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A Last Ramble at Żonqor?

31/5/2015

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With a whopping 33% of the island already built up one would think that the cranes, earth movers and assorted construction behemoths would be yearning for a well-deserved rest – preferably a very long one. But it isn’t really looking like that, is it? 
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PictureSaint Nicholas Chapel
Żonqor is the latest stretch of open land to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons so I traipse off early one Saturday morning to have a closer look, now fully aware it could be one of my last opportunities to do so. Even though it’s the middle of May and the land is starting to dry up I am not disappointed.

I set out from a lane off Triq il-Blajjet – itself an offshoot off the old Zabbar to Marsascala road and probably the best way to access the area. It’s a pretty winding lane and soon the chapel of Saint Nicholas comes into view – up till now a lone landmark in splendid isolation among fields, half of which appear to be actively cultivated.  The chapel dates back to the 16th century and like most wayside chapels it’s a straightforward box-like structure with a shallow dome and a simple, elegant façade.


PictureLonzu
Soon I come across a farmer and my camera prompts his curiosity. He warily asks if I’m there to record how the area looks before the bulldozers move in. As county folk are apt to do we soon fall into conversation and Lonzu does not hide his worries.  He tells me he’s been cultivating fields on his government-leased land for a long time and he is also a proud exporter of the famous Maltese potatoes that are so sought after at this time of year in the Netherlands. Although Lonzu farms part-time he tells me that some of his neighbours in the area are full time growers and up to now no one is telling them much about their future. Though I feel his pain I can sadly only offer my sympathies.

I continue along the road and decide to have a closer look at Fort Saint Leonard – a low-slung late nineteenth century British fort. Abandoned since the late seventies and leased out as a cattle farm soon after, there is understandably not much to see but a path veering right from the fort is more promising. It is a lovely tree-lined way which slopes gently by the fort’s northern escarpment towards the sea. It’s the picture of serenity bar a half dozen gun shots which at one point rudely interrupt the silence. Clearly there are one or two hunters who have some issues with their calendar; although I am aware this is a well-known area for poaching abuses I’m still surprised to hear shots a full three weeks after this year’s controversial season was closed. But there’s an antidote to this bit of unpleasantry: as I go through some derelict fields I come upon a good clutch of pyramidal orchids – a bit of a rarity for the area and so late in the spring too.

I now reach a dirt track that runs parallel to the sea. The coast here is a rugged one with bare rocks and the occasional inlet. It’s mostly deserted too; there are just a couple of people fishing off the rocks and an elderly gentleman in sunhat picking capers.

There’s some more history here too. The Triq il-Wiesgħa tower – one of Grand Master De Redin’s series of coastal watch towers – has recently been restored by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna after falling into disrepair following damage after a World War II plane crashed close by and the inevitable years of neglect followed. There are traces of a coastal entrenchment – a project started during the reign of Grand Master Pinto but abandoned soon after his death, at a time when the Order and consequently its funding were in decline. Wartime artefacts are also common along this stretch of coast and there are a number of WWII gunposts which broadly served a similar purpose to the Knights’ towers.

Before the scorching sun begins to take its toll I start making my way back via one of a number of paths which run uphill from the coast. The one I choose is overgrown but mercifully it is fennel rather than thistles and the plants’ sweet smell is welcome.

Żonqor may lack the immediate draw of the more dramatic cliff landscapes elsewhere but it’s an enjoyable and still largely untouched open space on an island that may soon be causing serious problems for claustrophobics; it is a relatively serene oasis and an outpost of rural charm of the overdeveloped south.  Dare I hope it will remain that way?


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Near Fort Saint Leonard

The above article first appeared in Sunday Circle magazine on 31st May 2015.

