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This circular walk starts and ends in Nadur. This walk will lead you from Triq Duru, to Wied Binemma a typical Gozitian valley where traditional agricultural methods may be observed. The route then proceeds to the outskirts of Nadur, known as Ta Venuta. During this part of the walk, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of one of the most fertile valleys that can be found on this small island. Along this part of the walk you will also be able to closely observe the typical garigue habitat. On arriving at Ramla Bay, you will discover a treasure in its own right, featuring remarkable ecological, geological, historical and archaeological highlights. The walk proceeds by means of an old and quiet road which will guide you around the base of Nuffara ridge. On the way back to Nadur, from Ta Xajma road, you will come across the old watch tower, perched on an elevated part on the village plateau. A route map found in the centre pages of this booklet, together with several stone plinths located along this route, will help you follow along. Sticking to the set route affords a fascinating cross-section of the Gozitan countryside, folklore and traditions. Distance: Time: 10 kms 4 hours
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
The Walk
left-hand side, if you arrive at Nadur via Ta Xajma Street. Along this road, you can feast your eyes on the splendid, panoramic views of the villages of Xewkija, Xagra, ebbu, Victoria and The Citadel. In winter, Nuffara hill is covered with a variety of wild colourful flowers, with the Cape Sorrel being the most abundant. From this high vantage point you cannot help but notice the unique, hilly, Gozitan landscape that sets it apart from the sister island of Malta. This unique topography is the result of a succession of several land drifts caused by tectonic movements throughout the ages. These have led walk starts from Duru Street T his which is the first road on your to the formation of the Maltese archipelago and of the numerous rock faults present within them. Continue along this road until you reach a street named Trejqet Santa Luija. This narrow side street leads to Ta ida Street. Ta ida refers to the place where the Hobby Falcon nests and which has acquired its name due to the fact that this regal
bird used to raise its young in cracks in the cliff side nearby. This area is the oldest part of the village of Nadur. People have lived here long before the village of Nadur was declared a parish in 1688. This is evident through the presence of many old houses featuring old balconies and open-air staircases. Further along the road you can enjoy some enchanting views of Ramla Bay, as well as of the valley leading to it. Note the terraced fields enclosed by rubble walls, typical of the Maltese and Gozitan countryside. These rubble walls serve many functions and are mainly used to prevent soil erosion as a result of wind and rain, as well as to mark the limits of the individual plots. Additionally, in recent years, it has been recognised that these walls have actually developed mini-ecosystems and have become the natural habitat to many species, including the lizard.
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Once you have reached the main road that leads to Ramla Bay, cross the road and walk to Wied Binemma Street. This road offers unique spectacular views of a typically cultivated valley. From among the recently built houses to your left, you can catch a glimpse of the village centre of Nadur, dominated by the majestic baroque church. Work on the church, designed by the Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonnii, began on the 7th December 1760. In 1904 the aisle, dome and faade, designed by Prof. F.S. Sciortino, were added to the original building. The church is
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
open everyday from 05.00 until 10.00 hrs and from 16.15 until 19.15 hrs. From here you can see another smaller, privately owned church. Rev. Joseph Vella originally had this church built and now his relatives pay for its maintenance. The foundation stone was laid on the 4th May 1902. The paintings on the dome, ceiling and altar piece are by Prof. Guiseppe Briffa. Along the road, the built landscape gives way to views of the open countryside. This area is called Wied Binemma and in winter a watercourse flows along the leftThe fragile flower of the Tassel Hyacinth
hand side of this road. It is almost impossible to miss is the Great Reed that typically grows near valley banks and along watercourses. Local inhabitants use the dried cane of this plant for various purposes. Rows of this cane are tied together to produce the familiar wind breakers that are used to shield the crops from the northern wind in winter. The reed curtains that can be seen covering the front doors and windows of Gozitan houses are also made of this reed which is cut and tied together with pieces of rope. Virtually all year round, tadpoles of the Painted Frog, the only amphibian of the Maltese islands,
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A very old olive tree at Wied Binemma
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
can be seen swimming in this clear watercourse. Due to the areas plentiful fresh water supply, many different fruit trees have been planted in the surrounding fields. These orchards consist mainly of citrus, pomegranate and apple trees as well as vines.
A wide variety of vegetables is grown in other fields. Proceeding along this fertile area of undisturbed countryside, you will come accross a small olive grove. The lichens (a successful alliance between a fungus and an alga) that
Ramla Bay
grow on the branches indicate that these trees are very old. The lichens found on these olive trees are very rare on the Maltese islands, and this valley is one of the few habitats where this species can be found.
