Marfa Brochure

MaltaMaltaC O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

Marfa Ridge Walk

How to get thereThe starting point is at G˙adira Bay, more precisely at the G˙adira busterminus, just in front of the Mellie˙a Holiday Centre (Danish Village).

Public TransportYou can get there as follows;üüüüü From Valletta, route buses 44, 45, 50 and 452üüüüü From Sliema, route bus 645üüüüü From Bu©ibba, route bus 48All buses alight at the G˙adira bus terminus in front of the Mellie˙aHoliday Centre (Danish Village). For the return journey the same routebuses can be caught. It is advisable to check bus timetables before youembark on the walk as some bus routes are only in operation duringthe summer months.

Own TransportIt is possible to use your own transport to reach the starting point ofthis walk as this is also the termination point. You may park your vehi-cle along the main road.

Length of walk (excluding detours) is 11 km (approx. 7 miles)Duration is approximately 4.5 to 5 hours

IntroductionThe walk starts and ends at G˙adira Bay (pronounced: ‘Ah-dee-ra’; alsocommonly referred to as Mellie˙a Bay). Setting off from close to theG˙adira Nature Reserve, the walk reaches the top of Marfa Ridge justbeneath the austere Torri L-A˙mar ‘Red Tower’. From here the routecontinues along the spine of the ridge to its furthermost point, next tothe solitary Immaculate Conception chapel. Offering breathtakingviews on either side, the walk passes through dry farmed land, garigue,wooded areas and dramatic cliffs.

Before arriving at ‘It-Torri L-Abjad’, the White Tower, a short detour re-veals a spectacular geological formation. Along this shoreline, the walkpasses by a number of fortified structures dating back from the timesof the Knights of St John, right up to World War II.

The walk turns uphill again and Paradise Bay, with all its natural beauty,soon comes into view. At this point the walk goes off the beaten trackagain and onto more spectacular views including scenic land and sea-scapes, with rock-strewn stairways and paths winding down to ter-raced fields, hanging off the sheer cliff face. The route eventually makesits way past the Red Tower and the G˙adira Nature Reserve to the start-ing point which is also the walk’s final destination.

The text, read in conjunction with the route map (found in the centrepages) enables you to follow the route map with added ease. The num-bers in the text correspond to the numbers on the map.

M A L T A C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

1

The Walk

The walk starts at G˙adira Bay,Malta’s largest sandy beach.Alighting at the G˙adira BusTerminus, walk due north. After afew paces you will reach the gateleading to the G˙adira NatureReserve. The reserve is to your leftand is surrounded by a shelter beltof trees and shrubs.

The Nature Reserve coverssome six hectares and occupiesthe flood plain between tworidges. This site was Malta’smain producer of salt up to the16th century, after which periodit lost its importance as a saltproducer to the much largersalt pans at Salina (nearQawra). The area fell intodisuse. In the late 1980’s,Birdlife Malta’s localornithological societyconverted the area into anature reserve. Equipped witha visitor centre, bird watchinghides, and staffed by qualifiedpersonnel, it attracts numerousvisitors. Foreign visitors arealso welcome. Pre-booking isrecommended on tel 2157 2603.

Nature reserve

G˙adira Bay

2

The success of the reserve is seenby the species of birds that breedhere, such as the warbler (Cetti’s,fan-tailed and Sardinian), cornbunting, moorhen and little ringedplover. Recorded species visitingthe reserve include grebes, ducks,coots, kingfishers, herons, egrets,waders and many passerines. Thereserve also hosts a few species oflocal fauna and flora like the wildrabbit, hedgehog, chameleon,gecko and leopard snake, as well assalt-tolerant (halophytic) plants.

Once you pass the NatureReserve, continue walkinguphill along the road. Theconglomeration of beachhuts to the left is mostlyoccupied by locals in thesummer months. Toweringabove them is St Agatha’sTower commonly known asIt-Torri L-A˙mar, ‘the redtower’, due to its red ochrepainted walls. (You will getthe opportunity to take acloser look at this Tower onthe return journey of thewalk.)