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The Red Tower and the lovely road to nowhere

2/11/2014

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The view from the road stretches to Gozo's Ta Cenc cliffs
In the far north of Malta and just off the main road to the Gozo ferry terminal, a minor road runs uphill to meet one of the most ‘colourful’ of the Knight’s fortified towers. St. Agatha’s Tower was built in 1647-8 to guard the short stretch of sea to Gozo, aided by St. Mary’s Tower on Comino. At some point in its life it was given a red coat of paint – no one seems to know exactly when or why – but this has inadvertently lent it its more familiar name – the Red Tower.  The tower is a square, robust one and when in use in centuries gone by it was normally manned by four soldiers, though it could accommodate a garrison of up to fifty in times of trouble. Last used during World War II as a glorified machine gun post, the tower had fallen into a sad state of disrepair by the end of the twentieth century. Luckily the NGO Din l-Art Helwa, the National Trust, took over its massive restoration and finally opened it to the public.

The Red Tower stands on high ground on the Marfa Ridge and probably its biggest draw is the open views from its rooftop. But once inside there is also a wealth of information on the structure itself, its history and its eventual restoration. Other information boards concentrate on the area itself, its topography, fauna and flora. The small tower shop stocks thyme honey from the area.

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St. Agatha's Tower - more familiarly known as the Red Tower
Beyond the Red Tower, the narrow road continues to the edge of the Qammieh peninsula. It’s basically a dead end road but one which is a pleasure to walk and it’s not a longish one either – just over a mile in length. This short stretch of road is one of the most scenic on the island, bordered as it is by a rich garigue flora during the winter and spring months. There is an abundance of thyme and other aromatic herbs and in spring this area is one of the best for orchids, of which Malta has around a dozen species. There are understandably few trees on this windswept plateau but there are small copses of carob and pine in the more sheltered areas.

This road to nowhere opens up some spectacular views on the way. Starting from the Red Tower there are good sweeping views over Ghadira Bay and the nature reserve run by Birdlife Malta which backs the bay. Further on the views become more rugged – to the south there are wide vistas over the cliffs of the Majjistral Park while to the north the scene stretches to Comino and further beyond to Gozo and the magnificent white ‘wall’ of the Ta Cenc cliffs. The road ends somewhat ignominiously at a battered group of low buildings which once formed a radar station. Today most of the buildings are in ruin. 

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The view in spring
The view over the cliffs from this spot – practically Malta’s northern land’s end – is of a massive boulder scree which tumbles to the sea and is the result of the erosion of the seemingly mighty cliffs. Though the road stops here one can make his way along the cliff top to Paradise Bay, which can easily be reached in about a half hour.  Some 400 metres to the north of the ‘road to nowhere’ there is another tiny road which runs parallel to it and can deliver you back to the Red Tower via a different, and equally scenic, route. 

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Land's End

The above article was originally published in the November 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here
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Victoria’s “Georgian” Core

25/8/2014

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Beneath and around Gozo’s ancient citadel sprawls the town of Rabat – essentially Gozo’s capital – renamed as Victoria during the long-lived Queen’s reign. While the outlying suburbs of Victoria hold little of interest, at its core is a lovely melee of winding picturesque streets roughly following the original medieval street pattern.

This is the “Georgian” heart of Victoria, not in the sense that any of the architecture pertains to that style but because it’s the heartland of the Saint George parish of the town. The large number of houses carrying the name of the saint or places associated with him are a living witness to the saint’s devotion … and something that must surely give the postman occasional headaches. 

Right at the centre of town is the basilica dedicated to the saint himself. Tracing its origins to Byzantine times, the present church was built between 1672 and 1678 and is Gozo’s finest and most richly embellished church – literally covered from floor to ceiling in a dazzling array of marble and gold stucco, mostly sponsored by generations of devout parishioners. The church contains arguably Gozo’s most important painting – a Saint George executed in 1678 by the Calabrian master Mattia Preti. The parishioners remain generous in their temple’s enrichment to this day; as witnessed by the church’s latest addition – a massive bronze main door installed in 2004 and the only one of its kind in the Maltese Islands. 