From this point, San Blas, a secluded area in the village of Nadur, can be seen towering on the left hand side of the valley. You can also note quite a number of backyard gardens. If you continue walking along this road you will reach a small room, which houses a borehole. This borehole is operated by the Water Services Corporation, which manages the islands ground water sources. Similar boreholes are common along the valleys in Gozo, Comino and Malta. Here the road ends in a T-junction, where you should take the road to your left. Walk uphill along this
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
road until you arrive at a point where the road forks into two. This time take the road to your right. This part of the walk continues in open countryside. Once again the road leads to crossroads - take the road to your left (1), which proceeds to Ramla Road. While following the road downhill (2), you can spot an old field-house that has a traditional pigeonry in one of its rooms. Passing by this field-house, you will arrive at the T-junction near the big vineyard which flanks the road. Take the right turning and proceed to Ramla Bay. Here, a large parking area, telephone box and public toilets are available. Ramla boasts unique historical, geographical, and natural features waiting to be discovered.
On arriving at Ramla Bay, the first thing that will probably capture
Underwater Defences
A complex series of fortifications were devised for Ramla Bay, including the building of an underwater entrenchment wall. The latter spans the whole bay and although invisible from the sea, is very effective in preventing vessels from reaching the beach. The wall is best seen from Calypsos Cave, where you will be able to see a dark jagged line across the bay.
Fougasses
Fougasses were excavated as close as possible to the shore with their axles pointing towards the most probable route that the enemy would take. The defenders would charge the fougasses with a barrel of gunpowder and then load them with rocks, keeping the largest rocks at the bottom. Fougasses were meant to discharge a shower of stones that would cause a great deal of damage to the enemy galleys. If they missed however, the fougasses needed about one hour to be reloaded, but the Knights optimism was inexhaustible. This is shown by a quote from Boisgelins Ancient and Modern Malta, Appendix IV: even if they miss their aim they inspire great terror, from the apprehension that a second attempt may be more successful.
your attention, other than the beach itself, is a small slope located along the side of the parking area. Here you can see the heavily eroded remains of an old building. These are the remains of the Ramla Left Balincourt Battery. In all there were three batteries located at Ramla Bay. The second battery is the Ramla Vendsome Redoubt, formerly located in the centre of Ramla Bay. However, in 1881 it was replaced by a votive statue of the Madonna. Behind this statue you can still see some stone slabs, which once formed part of this redoubt. The third battery, the Ramla Right Balincourt Battery, was built in a cave on the cliffs of Nadur. The cave can still be seen from the bay. Some elderly people from Nadur maintain that a staircase used to connect this battery to the bay. These batteries were built around Gozo between 1715 and 1716. The three batteries at Ramla Bay were also protected by an entrenchment wall, which was set up in the sea.
The Fougasse
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S form part of the defensive system and is known as a fougasse. The most evident feature of Ramla bay is its red sand, which is the result of the natural erosion of the green sand rock - a thin layer of soft rock found on both sides of the bay. Once the sand is formed, waves and currents help to keep the sand ashore. During the winter months, a large amount of rainwater flows from the valley into the sea. This forms a pond of brackish water and Great Reeds grow by its banks. In summer, this pond does not dry out completely and the Killifish, an endemic brackish water fish, can be seen in it.
The latter can still be seen from a high vantage point such as Calypsos Cave at Xagra. These entrenchments were a form of irregularly shaped lines of defence built close to the shore facing the open sea. On the eastern side of Ramla Bay, lying on the edge of the seashore, is a large rock with a big circular hole in it. This hole used to
Ramla Bay as seen from the cave that formed part of the Ramla Right Balincourt Battery
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
The sand dunes and their fragile ecosystems have become quite rare in the Maltese islands, as most other sandy beaches have suffered significant impacts owing to intensive development. The sand dunes also provide the appropriate habitat for the numerous African Tamarisk trees. These trees harbour a variety of birds and reptiles. Since their roots are firmly anchored in the sand, they reduce sand dune erosion considerably. The main plants that grow in these sand dunes consist of the Sea Holly, Sea Daffodil, the Woolly Safflower, the Smooth-leaved Saltwort and
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A fire bug resting on the flower of the bushy restharrow
GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S the Bushy Restharrow. All these plants have developed many adaptations that help them survive in these harsh, dry and highly saline conditions. Since the sand dunes are not static and their shape changes at a relatively fast rate, these plants have also managed to cope with surviving in a disturbed environment. They can even survive when they are buried under the sand. This habitat also harbours a variety of insect species. They live on plants or else are found burrowing in the sand. Many different spiders are
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found here but they are usually very well camouflaged and hard to spot. On the shoreline, a whole new ecosystem exists. You may spot small worms called swat
burrowing in the wet sand near the sea. Additionally, several other organisms live in the Posidonia seaweed that is washed ashore. As Ramla Bay is the most popular
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GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
bay in Gozo, a large number of people visit the site, particularly in summer. On leaving the beach, retrace your steps back to the T-junction. This
time keep walking straight ahead, along the road to Xagra. On the right-hand side of the road you can see the small water-catchment dams. These are used by neighbouring farmers to gather the
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rainwater. This is then used to irrigate their crops and fruit trees during the dry summer months. Continue walking along this road until it starts going uphill. At this point turn into a narrow side-road to your left (3). This side road is called Old Ramla road, since it was the only road that led to Ramla from
the village of Xagra. This road will take you around the base of Nuffara Ridge which is situated right between the slopes of Nadur and Xagra. In-Nuffara, which is now in a secluded and undisturbed part of this open countryside, must have been a very busy place during the prehistoric era. Archaeological findings revealed six roundly cut holes with large bell-shaped recesses below. These probably served as tombs in the Tarxien period for the gantija people (2400 - 2200 B.C.) and as silos or cisterns during the Bronze Age period (1450 300B.C.). Shards belonging to the Arab period were also found scattered around on this hill and these finds indicate that it was used as a settlement by Arabs. Walking along this quiet and secluded road instils a deep sense of the beauty and serenity of the Gozitan countryside. A right turn leads into a side road that develops
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GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S
Ta amet Chapel
This chapel, known locally as Ta amet, is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It was built by Liberato Grech who was responsible for the uprising of the Gozitans against the French. On 12th June 1789, Napoleon took over the islands and the era of the Knights of Malta came to an end after 268 years of rule. The French troops who crossed over to Gozo were posted at Fort Chambrai and the Citadel. The French imposed new laws that the locals did not accept as they went against Gozitan traditions and customs. The French repealed the authority of the church, severed all connections with Rome and only allowed each religious order to have one convent. To add insult to injury, most of the churches were ransacked.