A view from it-torri l-A˙mar


3

At the top of the hill, you will reacha road junction. Turn to the right,following the sign to Armier Bay.The road levels off as it stretchesalong Marfa Ridge. The ridgeoverlooks G˙adira Bay to the rightand Comino Channel to the left.The small island of Comino, withan area of one square kilometre,lies between the larger sisterislands of Malta and Gozo.

A girna or corbelled hut can be seenon the left. This structure is builtsolely from lose rocks and stonesthat are commonly found on localgarigue. It is a regular feature in theMaltese countryside and formspart of our rural heritage as thebuilding technique has beenpassed down from generation togeneration. Although it is a simpleand primitive structure, it is in factvery sturdy. The girna’s purposewas to provide the farmer orherdsman with shelter from theelements. Mellie˙a is rich in thesestructures, some of which groupedtogether were used to house a fewfarm animals. The form and modeof construction bring to mind thetrulli of Bari (Italy) and similarstructures in Sardinia.

A traditional stone Girna

4

Soon the asphalt road passesthrough a wooded area. This sitewas first planted with olive treesand bordered by a row of carobs.The trees were planted in the latefifties in pits blasted in the rockyterrain with explosives. The siteproved to be too exposed to theharsh north-westerly winds and sothe trees made little progress.Later, forestry-type seedlings of theAleppo pine and the wattle treewere planted to provide addedprotection. The olive treessubsequently prospered. In thiswooded area you will come across

evidence of local, traditionalactivities, namely hunting andtrapping.

The straight road runs along theentire length of the Marfa ridge.From the cliffs at Rdum il-Ómaroverlooking Mellie˙a Bay, you cansee the floating pens or cages of afish farm. Local fish farms mainlyproduce sea bream and sea bass.These have a cycle of some 18months from fingerling tomaturity. Keep to the main road tillthe end at Rdum tal-Madonna.

View from Rdum il-ÓmarPhoto: Micheal Parlato Trigona


5

The road narrows and you will passbeneath another canopy of wattleand olive trees. A short gradientfollows. A road on the left, leads toDa˙let ix-Xmajjar Bay. On the right,through the acacia copse, a pathwinds down among the cliffboulders and leads to a small,secluded beach, commonly knownas Slugs Bay.

At this point, you can see theImmaculate Conception Chapelperched in contemplative solitudeat the cliff edge. The chapel, builtin 1961 replaced an earlier onewhich was built at the end of thenineteenth century and wassituated closer to the drop-off.Being on a fissured cliff edge, theold chapel was in danger ofcollapse. A new one was builtfurther in. It is alleged that the old

chapel was built as a votive thanksto Our Lady by a fisherman whohad survived a tragic ordeal at sea.He was the sole survivor when aboat with several fishermen onboard capsized. For years, the oldchapel served as a landmark to allfishermen out at sea. Today, racingpigeon enthusiasts let off theirpigeons from here for trainingpurposes.

Slugs bayPhoto: Micheal Parlato Trigona

6

The statue of OurLady, erected in1870 on a stoneplinth nearby,inspires a silentprayer fromvisitors. The cliffedge is in danger ofcrumbling due toerosion so pleaseavoid going toonear the edge. Thewalk continues along the pathwith the chapel on the left and thecliff edge on the right. The pathsoon turns slightly to the leftthrough a few clumps of a cactus-like plant – the agave. The pathruns down through a grove ofAleppo pines until it reaches aconcrete crossroad 2 .

Turning right, the road slopesslightly downhill. Note the long,white thorns of the acacia karoo.This thorn bush was planted tokeep grazing sheep and goats offthe pine and wattle seedlingsduring the afforestation of theridge. The road continues downhilltowards It-Torri l-Abjad ‘the whitetower’ and Da˙let ix-Xmajjar Bay.It is bordered to the right bygarigue carrying the wild thyme asthe dominant plant species. On theleft you can observe agriculturalactivity in the form of dry farming,irrigated land and a greenhouseunit.