Fronting the basilica is Saint George’s Square, definitely Gozo’s most cosy piazza with a small choice of cafes and other boutique shops; a great place for a pleasant break from sightseeing. Victoria’s other main open space, Republic Square, (colloquially known as It-Tokk) is just a block away, larger and definitely busier. There are more cafes here and a small market mostly aimed for the tourist, with beachwear, sunglasses and sun caps seemingly making up the bulk of the goods on offer. 

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Don’t leave town without exploring the narrow streets behind the Basilica – the best preserved urban core in all of Gozo with intriguingly winding narrow streets and a few interesting shops. Triq Palma is the quarter’s main shopping drag while Triq il-Karita and Triq id-Dejqa are probably the most atmospheric. The area is a good place to look for the traditional and highly prized Gozo lace, a cottage industry still practised by a considerable number of Gozitan women. If you’re lucky you might even catch a glimpse of an old lady or two working away in their doorway, magically looping thread over the traditional cylinder-like bobbins – and a bargain from the artisan herself is a distinct possibility…



The above article was originally published in the August 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here
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Comino – Go early and beat the crowds

4/5/2014

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The small island of Comino sandwiched between the larger islands of Malta and Gozo starts getting a steady influx of visitors from June onwards, when the bathing season is in full swing and the locals start to flock there on day trips. Comino’s amenities are limited – there is just one hotel, practically no shops and no cars either. This is quite understandable as its permanent population consists of just three people.

So why go there at all one may ask. Well as far as the Maltese Islands are concerned it is definitely the ultimate get-away-from-it-all destination and a day spent there is like no other. In May its two main beaches, Santa Maria Bay and the Blue Lagoon, are still almost empty of people and can be enjoyed ...erm… as they should be – peacefully!

The Blue Lagoon with its underlying bed of white sands is probably the most enticing stretch of sea in the entire Maltese archipelago – its translucent waters are an invitation to dive in even to the most determined landlubber. Santa Maria Bay is not to be sniffed at either, not least because of its line of tamarisk trees bordering the sea which offers priceless shade. The latter bay can be almost deserted in late spring and the water is crystal clear here as well.

What of the determined landlubber who will still resist the call of the sea? Well there is still enough to see to easily fill a day. On Comino’s highest ground stands the Santa Maria Tower – an imposing fortress built by the Knights at a time when Comino was frequently a convenient hideout for corsairs with dubious intents. In more recent times the tower has often featured in films – most notably in The Count of Monte Cristo where it doubled for the notorious fortress-prison of the Château d'If. As a rule of thumb, if the flag is flying from the tower that means it’s also open to visitors.  

Next to the tower is a ramshackle building, originally an army barracks and now largely deserted except for a few rooms which make up the home of the remaining inhabitants. It’s a cool atmospheric place with a couple of delightful leafy lanes…and you might even get a glimpse of one of the three lone islanders – true modern day castaways surviving on what is essentially a bare rock.

Over on the south side of the island there is a small Knights’ Battery and close to Santa Maria Bay there is a lovely chapel still used by the islanders for Sunday mass – with a priest dutifully making the crossing from Gozo every week.

But really the landlubber’s Comino is a place to get lost in for the day and savour its remoteness; the arid landscape punctuated by the low thyme bushes which at this time of year take on their purple hue, the cliff scenery and the open water vistas across the channels separating it from its larger neighbours …and the blissful quiet.

There are daily ferry crossings to Comino from both Cirkewwa in Malta as well as Mgarr Harbour in Gozo.  Although there are no shops on Comino the hotel bar and restaurant are open to non-residents and there are usually a couple of fast food kiosks at the Blue Lagoon.


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Comino's rugged eastern cliffs

The above article was originally published in the May 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here
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Spring…and the trekking is easy

2/5/2014

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Gozo was recently voted third best Mediterranean island by the independent Trip Advisor site. This should come as no surprise really - the island is conspicuously different from its larger neighbour Malta; greener, much less densely populated and quieter and consequently with a much slower pace all round. One of Gozo’s notable differences is a much less developed coastline and luckily it will probably stay that way too – half of the coast consists of high and very scenic cliffs.

