol).

==History==
[[File:1961 Military Map of Gibraltar (south east).jpg|thumb|left|South east section of a 1961 military map of Gibraltar showing where [Martin's Path](/source/Martin's_Path) joins Mediterranean Steps]]
thumb|left|View of the Rock of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean Steps
The Mediterranean Steps were built as part of the military communications system built by the British to allow access to their various defence posts<ref name=bonita/> at the southern end of the Rock. At the highest point of the steps are the two [9.2 inch guns](/source/BL_9.2_inch_gun_Mk_IX%E2%80%93X) of Lord Airey's Battery and [O'Hara's Battery](/source/O'Hara's_Battery). Other gun emplacements and ancillary buildings dating back to [World War II](/source/Military_history_of_Gibraltar_during_World_War_II) are evident along the route.<ref name=crone>{{cite web|last=Crone |first=Jim |title=Mediterranean Steps (see index) |url=http://discovergibraltar.com/pages/mainlogo/mainfrm.htm |publisher=Discover-Gibraltar.com |accessdate=9 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905140025/http://discovergibraltar.com/pages/mainlogo/mainfrm.htm |archivedate=5 September 2013 |df= }}</ref>

The steps were restored in 2007<ref name=crone/> by the Bonita Trust, the Government of Gibraltar and the [Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society](/source/Gibraltar_Ornithological_and_Natural_History_Society).<ref name=bonita>{{cite web|title=Mediterranean Steps |url=http://www.bonitatrust.org/gibraltarproject30.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615125956/http://www.bonitatrust.org/gibraltarproject30.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 June 2008 |publisher=bonitatrust.org |accessdate=12 June 2013 }}</ref>

==Route==
The steps zig-zag up the Rock from the end of [Martin's Path](/source/Martin's_Path) to near the summit. Martin's Path starts on the south western slopes of the Rock gently above the derelict [Levant Battery](/source/Levant_Battery) near [Jews' Gate Cemetery](/source/Jews'_Gate_Cemetery) and proceeds to its first bend as the path turns to the east side of the Rock where it joins Mediterranean Steps. Martin's Path actually continues onwards to [Martin's Cave](/source/Martin's_Cave) but the way is prohibited and a locked gate protects the cave.<ref name=crone/><ref>[1961 Military Map of Gibraltar](/source/%3AFile%3A1961_Military_Map_of_Gibraltar_(south_east).jpg)</ref>

The route is entirely within the [Upper Rock Nature Reserve](/source/Upper_Rock_Nature_Reserve) and the [Goat's Hair Twin Caves](/source/Goat's_Hair_Twin_Caves) can be seen on the way. These caves show evidence of when they were [sea cave](/source/sea_cave)s and the level of the sea was dramatically higher. These are amongst a number of [caves in Gibraltar](/source/list_of_caves_in_Gibraltar) which have given evidence of prehistoric human habitation.

The path leads up to a derelict pre-war tunnel and pumping station, once an operational old fresh water pumping station which collected rain water via the geologically modified slopes above. These slopes extend towards the top of the Rock (O'Hara's battery).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rockramblers.com/about-us|title=Rock Ramblers|website=RockRamblers|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-21}}</ref> The trail continues on a short path to a viewing platform and continues up the Rock to the twin batteries on the Rock's upper ridge.<ref name=crone/> The path emerges at what was the location of O'Hara's Tower ([O'Hara's Folly](/source/O'Hara's_Tower))<ref name=robertson>{{cite book|last=Robertson|first=William|title=Journal of a clergyman during a visit to the Peninsula|year=1865|page=147|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GRVMAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Mediterranean+Steps%22}}</ref>  which was a [watchtower](/source/watchtower) built in an attempt to observe shipping in the port of [Cádiz](/source/C%C3%A1diz). It proved to be useless and lightning eventually created a ruin that was later destroyed in target practice.

==References==
* This article contains text from [https://web.archive.org/web/20130905140025/http://discovergibraltar.com/pages/mainlogo/mainfrm.htm Discover-Gibraltar.com]
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commonscat-inline}}
{{Streets in Gibraltar}}

Category:Paths of Gibraltar

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mediterranean Steps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Steps) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Steps?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.