A typical rubble wall


7

At the end of the road,the walk proceeds to theleft. 3 However, you maywish to take a shortdetour to the right to seea spectacular depressionin the rocky foreshore atil-Ponta ta’ l-A˙rax or‘Dragunara Point’. Thiswide, deep, open cavitycame to be when the roofof the cave or cavesbeneath collapsed. The rocks,gouged out by the relentlesscrashing of the waves created alink to the open sea throughnatural tunnels and fissures. Incalm weather, it looks tranquil andclear. However in rough weather,relentless waves crashing into thedepression create an impressivesight.

Return to the main route 3 andproceed to the next bay, namely Ir-Ramla Tat-Torri. This bay is namedafter It-Torri l-Abjad ‘the whitetower’, which is one of manytowers built in 1658 by GrandMaster de Redin as part of a coastaldefence system. These towers werenot meant to hold a large garrison.Normally, up to four sentries were

dispatched to every tower. Ifpirates were seen approaching thecoast, the burning of strawsignalled the danger.

The alarm was relayed from towerto tower along the coast. Signalsfrom this Tower were clearly visiblefrom the towers at Selmun,Mellie˙a Ridge (St.Agatha’s Tower)and Comino. It-Torri l-Abjad, iscurrently being leased as a privateresidence.

Geological dipression at il-Ponta ta’l-A˙rax or Dragunara Point

Ir-ramla tat-Torri

Continue past the access road tothe Tower and over the small hillonto the sandy bay, Ir-Ramla tat-Torri. The fenced area in the bayprotects a small sand dune habitat.Such habitats are rare in Malta andcontain plant species such as thestunning sea daffodil (Pancratiummaritimum) and the spiny sandholly (Eryngium maritimum)

amongst others. Walk along thecoast, past several boathouses andslipways. Behind these buildingsyou can see a defence wall, built in1650 to fend off enemy landings.

Continue walking round thiswalled peninsula until you reachthe next sandy beach. Note theruins of a small seventeenth-century battery or ‘redoubt’ builtby Grand Master Lascaris.

Comino appears to be very close tothis coastline. Directly facingMalta, on its eastern tip, you maydiscern St Mary’s Battery built in1715.

8

1650 defence wall withTorri L-abjad in the backround

Pancratium MaritimumPhoto: Pauline Dingli


The Posidonia Oceanica orNeptune Grass (seaweed), anendemic plant of theMediterranean, is found insubmarine meadows skirting theMaltese coast. It offers excellentbreeding grounds for fish andother marine organisms. Duringthe winter season the dyingseaweed floats to the surface andsubsequently gets carried away bythe sea currents. Hence thewashing up of seaweed onto theshores.

In fact, if you have embarked onthis walk during autumn or winter,you are likely to encountermounds of dead seaweed washedashore. Anglers sieve through theseaweed searching for a particulartype of worm to be used as fishingbait. During the winter the

seaweed is left on the beach, as ithelps to stabilise and maintainsandy beaches naturally. Wheneventually removed, seaweed issometimes used in coastal landreclamation for tree planting aswell as bedding for farm animals.

9

Photo: MTA

Photo: MTA


12

Following the coastline you willpass by several beach huts. In orderto follow the route set out in thiswalk you will have to cross thesandy beach at Little Armier. Youwill then reach a small flight ofsteps leading on to Armier Bay carpark. Continue along the asphaltroad ahead. Within a few metresyou will reach a road junction. Themain road turns sharply to the left,towards Mellie˙a Village. The firstnarrow road to your right leads tothe Vendôme Battery. The rear ofthe Battery is visible from thisjunction. This seventeenth-centuryBattery was named after theFrench knight who commissionedit. He was the brother of King LouisXIII.