A trek along part of these cliffs at any time of the year is a rewarding experience and much easier than one might think. One such walk starts from the popular resort of Xlendi, simply by following the promenade on the left hand side of the bay. As the promenade comes to an end there is a small bridge which gets you across the mouth of the Wied ta Kantra – a steep sided dry valley bordered by a varied vegetation. From here make your way to the tower at the end of the bay. There are good views of the cliffs further to the north of Xlendi from here.


Past the tower there is a level limestone rock shelf – a popular off-beat bathing area - which soon makes way to higher ground up to the cliffs. By now you will have left civilization a good twenty minutes behind, the silence is delicious and the views are second to none as the high vertical cliffs come into view. The trek is a very easy one to follow and basically winds its way above a couple of steep sided coves for the next forty minutes or so; a beautiful lonely trek with breath-taking views each step of the way...

Past the second inlet a veritable cliff wall comes into view but don’t be disheartened…the trek continues some way inland making for a less steep climb before rejoining the edge.  Once at the top the full sweep of the cliffs (called the Sanap cliffs in this area) can be appreciated. From here the path becomes a well laid out paved one and the views now stretch as far as Comino and the north coast of Malta. At the end of the paved path a narrow road leads back to the tiny village of Munxar from where one can easily get back to Xlendi via the panoramic road set between open fields – and the whole track would have taken you about two hours.


There’s more edge of the cliff walking if you’re so inclined as the cliffside track continues on a more or less level path to the outskirts of the village of Sannat, and past that on to the large Ta Cenc plateau – itself an equally wild and beautiful site. Allow three to four hours for this second option.


The walk is a relatively easy one and can be appreciated at all times of the year but spring brings out the best of this coastal walk as the vegetation is at its vibrant best. In the hot dry summer an early morning or late afternoon start is best. Some drinking water and sun screen are essentials….plus a camera!


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Heaven up here...

The above article was originally published in the May 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here.
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A Stroll through Senglea

1/4/2014

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Of the three walled towns that make up the Cottonera there’s no doubt that Vittoriosa (better known as Il-Birgu in Maltese) steals the show with its museums and well-preserved medieval ambience. But to give the cold shoulder to the other two townships that make up this trio of walled cities is to miss out on a slice of real Maltese life.

While Cospicua is awkwardly hedged in between the other two and is a no-nonsense working town and the commercial centre of the area, Senglea is a much better defined mini city, with walls on all sides except for its pleasant waterfront facing Birgu, and easily makes for an hour’s pleasant strolling.   

Senglea owes its name to Grand Master La Sengle who originally built the town around what was then Fort St.Michael in order to relieve the overcrowding at Birgu. Indeed during that particular siege Senglea remained unconquered. It was not so lucky during Malta’s second siege… 

Senglea’s proximity to the Naval Dockyard proved its undoing. The city was heavily bombed and virtually destroyed in the Luftwaffe’s blitz on HMS Illustrious in January 1941. The town’s much loved Basilica was also obliterated. Although the wounds of war have healed and the town has been rebuilt, the social fabric of the place was broken; most of the well-heeled families who evacuated the Cottonera in the war never returned and today Senglea is considered one of the poorer areas of Malta.

What it may lack in financial well being is more than made up by the town’s ambience and sense of gritty resilience: the city walls are still there and the church – well worth a visit - has been lovingly and splendidly rebuilt. Its ramrod straight main street is a delight of faded elegance with some examples of beautiful palazzos which somehow evaded the destruction. The old Fort St. Michael near the city's landward gate is no more but on the opposite side of town is a much visited small garden with an awesome grandstand view of Valletta. The garden also contains a beautifully decorated sentry post – one of the most photographed objects in Malta. From the garden a series of steps lead to Siren Street – probably the city’s quaintest street with views across the water to Fort St. Angelo – and eventually to the town’s waterfront. 

