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March 2025 Walks

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​Saturday, 22nd March

Manikata Church

 

• Meeting Point  :  We park our cars at the car park in front of Manikata Church.

• Meeting Time  :  2.15pm.

• Walk Starts      :  2.30pm.

• Buses               :   44 or 238 from Valletta, 101 from Mgarr or Cirkewwa.

• Location          :   Google Maps click here   Location: 35.941482, 14.352845

 

The walk starts behind the church along a narrow track that takes us slightly downhill onto a stony pathway with cart ruts - soon passing a large care on our left.  We circle round to the left passing beneath an aqueduct where we cross the road and follow a stony track that leads to the headland.  Here we can see Ghajn Znuber tower on the right but we turn left and walk along the headland.  Turning inland we follow a complicated route, with distant views of Golden Bay that eventually leads us back to our cars.

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Paradise Bay Resort

Weekend Break
March 28th to 30th, 2025

Click here for more info

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- WALKS -
Friday, March 28th 
Marfa Ridge Walk
 

We meet in the Paradise Bay Hotel car park at 1.45pm to start walking at 2.00pm (duration: 2.15 hours, mild walk). We go onto garigue behind the hotel and walk along the cliffs, passing a car park and continue up close to the cliffs. We visit the interesting Ghar Tuta and continue up to the asphalted road. We turn left and walk along the road till we are beneath the Red Tower. We go left onto garigue and head close to the trees on our right. We pass a huge rubble pile on our right and continue down to a path that leads to the surfaced road. We turn left and soon turn right as the road starts to ascend. We pass a farm on the left and continue on the road as it bears left uphill where we soon meet the road above the Paradise Bay Hotel. We go onto garigue again and back to the hotel car park.

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Saturday, March 29th
Comino Cruise & Circular Walk

This walk needs booking

We all meet at 9.30am inside Paradise Bay Hotel, close to the front desk to be checked in for the boat trip.  Mario Farrugia will collect the booking group price of 10 euros each (normal price is 15 euros). Children under 10 years pay 5.00 euros each.  At 9.45am we walk together as a group towards Cirkewwa and the Comino booking area, where we all will get a boarding ticket.  On the way to Comino we will visit some popular caves.  (The boat’s Captain reserves the right to cancel or alter the cruise).

 

BOOKING  OPEN  FOR THE COMINO BOAT

Mario Farrugia is taking the bookings. Booking closes on Tuesday 25th. March 2025

€10 for booked adults, €5 for booked children. Give your name and surname for each person

Phone or SMS on 99268508 – landline 21666166 (From 8:30am to 8:00pm only)

Email: farrm002@gmail.com       

 

On Comino we head towards Santa Marija Tower and stop briefly near the tower to take some photos. (Note that at the moment the tower is closed for refurbishment). After, we walk inland to visit The Santa Marija Battery and later also the very interesting Ghar il-Hamrija. The duration of walk is 4.00 hours. We strongly recommend good trekking shoes walking sticks and backpacks, no handbags! Remember to bring a packed lunch and water.  

We leave Comino at about 3.30pm.
 

Sunday, March 30th
Cirkewwa Circular Walk

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We meet in The Paradise Bay Hotel car park at 10.00am and start walking at 10.00am (duration: about 1.45 hours, easy walk). We cross the road and go down by a path close to the sea. We continue all the way, passing Musa Battery and the old Marfa Jetty, and head behind the Ramla Bay Hotel.  We take a very narrow path which leads us to Ir-Ramla tal-Qortin.  From here we return to the Ramla Bay Hotel and walk behind the Labranda Riviera Hotel.  We continue on the pavement all the way back to Paradise Bay Hotel.

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Click here for more info

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April 2025 Walks

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Wednesday, 2nd April

Marsaxlokk – San-Lucjan – Marnisi Area

 

• Meeting Point  :  We meet near Marsaxlokk Parish Church, close to the bus stop Marsaxlokk.  

• Meeting Time  :    2.15pm

• Walk Starts      :    2.30pm

• Buses               :    81 from Valletta, 119 from Airport, 210 from Mater Dei Hospital.

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We walk in Triq Xatt is-Sajjieda keeping close to the sea.  Pass the 1715 Knights era Vendome Tower or Redoubt, now the headquarters of Marsaxlokk F.C.  We go on the small beach and continue on this path all the way up till reaching St. Lucian Tower, built by Grand Master Wignacourt between 1610 and 1611.  In 1715 a semi circular battery was added and later the British built more fortification walls and gun emplacements between 1872 and 1878. Continue around the fort and observe the caponies in each corner of the ditch.

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We stop for a while in front of the entrance to the fort and continue down Triq il-Qajjenza, keeping close to the sea.  Pass the huge oil tanks and enter a narrow path between fields till we emerge into Triq San Lucjan and go left.  At Y junction go right to see the Knights era Kavallerizza which was a horse riding school.  We go into a narrow path and emerge on asphalted road and ahead we pass Palazzo Marnisi and soon pass also the Marsovin Vineyards and emerge into the main road, Triq iz-Zejtun.  Turn right, pass the niche’ of Christ the Redeemer.  This old statue was once part of the Zejtun Good Friday Procession which goes back to 1742 and was later put here, after a new one replaced it.

 

Cross the road; continue down and ahead turn left by the roundabout with Wied Hal Ginwi on our left till we reach a wide area, cross the road and go behind Marsaxlokk Parish Church and soon back to our cars.

