Jacob’s Ladder is a breathtaking flight of 699 steps that leads to an elevation of 600 feet on Ladder Hill overlooking Jamestown, the capital city of Saint Helena. The island is one of three tiny islands in the South Atlantic Ocean that make up the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha.
The stairway connects the lower Main Street in Jamestown to the ruins of Ladder Hill Fort in Half Tree Hollow. The stairs are the sole remains of a funicular that was built in 1829 for the Saint Helena Railway Company. It replaced the rope ladder that soldiers used to move between Jamestown and their barracks located far above.
The original cable railway was built by the Royal Engineers to transport manure produced by Jamestown’s horses and cattle to the volcanic heights of the island for use as fertilizer. The descent back to the city carried farm goods. Three donkeys hitched to a winch at the top operated pulleys, moving two cars up and down the inclined plane, taking around seven and a half minutes for a car to traverse the Ladder.
The railway remained in service until 1871 before falling into disrepair and obsolescence. Termites had feasted on its woodwork, making it dangerously unstable. The Royal Engineers dismantled the railway, leaving only the 700 stairs. Subsequent roadwork eliminated one stair.
The Ladder has a line length of almost 924 feet, with a maximum incline of 41 degrees. The steps have an 11-inch rise, making them exceedingly strenuous to climb. Night lighting was installed along the sides in 2000, and a halfway point marker offers encouragement to climbers.
The climb remains a challenging shortcut between the city and the heights above. Schoolchildren have even devised a hair-raising technique to slide down the Ladder’s iron handrail. The Jacob’s Ladder stairs on Ladder Hill are a beloved Saint Helena landmark. Climbing the Ladder is a must-do activity on the itinerary of visitors and tourists to the island. In 2013, Graham Doig from Scotland completed the fastest recorded ascent in 5 minutes and 16.78 seconds. At the summit, climbers are rewarded with a breathtaking aerial view of Jamestown and its harbor.
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