The sunny waterfront facing Birgu is another delight of the town with a smattering of cheap and cheerful eating places and an assortment of small sea craft which make for a colorful location. 

Senglea was awarded a European Destinations of Excellence award in 2010 - a sure sign of the area’s slow but steady regeneration. The town will soon have its first boutique hotel as well. Senglea is served by a regular and frequent bus service from Valletta and is also a popular stop on the touristic hop on hop off coaches. 



The above article was originally published in the April 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here.

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Qrendi – your typical sleepy village

2/3/2014

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Like everywhere else, life has become fast-paced in Malta. People seem to be in a rush everywhere. The buzz of activity in the commercial centres of Valletta and Sliema is living proof of this. No doubt it’s all fun if you’re on holiday and people watching is your kind of thing. And if it does get tiring you can always try an altogether different scene...

Some of the villages further out of the harbour areas seem to escape this madness completely, and once most of their inhabitants have driven off to their work places, an oasis of calm descends on these villages with very few (understandably mostly elderly) people about. The commercial activity in these places is also on a much slower level with a couple of grocery shops, the odd bar and the obligatory confectionery – the Maltese are big on their sweetmeats.

The village of Qrendi on the way to Hagar Qim is one such place and makes for a pleasant diversion before or after visiting the hallowed megalithic site. Tracing its origins to at least as far back as 1417, Qrendi became a parish in 1618.  An elegant parish church was built around 1720, and this takes pride of place right in the centre of the village. The church is flanked on both sides by a series of picturesque narrow streets. Some two hundred meters to the church’s right one can find a unique octagonal tower known as the Captain’s Tower on Triq it-Torri (translates as Tower Street appropriately enough) with features like drop boxes which are unknown on other defensive buildings here. In the area is also a largish chapel, St.Saviour’s which during the Second World War served as a dormitory for people made homeless by the enemy raids in the Grand Harbour area.

At the village’s southern end is the quaint chapel of St. Matthew with a regenerated piazza ideal for some quality lazing. Of more interest is a huge “hole in the ground” behind the chapel, known locally as Il-Maqluba. In reality this is a karstic depression created by a collapse of huge underground caves creating a sizable sinkhole. Reputably the collapse occurred during a storm in 1343 and was superstitiously seen as a sort of heavenly warning – thus the building of the chapel as a conciliatory gesture. Steps lead down some way down this sinkhole where one can appreciate its sheer size.

Quite near to St.Matthew’s  and on the village periphery is the ancient sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercies (photo right) – a church with origins dating back to the 13th century – ironically before Qrendi came into being and the area was then a long lost hamlet going by the name of Hal Lew. It’s a robust church with a lovely porticoed façade bordering some lovely country lanes. 

A bit further out of the village is Palazzo Guarena – a knight’s summer residence of some elegance but of more interest to film buffs. Hollywood’s most glamorous couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed here for some time in 2011 while Pitt was filming World War Z in various locations in Malta.  A year later actor Tom Hanks, no doubt on reputable recommendation, chose to use the same palazzo as his base for fourteen weeks while filming Captain Philips.

There are no restaurants as such in Qrendi, but if you wish to linger one of the two band clubs (open all hours) in the village core is sure to provide cold beer and a snack.  


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Typical hole-in-the-wall corner shop and improvised shopper's trolley...

The above article was originally published in the March 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here.

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The sea, a hallowed isle and a summer palace  

5/2/2014

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Winters in Malta are generally mild with very few really cold days. The sun mercifully makes a welcome appearance on most days as well. Such days make for great walking in the countryside away from the bustling, busy towns. The Selmun promontory lying just to the east of the town of Mellieha is one such prime rambling area, offering diverse features and curiosities, and a rich variety of land and seascapes.

