Jacobs Ladder - by Nina

Next to James Town the capital of St Helena there is a remarkably long stair way with 699 steps called Jacobs Ladder.

In the, old days (around when Napoleon was here) there was a fort on top of a cliff and the only way up was a very dangerous cliff path that had to be rebuilt all the time because rock would fall on it from the road above. They had to use the dangerous cliff path all the time because they got guano from above to put on the English ships that were sailing to England, and because they needed food for the soldiers in the fort. The Saints (locals) started looking for ideas to make it safer and easier to get up and down the cliff. Then a guy called Jacob had this brilliant idea to make a stair way with a cart on each side. These carts were waited and connected with a rope that went from one car to a winch at the top down to the other cart. Because they were balanced they could be easily up or down, after that food could go up easily and guano could come down.

The carts no longer exist but the stair way is still there.

Early that morning we got up and started to get ready to go up the stairs before school started. This photo is us just before we started going up.

The way up was long and hot. Zeke made it up first, soon after came Mum, then I managed to get to the top, then the last of all came Dad but that wasn’t fair because he had been helping me.

But it was worth the climb to see the marvelous view at the top.

There was a view over the town and the sea.

Then we made our way back down the stairs. It was a relief to get back down.

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