Undoubtedly early spring is the ideal season for country walks in Malta. The Ramblers Association has issued its April walks programme, with its weekly ramble among various scenic, historical or geological settings, along secluded beaches, led by experienced walk leaders. The routes will explore some wayside chapels and other ancient structures that dot Malta’s countryside and coastal areas.
Even in this dry year, the Malterse countryside presents a floral paradise of red poppies, yellow cape sorrel and crown daisies in valleys and the rich garigue as the fragrance of the wild thyme wafts across the soft spring breeze.
The Ramblers start their Binġemma trek from Chadwick Lakes along country lanes until they reach secluded Dwejra Lines up to Binġemma with a stop at the ancient wayside chapel known as Il-Madonna ta’ l-Ittra (a corruption of the Greek word itria, meaning road).
This graceful chapel is perched on the edge of the rocky cliff overlooking the fertile valley. Below it is a cave consisting of three chambers, the innermost of which was a Roman graveyard. On the other side of the valley are rock-cut caves known as ‘the Caves of the Jews’.
Binġemma ramblers in front of the picturesque wayside chapel known as Il-Madonna ta’ l-Ittra.Ramblers walk up along the Victoria Lines on rough terrain and steep inclines, encountering humble girnas (corbelled huts) and Bronze Age silos until they reach Binġemma Fort with its magnificent views of the surrounding countryside and the shimmering blue sea.
The Birżebbuga walk explores the exceptionally rich historical area of Għar Dalam, the Bronze Age village of Borġ in-Nadur and the Roman remains of Ta’ Kaċċatura, passing through a maze of winding country lanes with views of the nearby sea dominated by St Lucian Tower in Marsaxlokk.
Old Railway Track, Attard, a nostalgic ramble down memory lane.The Five Wayside Chapels Trail will visit five chapels in the centre of the island that are an essential feature of the rural topography and have attracted the interest of both casual visitors and researchers. They are an eloquent testimony of the early Greek Christianity of the Maltese islands as evidenced from the proliferation of Eastern rite saints. This is indeed a cultural countryside ramble that takes in catacombs, ancient bee hives, cart ruts and hard stone quarries.
An innovative feature in April is a trek along the old railway track. Ramblers will start their walk down memory lane from the old Mtarfa station following as close as possible the old railway tracks passing through Rabat, Attard, Birkirkara, Santa Venera, Ħamrun and Floriana. Ramblers will be helped to identify the old remaining structures and artifacts still extant.
The association recommends that participants wear high-visibility clothing and insists on strict road safety to ensure their safety. This is the only urban walk in the April calendar.
Some of the trails in the April programme may be a little demanding and may be too challenging for beginners.
A cluster of rare giren (corbelled huts) in Binġemma. These rustic edifices are precursors of the Maltese skill in dome building.Each walk is graded as follows: Very hard – only for seasoned ramblers ready to take difficult steep inclines and rough terrain; Hard – for fit ramblers in good physical shape; Moderate – for the average trekker who can take on stretches of uneven ground; Easy for the occasional rambler who prefers leisurely stretches at a slower pace.
April walks programme
April 3: Dwejra Lines – Scenic
Rating: Moderate to hard
Meeting time: 9am
Duration: 3.5 hours
April 10: Along Old Railway Track
Rating: Moderate but long
Meeting time: 8.30am
Duration: 5.5 hours
April 16: Birżebbuġa/Ta’ Kaċċatura – Scenic and historical
Rating: Moderate
Meeting time: 9am
Duration: 3 hours
April 24: Five Wayside Chapels Trail – Scenic
Rating: Moderate
Meeting time: 8.45am
Duration: 3.5 hours
For further details, visit www.ramblersmalta.org or e-mail ram205@gmail.com or oakever@go.net.mt.
Lino Bugeja is honorary president of the Ramblers’ Association of Malta.