At this junction 4 proceed directlyahead onto a narrow road linedwith beach huts. This road comesto an end in the bay named Ramletil-Qortin. Walk across the sandybeach, past a redoubt. Keepwalking along the coast up to awide clearing facing a hotel.

Little Armier Bay

Artichokes


13

between 1601 and 1622. At thattime the tower contributed topreventing hostile sea craft fromharassing sea traffic betweenMalta and Gozo.

Walk towards thehotel’s mainentrance next tothe palm trees.This leads to thehotel’s Car Park.Turn left justbefore enteringthe hotel’spremises. 5 Theconcrete path leads you around thehotel boundary wall, past a clumpof canes and finally towards thebeach. Arable land may be seen toyour left. The route passes by theruins of another redoubt built bythe Knights, which faces the centreof this bay.

Continue walking towards thewest side of the coast, whereanother hotel comes into view.Nearby is the Marfa quay, used byGozo ferries before the largerCirkewwa terminal was developed.Today the quay is used by theComino ferry and other seacraft.

By now, you must have noticed thedominating presence of the toweron Comino. It was built underGrand Master Alof de Wignacourt

Marfa Quay

14

The walk proceeds along theasphalt road. Continue walkinguphill towards the bus shelter infront of il-Palazz l-A˙mar “the redpalace”. This red ochre buildingwas originally built in 1657 as awatch tower but was enlarged toits present state during the early20th century.

Walking in the direction of theÇirkewwa Terminal, you will soonpass by the Çirkewwa ReverseOsmosis Plant on the left side ofthe road. Seawater is pumped fromthe sea and converted intodrinking water by a process calledreverse osmosis. A significant partof Malta’s water supply is producedfrom similar plants.

Take the first road on the left, andfollow the sign to Paradise Bay. Just

past the reverse osmosis plant aretwo wartime shelters partiallyembedded in the rocks. The roadpasses through stretches ofgarigue, which are largelydominated by the wild thyme. It isfrom the flower of this herb thatthe thyme honey is produced.Local beekeepers also produce redclover honey and mixed florahoney.

Il-Palazz l-A˙mar (Red Palace)


15

The road continues uphill. Thehotel on the right overlooks boththe Çirkewwa ferry terminal aswell as Paradise Bay. The road turnsslightly downhill, curving to theright, into a large car park. Walkpast the flight of steps, which leadsto Paradise Bay below. The asphaltroad soon gives way to a trackgoing uphill along the cliff edge.

Turn to the left, past bird hides,6 and walk over the rocky terrain,

along a low rubble wall. 7 Soonyou will reach the top of the ridge,8 where you will also reach level

ground and a well-formed path.This path ends in a T-junction.

Turn right on the asphalt road,which leads to the cliff edgeviewing point. 9 Looking downbelow from this vantage point, youcan see the numerous bouldersembedded in small terraced fields.

Paradise Bay

A short flight of steps leads to apath cut out in the rocks. This pathgives access to a number of smallfields and to the shore. The siteoffers sanctuary to a variety offauna and flora.

Turn to the left, up a steep, rock-strewn path. 10 Half way up thepath you will come across anopening in the rock-face to your

right. Look through this fissureonto the picturesque scene below:the small fields huddled betweenlarge boulders and a tall date palmtree against the backdrop of arugged cliff face beneath.

While continuing uphill along therough path you may realise that itwas carved into the cliff on oneside and constructed manually onthe inward side. The weatheredkerbing stones, grey with time, areproof of man’s labour. This pathwas built by the British militaryunits. It was designed to giveaccess to strategic posts found inthis area as well as to the militarystructures at the top of the ridge.