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Saturday, 12th April

Bridge Over Chadwick Lakes

 

• Meeting Point  :   We park our cars at Chadwick Lakes at the bottom of the steep hill from Mtarfa.

• Meeting Time  :    2.15pm.

• Walk Starts      :   2.30pm.

• Buses                 :   82 and X4 from Valletta, 119 from Airport and 210 from Mater Dei Hospital.

Stop on bus stop PAPA.

 

The walk starts from the bridge over Chadwick Lakes, where we take a narrow path up Wied Armla with the “Qolla” on our right.  At the top we make our way to the Dwejra Lines and walk over the beautifully restored footbridge at Bingemma Gap.  Leaving the Victoria Lines, we pass Nadur Tower and soon find ourselves in the picturesque hamlet of Ghemieri where we meander down the valley surrounded by fruit trees.  After passing the Fiddien booster station we follow the Chadwick Lakes back to our cars.

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Saturday, 26th April

Kortin Area - Selmun Palace - Mgiebah Bay

 

• Meeting Point  :  We park in Triq il-Qortin, which is directly in front of Welbee’s Supermarket, Mellieha, about 500 metres down near the round orange mirror on the right.   

• Meeting Time  :  2.15pm.

• Walk Starts      :  2.30pm.

• Buses               :   41, 42, 49 from Valletta, 101 from Cirkewwa, 221 from Bugibba, 222 from Sliema ferries, 250 from Mater Dei and X1 from Airport).  Use the pelican crossing, then only a 6 minute straight walk down Triq il-Qortin to the starting point.

 

We take the rough path and continue towards Selmun Palace in the distance.  Once near the Palace, we turn left and continue straight on the road till we reach derelict traditional farm buildings with a sign “L-ERBA’ RZIEZET”.  We go down a narrow path that takes us to a sort of “crossroads”; turn right and head for the sea and Mgiebah Bay below.  We continue left and take the rough tracks nearer to the sea till we reach a sort of a WWII pillbox, and take a SHORT BREAK.

We continue all the way with the sea on our right, till reaching the building.  We pass this area and turn sharp left and soon to the right and up a steep cemented path.  We continue and zigzag up till we reach a cemented road, turn left and soon sharp right uphill.  We reach a pipe barrier; turn right and continue straight ahead and soon turn left into a track, which takes us past a WWII pillbox.  Continue on this path and shortly follow downhill to reach our cars again.

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​​Advice for Walkers

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This section provides advice for anyone taking part in a walk organised by the Malta Geographical Society.

Most walks involve using paths around and occasionally across fields; they can be uneven and muddy. In spring and summer you may have to cope with vegetation on and next to the paths.

Our walks are led by experienced walk leaders.

Here there is advice on clothing, what to bring on walks and good practice for group walks.

       All walkers

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• Note that walks start at the time given on the walk program. Anyone who wants to join the walk after it has started or who decides to leave before it has finished should make sure the leader knows.

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    Parking

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• The Society  encourages car sharing to get to walks – partly to reduce our carbon footprint and partly to ensure we all can park.

      Clothing/Footwear  

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• Anyone coming on a Society walk should be suitably clothed. A list of essential items includes:

• a pair of walking boots or shoes,also a spare pair of shoes in the car

• a waterproof jacket, outdoor trousers; a hat of some sort depending on the weather, something to eat and drink. Water is important to keep you hydrated.

• A walking pole is useful and a whistle for emergencies and for wet weather a pair of over trousers.

• Something to sit on to protect against the damp and the cold is important.

• Some may wish to bring a first aid-kit, a change of clothing and sun-glasses and sun cream. 
   

      Food and drink

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• Bring food and drink  for the refreshment breaks. 

 

      Accidents/incidents

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• Alert the walk leader immediately if you feel unwell or need medical attention.

In the event of an incident/accident occurring report it to the Secretary or Chairman as soon as possible after the walk.

•    Leaders do carry First Aid kits and have basic First Aid training.

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    On the walk

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     The walk coordinator is in charge and responsible for ensuring the safety of the group and follow all instructions when directed. Do not move ahead of the walk coordinator.

     It is important that we all play a part in keeping walkers in touch on a walk. If you need to go into the bushes please tell someone so that they can tell the leader. Please let someone know if you are stopping – for whatever reason. Be aware of the walkers behind you at path junctions and ensure they have seen you turn off onto a sometimes hidden path.

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     We ask all walkers to respect protected plants and vegetation and to leave no trace of food/fruit as it will take months to decompose. Take any rubbish that you have accumulated on the walk home with you.

    Particular care should be taken when walking along a road without a pavement. You are advised to walk single file and face the oncoming traffic unless blind bends make this dangerous. Please take care when crossing a road and when walking on quiet, narrow lanes and try to keep to one side, normally the right hand side.

    When using gates make sure that any gate is left as found, and not left open when it should be closed. When walking across a field and through crops keep as close as you can to any obvious route but sometimes the leader has to rely on a map to guide the way. Please walk in single file where the pathway is narrow and keep together and walk briskly when using the public footpaths which go through private gardens close to houses.

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    A farmer/land manager may have posted notices with instructions for walkers; look out for these. Similarly there may be notices from local councils saying that a path is obstructed for some reason and advising an alternative route.

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