Starting from the roundabout at the entrance to Mellieha take the road marked Selmun. It’s an open country road with a few houses which make up the hamlet of Selmun strung along one side while the other side is construction-free with open views southwards. 

One soon comes upon Selmun Palace, the main building of note in the area sitting majestically on high ground. Though this fine building, built by the Knights in 1783, gives the impression of a fortified residence in reality its purpose was as a summer residence and glorified hunting lodge.

Take the road to the right of the palace and at the first bend in the road (about 100 meters past the palace) take the trek that suddenly appears to your right. The trek soon starts dipping steeply down the side of Mistra valley towards the bay. It’s a very scenic trek which winds its way between open fields on both sides. On the lower ground to the right is the site where most of the huge blocks for the Valletta breakwater were quarried by the British late in the nineteenth century, but you will be hard pressed to notice anything resembling degradation as the rehabilitation of the area after the quarrying was done is almost miraculous. At the very bottom of the trek a road opens up. Taking a left turn gets you to Mistra Bay in a couple of minutes. Mistra is a small horseshoe shaped inlet, thronged by the locals in summer but blissfully deserted in the winter months. The road circles the shallow inlet and heads towards the head of the bay where a coastal battery dating back to 1761 stands guards. The battery (access is not possible at time of writing) was restored in recent times by its present tenants, an aquaculture company.

From this point the road becomes a stony path which roughly follows the coastline along the cliffs of Rdum il-Bies. The small islet of St.Paul comes into view here. It is still hallowed ground for many, being reputedly the place where the saint was shipwrecked on his way to Rome to stand trial in AD.60. The 10th of February is marked in the local calendar as the presumed date of the shipwreck and is a public holiday. The day also marks the only major festa celebrated in winter – that of the parish of St.Paul Shipwrecked in Valletta.

An annual pilgrimage to the islet still takes place every summer. A statue of the saint, a ruined farmhouse and a few rubble walls are the only signs of human intrusion – the last inhabitants of the islet being a farmer’s family residing in happy seclusion until the early days of the twentieth century.

Past the islet the coastline becomes a gentler limestone shelf with some disused salt pans pockmarked in the smooth rock face. The salt pans continue around this last headland but it’s a dead end that way so the better option is to start trekking uphill along a dirt road running parallel with the clay slope. It’s the only rough track on this walk really – a trek hewn out of the clay throughout various years of abusive offroading in the area – a practice that is now illegal. At the top of the hill and to your left there is a long low wall and you should head that way. The wall is in fact the outer perimeter of Fort Campbell.

Fort Campbell’s real interest lies in the fact that it was the last major fortification to be built by the British in Malta. Built in the late 1930’s, its main function was to challenge enemy vessels approaching Grand Harbour. Its novel design which includes a very low profile and the rustic perimeter wall was primarily dictated by the need to avoid detection from the air. Sadly the wall is the only thing that is well preserved here, otherwise the fort (which one can enter freely) has been the victim of long years of neglect, pillaging and vandalism. The barracks around the fort are sadly in an equally dilapidated state.

Making your way out of this somewhat forlorn site you can follow the road back to Selmun Palace. It’s a gentle one kilometer or so to the palace and an immensely scenic road too as it hugs the edge of Mistra valley to its left and borders various fields and vineyards to its right. Two hours should be ample time to cover this relatively easy walk.