16

Old Military Path

Photo: Michael Parlato Trigona


17

To the left, is a small dry valleysupporting terraced fields. Thepath soon levels out, passesthrough garigue, and ends in anasphalt road. This is the walk’s lastuphill trek. Before proceeding left,at the top of the hill, you can walktowards the edge of the cliff on theright. 11 The Ta’ Çenç cliffs in Gozomay be seen in the distance. Thisis another location from whereracing pigeons are released. It isalso ideal for viewing spectacularsunsets. The derelict buildings areremnants of a wartime NATO Base.The walk proceeds along the ridge,on the asphalt road flanked onboth sides by garigue.

The terraced fields below are wellmanaged and irrigated by farmers.As they face the south, they arefavourably protected from thenorth-westerly winds.

Photo: Michael Parlato Trigona

Pumpkin Field

18

Below, you can also see the large,circular cleft in the sea cliff of thevalley floor. This was formed by thebattering waves and in roughweather spouts out clouds of seaspray. This cleft is aptly called Iç-Çumnija - ‘the chimney’ since theclouds of fine spray resembleclouds of smoke.

Proceed along the asphalt road. Youwill arrive at St. Agatha’s Tower alsoreferred to as It-Torri l-A˙mar ‘theRed Tower’. This is an austere andimposing building commandingviews of the ridges of Marfa andMellieha. Built by Grand MasterLascaris in 1649 the tower wasrecently restored by the local Din l-

Art Óelwa, a non-profitenvironmental organisation. Thetower was an important link in thedefence of this part of the island.

Looking to the right, from thevantage point next to the toweryou can see the boundaries of the

It-Torri l-a˙mar (Red Tower)

Iç-Çumnija (The Chimney)


19

G˙adira Nature Reserve below,from where this walk started.

The road proceeds downhill until itreaches the main road leading tothe Gozo ferry. Turn sharply to theright where you will pass by a smallwayside shrine dedicated to OurLady of Sorrows. Continue downthe steep, busy road for a fewmetres. Take the path to the rightuntil you reach the mainroad once more. This pathruns through anafforestation site beingdeveloped by a number ofNGOs, assisted by theMalta Tourism Authority.The walk continues pastthe G˙adira NatureReserve gate and ends atthe bus terminus situatedclose to the traffic island.

The hotels along the wayoffer all servicesexpected. A number ofphone booths, bars, andrestaurants can also beseen along the route.Public conveniences arelocated in G˙adira Bayand Armier Bay.

Thank you for choosing to embarkon this walk. We sincerely hope thatyou have enjoyed it. OtherCountryside Walks around Maltaand Gozo are also available for youto explore. Please send us yourcomments on this or other walks inthe series on [email protected]

Wayside shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows

The route is suitable for trekking, cycling and horse riding. It is advisable to dismount when proceedingnear to cliff edges and along main roads.Bicycle rental is possible from shops in the Mellie˙a area, including some hotels which may be foundalong the route.Along this walk there are three instances where the route may present a physical challenge. These arefound at the initial uphill which leads from the nature reserve to the top of the ridge, the uphill fromthe Reverse Osmosis Plant leading to Paradise Bay (between markers 5 & 6) and the Old Military Path(between markers 10 & 11).The local weather forecast should be checked before setting off as there is hardly any shelter fromadverse weather conditions along the route. A raincoat can come in handy in inclement weather.The table below highlights average weather conditions based on historical readings. These must notbe taken as forecasts as they are only indicative of typical weather conditions.Allow enough time to complete the walk in broad daylight. Make allowances for time required forresting, taking photographs and observing nature.The table below demonstrates typical hours of sunshine at different times of the year. It is advisableto wear a hat and apply sun protection.It is recommended that you wear appropriate footwear and carry a packed lunch and a bottle of water.Always follow the designated route. Short cuts are to be avoided as many fields are privately owned.Some rubble walls are marked with blotches of white paint and may also carry the letters RTO. Thesemarkings indicate private property.As part of the walk includes a stretch of cliffs, avoid leaving the footpath to walk closer to the edge.Rock erosion as well as sudden gusts of wind are a real danger. Safe view points along the route areindicated.In some valleys and gorges, mobile phone reception may be poor or there may be none at all.Respect the fragility of the countryside. Do not climb over rubble walls or throw stones into valleys orover cliffs. Do not take souvenirs from historical sites or from the countryside. Do not disturb animals,plants or their natural habitats. Leave only your footprints behind you and nothing else.Be culturally sensitive and respect local customs. Take photographs but respect the privacy and dignityof others. Ask permission before photographing people.Bird trapping and hunting are practised in the countryside. There are, however, strict regulationsdetermining areas where such activities are permitted and times of the year where no such activitiesare allowed.