Ta amet Chapel
By the 2nd September 1798, the Maltese started their revolt against the French. News spread to the sister island of Gozo and the locals started to prepare themselves for battle. It was Archpriest Saverio Cassar together with some Gozitan leaders who organised the plot to overthrow the French. Liberato Grech, who was from Xagra, was given command of a group of men from Xagra and Xewkija, while a lawyer, Dr Giuseppe Grima was in command of a group from ebbu. The French retreated into the fortifications. Fort Chambrai was conquered on the night between 16 and 17th September 1798 and the Citadel was taken a few days later. As a gesture of thanksgiving for victory over the French, Liberato Grech built this chapel, which was then blessed by his son, Canon Salvatore Grech. A farmhouse with a stone plinth bearing a carving of the souls in purgatory is located across the road, in front of the chapel. The altarpiece inside the chapel depicts Our Lady of Mount Carmel holding Baby Jesus in her lap. It was painted in 1883 by Tommaso Madiona. The importance of this painting lies in the fact that the artist included a view of the chapel with a typical Gozitan landscape as the background for the lower part of the painting. To the left, is a painting of St Michael by Antonio Falzon, which was installed in 1844, while an old baroque painting of the Immaculate Conception hangs in the vestry. Although the artist is still unknown, the picture is believed to be a replica of the alterpiece of the Cospicua Church in Malta.
Carving of Souls in Purgatory
into a T-junction. Taking the turning to the right and walking straight ahead (4), you will arrive at a main road. At this point you should turn left and pass by Ta amet chapel. The chapel has a classical faade with the twin bell towers being a later addition. The new chapel was built side-by-side the old chapel, which had become too small for its congregation. Although the chapel is open daily, the front door of the old chapel is normally kept closed as service is usually held in the new chapel. The chapel may be accessed through the vestry to the right of the front door, or by crossing the car park on the right hand side of the chapel. Leaving the chapel and walking straight on, you will arrive at a
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GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S roundabout. Take a left turn and walk along the Ta Xajma road to the starting point of the walk. As you walk uphill along Ta Xajma road, note the signal tower that stands on a high ridge. This Signal tower is known as Ta Kenuna. It was built during the English rule in the middle of the nineteenth century. The tower was later used as a telegraph post. Today the tower has been restored and is still being used for communication purposes, as the antennae set up on its roof indicate.
A closer look at the Red Flower of Sulla
After a long walk along Ta Xajma road, you will reach the starting point of this fascinating walking tour.
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Date of Publication: March 2005 Text: Etienne Micallef Photos: Etienne Micallef Map: Andre Micallef Grimaund Produced by the: Malta Tourism Authoritys Product Planning and Development Directorate
Ramla Walk
While hiking along this route, you will explore several of Gozos natural, geological, historical and traditional features. However, particularly distinctive of this walk are the relaxing sounds of one of the most fertile valleys on the island. Here you will discover the unique colour of the red sand at Ramla and enjoy the panoramic views offered by the Gozitan countryside.
Barija Walk
Passing through:
Barija - Barija Valley - Mtahleb Tal-Vigarju Cliffs - Fiddien Valley Rabat
Girgenti Walk
Passing through:
Buskett - Gar il-kbir Girgenti Valley Siiewi - Il-Maqluba - Qrendi
Saltpan Walk
Passing through:
Victoria - Sara Valley Gasri - Gasri Valley Reqqa Point - Xwejni
Gozo Countryside Walks is a partnership project of the: Ministry for Gozo, Ministry for Tourism and Culture, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Gozo Tourism Association The project was launched in 2002, the World Tourism Organisations International Year of Ecotourism.
Price Lm1.00