Victoria Lines
Malta
Distance 14km Climb 250m
Saturday 30 September 2017
This was another of the walks I had been looking forward to. We had passed views of this walk on our bus journey each time we had travelled to and from Valletta. Today was the day we were doing Walk 7 from the booklet Malta 10 Great Walks. If you would like a copy of the booklet then please follow the link. The booklet gives a good description of routes and points out loads of interesting information. I am writing the basic details of our walk, it would be wrong of me to copy all of the information from the booklet. I would recommend this booklet to anyone interested in doing this walk.
The Victoria Lines run across Malta, the booklet advises this walk covers approximately half of it.
We took the number 42 bus down the road from the hotel to Mosta. As always I took loads of photos but I have only included a few of them here. Before starting the walk we spent some time in the Parish Church in Mosta, a very interesting place. The booklet has a lot of information on this Church.
Leaving the Church we walked back up the road the way the bus had brought us into Mosta.
We continued northwards across the Speranza Valley. Crossing straight over a roundabout, the walk turns right passed a wind driven pump. Leaving Anne for a few minutes I continued along the main road to look at the pillbox bus stop.
I had a look over what I believe is the Targa Gap and St Joseph with the baby Jesus.
Returning back to the Triq Misrah Ghonoq I rejoined Anne and we walked a few hundred meters before taking the steps down to the left onto the wall.
After a few hundred meters, I left Anne again to take a quick look at the entrance of the underground NATO facility.
Rejoining Anne we continued along the wall, we walked as far as we could to Fort Mosta. Anne stayed on the path while I had a quick look at the views from the pillbox and a little beyond.
Back on the wall with Anne, we followed the booklet which recommends backtracking a little and taking a path up to our left. This took us up to the main public road. Turning left we walked down the road to cross directly over a roundabout, and onto a high bridge which we used to cross over the Wied il-Ghasel.
Over the bridge we turned right heading towards Mosta, after a few hundred meters we saw the path, stone steps dropping down to our right. There is also a big red arrow sprayed onto the path.
The steps took us down the side of the gorge and we followed the path under the bridge we had just walked over.
Continuing along the path we crossed the stream bed and walked up to the chapel in the cave. The booklet describes the chapel as wonderful and recommends looking through the door. From what I could see through the door the booklet is correct, it was wonderful.
After a short rest we returned back along the path, under the road bridge.
Climbed the steep steps up the side of the gorge.
Turning left to walk along the road back to the bridge. We continued straight on following the road. After a few hundred meters we came to another feature mentioned in the booklet.
Our walk was now along a very busy road, no pavement, and to be honest not very pleasant. At a major roundabout I walked left downhill a short distance to see a restored Second World War pillbox.
Returning back to the major roundabout I turned left where I met Anne who had walked straight ahead.
Following the directions in the booklet we turned left and crossed the garrigue to reach the wall of the Victoria Lines.
I must say it was fascinating walking along here. The booklet describes this part of the walk as "Exciting isn't it?" I thought it was brilliant and made the walk along the road well worth it.
We followed the wall along, and I noticed many red arrows painted on stones. At the top there is a road where mature skateboarders were practising. After crossing the road there is now a beautiful secluded park, where we had a short rest.
The booklet recommends walking through the park on the upper road, and points out more features. All very interesting.
I had left Anne in the park. Returning we continued down the road where the skateboarders had been and passed an area of caves and an early Christian shrine.
At the valley bottom we worked our way east.
Turned left, northwards at an old Church.
Passed this interesting looking building.
Before we reached a very busy main road.
After a short distance we had reached the finish of the walk and rewarded ourselves with a couple of cold shandies.
After our cold shandies, we crossed the road and waited for a bus. We did not have long to wait before the 222 came and took us back to our hotel.
We had covered 14km with 250m climb. Another good walk from the booklet Malta 10 Great Walks. I would recommend checking out this link to anyone interested in doing any walking in Malta.
Unfortunately this was our last walk from the booklet Malta 10 Great Walks on this holiday. We had only done 7 of the 10 walks. We are already talking about going back to Malta to do the other 3 walks from this booklet and possibly more from one of the other booklets shown on this website.
More to follow
Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.
If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Malta or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.
Follow link to my previous walk in Malta The Island of Comino 28 Sept 2017.
Follow link to my next walk in Malta Ahrax Tower (The White Tower) Mellieha 1 Oct 2017.
No comments:
Post a Comment