Tips for the road

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Typ

ºC 13 13 15 17 21 23 27 28 25 22 18 15

5.5 6 7 8.5 10 11 12 11 9 7 6.5 5hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

98 65 38 29 12 3 0.3 7 56 71 122 109mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm

15 15 15 16 18 21 24 26 25 23 21 17ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC ºC

The following table depicts typical average weather conditions including temperature, hours of sunshine/day,rainfall and sea temperatures. Walking conditions are most favourable during the months of January, February,May, November and December.

The hotels along the way offer all servicesexpected. A number of phone booths, bars,and restaurants are also found along theroute. Public conveniences are located inG˙adira Bay and Armier Bay.

Facilities

Useful telephone numbers.

Emergency & rescue 112

Ambulance 196

Nearest Health Centre (Mosta) 2143 2062

Mellie˙a Police Station 2152 3457

Mellie˙a Local Council office 2152 1333

Malta Tourism Authority 2291 5800

Telephone enquires 1182

All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying,recording or otherwise, withoutthe prior written consent of thecopyright holder. Directenquires are to be forwarded tothe Malta Tourism Authority.

Feedback and comments are welcome.Write to [email protected]

Date of Publication: October 2003

Text: Joseph BorgPhotos: Alex BugejaMap: Andre Micallef Grimaud

Produced by the:Malta Tourism Authority’sProduct Planningand Development Directorate

Otheruseful information

Hotels that you will encounter alongthis route include:Seabank Hotel 4*Mellie˙a Holiday Centre (Danish Village) 3*Mellie˙a Bay Hotel 4*Ramla Bay Hotel 4*Barcelo Riviera Resort & Spa 4*Paradise Bay Hotel 4*

DisclaimerEvery effort has been made to ensure that this walk is safe andsensitive to the needs of the visitor, locals and environment. TheMalta Tourism Authority is not responsible for any personal in-jury and/or loss of, or damage to, personal property whilst onthis walk or any other in the series.

Marfa Ridge Walk

Complimentary

Not to be sold

‘Malta Countryside Walks’ is a project of the:

Malta Tourism Authority’sProduct Planning and Development Directorate

Relish the breath-taking views of bays, cliffs and vast horizons as well as the idyllic Gozo Channelincluding the islands of Comino and Gozo. Natural habitats, geological formations and spectacular shadesof marine-blues and leafy-greens serve as a middle-space where land and sea interact; at times in sereneharmony and at times in violent conflict. The walk trails through parcels of farmland, wooded areas, garigueand beaches. The path also brings forward remnants and reminders of Malta’s military legacy and its bitterstruggle for survival, as several fortified defensive structures are encountered en route.

Other walks in the series

Passing through Ba˙rija - Ba˙rija Valley - Mta˙lebTal-Vigarju Cliffs - Fiddien Valley - Rabat

Ba˙rija Walk

Passing through M©arr - Bin©emma - Dwejra LinesSperanza Valley - Mosta.

Dwejra Lines Walk

Passing through Marsaskala - St. Thomas Bay - Tal-MunxarXrobb il-G˙a©in - Delimara - Tas-Sil© - Marsaxlokk.

Tas-Sil© Walk Still to be published

PRICELm1

Passing through Buskett - G˙ar il-Kbir - Girgenti ValleySi©©iewi - Il-Maqluba – Qrendi

Girgenti Walk

Marfa Brochure

Documents