Dingli Cliffs and Buskett
Malta
Distance 6k Climb 150m
Friday 31 August 2018
Today we were doing Walk 5 from the booklet Malta 10 Great Walks. This was another walk we did not get the chance to do last year. 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, as 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 journey to the start of our walk took a bit of time getting there. We took the first bus to Bugibba from our hotel that we could. This was where we had a problem, we were after a bus to Mdina but the first bus after our arrival had been cancelled, which caused us a delay. Eventually we got a bus and on arriving in Mdina we ran to catch the bus to Buskett. Unfortunately we got on the one to Dingli, so we did the walk shown in the booklet in reverse.
The bus driver dropped us at the end of his route in Dingli Village and we turned the corner to head up towards the church.
Trying to identify the features in the booklet in reverse we were twisting and turning up and down streets and ended up on the shorter route.
The path we were on led us to the radar station and radar dome on the coast.
At the main road we turned left and followed the road.
Passing the radar station and dome we were heading south east. We could also see the Island of Filfla out at sea.
Soon on our right we came to a chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. There were a number of tourist busses here.
Looking down from the cliffs we could see a number of houses and farms below.
At the road junction we turned left heading towards Buskett. After a few hundred meters we took a dirt path on our right that led us towards a large quarry.
Following the path uphill over the garrigue, moving away from the quarry. At the top we came across Ghar il-Kbir. A part natural, part dug cave settlement. The booklet provides some interesting information on the area.
After a quick look around some of the caves we continued east across the garrigue. We could see Verdala Palace to our front.
We soon found ourselves in an area known as Clapham Junction, the accepted theory is they are a number of ancient cart ruts that cross the garrigue.
On reaching a path we continued towards Buskett.
The path joined a road.
Then a main road.
At the junction we turned right along a road that led us to the woodland of Buskett.
We took our time heading through the woodland, turning left and right as we wanted. Making our way eastwards, heading uphill.
Eventually we found ourselves beside a large gate. This was on a very tight bend and we saw a couple of coaches moving backwards and forwards manoeuvring round the bend.
We found a path beneath the trees that ran beside the road, which kept us away from the traffic, it was also in the shade.
Turning the corner we found a bus stop opposite the Verdala Palace. This was where we should have started the walk. Not to worry we still had a good day.
Checking the bus timetable we found we only had a few minutes to wait for a bus to take us back to Mdina. A quick look around Mdina, we had been here before, then it was back to Bugibba, followed by a bus back to our hotel.
We had covered 6km with 150m 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.
More to follow
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 our previous walk in Malta Qrendi and The Blue Grotto 29 August 2018.
Follow link to our next walk in Malta Marsakalla to Marsalokk 3 September 2018.
No comments:
Post a Comment