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This article was first published in the February 2014 issue of Il-Bizzilla - the Air Malta inflight magazine
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Photo Blog - Rambling around Bidnija

16/1/2014

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Sunny, warm days in January are priceless really. Having met my deadlines for this week, and having put in three days' work at home it was time for some fresh air, some seemingly aimless wandering; but really this is a great way to recharge the batteries before continuing on some more work, currently a drawing commission and some writing. Needless to say my camera is my ever-present companion on these long walks - in this case a three hour walk exploring lanes and garigue around Bidnija. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I enjoyed the walking...
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A quiet lane in Bidnija - it's surprising that after more than fifty years of living here I can still find the odd previously undiscovered lane here and there.
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The first brown orchids are out. I simply love the intricate structure of orchids.
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Another previously undiscovered track leads me to some great views over Wied Qannotta.
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View from atop il-Qolla towards Gebel Ghawzara.
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The ideal dream home complete with private chapel in Wied Qannotta.
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A seemingly endless field of artichokes...
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A farmer and his dog on their way to the fields.
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The Slow Road to Dwejra

3/1/2014

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Dwejra Bay and Fungus Rock - the view is simply awesome

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Most visitors to Gozo will probably include a short trip to Dwejra - the site so well known for its unique dramatic seascapes and geological features which include the famous Azure Window, Fungus Rock and the so called Inland Sea. Chances are you will get little of the feel of this unique site on a stop-and-go tour of the island, as the area really cries out for better appreciation. 

Gozo by its very nature demands a slower way to do things and an alternate way to visit Dwejra is actually to walk there from the island's capital Victoria. It's a relatively easy five kilometer trek and it is a rewarding alternative. It can be done in two hours - but make that three for stops, diversions and gawping in general! 


The way out of Victoria is easy enough - just follow the signposts to Kercem which lies just ten minutes walking away. Kercem itself is a miniscule village with one quiet main street winding its way in and out of the village again. There are a few ancient stone balconies of note on some old houses but little else of much interest apart from the quaintness of it all. 


Once out of the village follow the signposts to Ghadira ta San Raflu. It's a quiet road bordered by fields and soon enough it follows close to the cliffs - giving breathtaking views across the water. In thirty minutes or so you should arrive at the Ghadira itself - a small pond which attracts waterfowl and other fauna. Until recently the pond supported a thriving population of the local endemic painted frog Discoglossus pictus but insensitive individuals have introduced the alien Bedriaga frog which has all but taken over the Ghadira. Nonetheless being here during the frogs' mating season is quite an experience - their mating calls are incredibly loud and create an impressive ruckus in this otherwise silent place. 

The road divides into two at the pond - take the narrow trek on the left. The trek, initially smoothly cemented over, soon becomes a dust road and eventually just a narrow cycle path skirting the cliffs. The views here are breathtaking - with the small tower at the head of Xlendi Bay looking somewhat lonely amid the wide vista of cliffs. The path eventually leads to an open space with a small rock- hewn chamber and a couple of wells dug in front of it. This is in fact an ancient Punic sanctuary (picture right) about which very little is known. Not much remains of course but the site is certainly one of Gozo's most atmospheric, perched as it is on an impressively high cliff and commanding the best views towards Dwejra and the Fungus Rock. Take time out to gawp. 


Retrace your steps from the site and go uphill for a minute or two until you can see the path towards Dwejra - there are various well trodden paths in fact. The observant rambler will note a proliferation of curious greyish-leaved plants occurring from this point onwards. This is none other than the Maltese Everlasting (Helichrysum melitense) an extremely rare endemic plant confined to just this small corner of Gozo and nowhere else worldwide. It produces yellow flowers between April and late May. 


Soon one arrives at the curved Dwejra Bay with the Fungus Rock standing majestically at its entrance. Again the views here are impressive. Fungus Rock itself is a protected site - being the only known place where the so called Malta Fungus- a strange mushroom-like plant - grows. In the past it was believed to have potent medicinal powers and the Knights of St.John provided round the clock guard to deter locals from collecting this supposed elixir. Past the curve of the bay, head for the Dwejra Tower and you are practically in Dwejra now. Take time to enjoy this great site having tasted its splendor unfolding little by little. 

There is an hourly bus back to Victoria from Dwejra if, quite understandably, you find the hilly road back a bit daunting. 


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On the way to the Punic shrine...the view towards Xlendi

The above article was originally published in the January 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here.
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    Steve Bonello
    Malta

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