THE ISLAND OF

Gozo
C O U N T RY S I D E

Ta Gurdan Walk

WA L K S

Introduction
This circular walk starts and ends in
the village square of Gharb. Taking
the left hand road skirting the side
of the church leads to open
countryside visiting St. Dimitri
Chapeland affording a good view
of TaGurdan Lighthouseand Ta
Pinu Sanctuary. Wied il-Mielah is
reached via an old paved road next
to St. Dimitri Chapel. The hilly
features of the island and the view
of the vast expanse of sea
stretching beyond the steep cliffs
can be best enjoyed from the top
of TaGurdan hill.
This walk leads on to the
magnificent valley of Wied ilGhasri ensconced between sheer
cliffs followed by TaGurdan Lighthouse. This imposing
landmark affords a birds-eye view of most of the island.
Eventually the walk leads to the Ta Pinu Sanctuary, a
centre of religious devotion and ex-voto offerings.By
following the road that bisects the fields behind the
sanctuary, you will get back to the village core,where
the walk began.
The French daffodil

A traditional donkey-drawn cart

A route map found in the centre pages of this

booklet, together with several direction signs
located along this route, will help you to follow
the walk more easily. Sticking to the set route
affords a fascinating cross-section of the Gozitan
countryside, folklore and traditions.
Distance:12 km
Time: 4 1/2 hrs

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

Breathtaking views of the Gozitan landscape

The walk
This walk starts from Pjazza taz-Zjara
tal-Madonna in the picturesque
village of Gharb. The quaint and
p a rt i c u l a r feel of the square is
e n h a n ce d by t h e p a r i s h c h u rc h
dedicated to our Ladys Visitation.
The church, built in 1679, is one of
the best representations of baroque
architecture in the Maltese islands.
One of its two belfries displays in
bold letters the message Ibni ghozz
iz-zmien (Cherish time, my son).The
concave faade is adorned with
i nt r i c at e s c u l p t u re a n d c a rve d
a ro u n d t h e m a i n d o o r a re t h e
symbols of Faith,Hope and Charity.

Gharbs village square

In front of the parish church there is

a stone plinth supporting a cross.
The year 1783 can be clearly seen
notched on the column.

Gharbs Folklore Museum

An imposing old building located on

the same side as the cross houses a
Fo l k l o re M u s e u m , ex h i b i t i n g
specimens of Gozos folklore and
heritage. From the village square,
2

follow the road

called Triq Madonna
t a l -Vi rt u f l a n k i n g
t h e l e ft- h a n d s i d e
of the church.
Going downhill you
will notice the
faades of recently
built houses,
especially those
bearing the names
of foreign countries
and cities, such as
A u s t ra l i a o r t h e
U n i t e d S t at e s of
America. These are
owned by returned
migrants who had
l e ft t h e M a l t e s e
i s l a n d s i n s e a rc h
of a better life in
l a n d s o f g re a t
o p p o rt u n i t y. T h e
s t r i k i n g va r i e t y of
balconies and
t e r ra ce s i s wo rt hy
of observation.
Tr i q M a d o n n a t a l Virtu levels out at a
crossroads. Our walk
co nt i n u e s s t ra i g ht
ahead along Triq Birbuba. Before
walking up to Triq Birbuba the uphill
left turn off the crossroads leads
to a chapel known as Il-Madonna
taz-Zejt (Our Lady of the Oil) that

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

Legend has it that a poor and pious peasant,

who eked out a miserable livelihood from
weaving, devotedly visited this chapel every
day. She used to pray to the Madonna,
imploring the Virgin to help her gain enough
money to buy oil to replenish the chapels oil
lamp. During May she would take a bunch of
wild flowers as an offering. One day when she
did not feel well,a beautiful lady appeared in
front of her and bid her make her way to the
chapel and take an earthenware jug with her.
The peasant dutifully complied and when she
approached the churchyard she saw liquid
oozing out of a crack in the wall. To her joy, she
realised that it was pure oil.This was the reply
to her constant prayer: more oil to offer to the
Blessed Virgin. Filled with unrestrained excitement,she
rushed to break the news to the priest,who was
dumbstruck.The news of this miraculous happening soon
spread like wildfire throughout Gozo and soon enough,
everyone was flocking to take oil for free.

The old chapel known as Il-Kapella talMadonna taz-Zejt

A stone sculpture representing Holy Souls

Unfortunately, greed lost no time in turning this

miraculous event into a commercial opportunity, as large
containers of oil were taken away by people with an eye
for a quick profit. Legend has it that as a sign of divine
disapproval, tongues of flame replaced the blessed oil.
However, after some time,a water spring substituted the
fire and kept running for many years in the watercourse
next to the churchyard. However, once more,a dispute
over this water spring that led to a bitter fight between
two families incurred divine wrath and this time the
spring dried up for good.

Ta Pinu Church and TGhammar hill

served as the parish church of Gharb

from 1679 to 1729.

Distant views of TaGurdan

Retracing your steps, you will return

to the crossroads and walk along
Triq Birbuba that winds uphill and
narrows gradually. On the left side
of the road, you can observe a very
old niche. Triq Birbuba leads on to
Triq San Dimitri. Here, you will pass
by s o m e t a s t e f u l l y co nve rt e d
farmhouses and old village houses.
Triq San Dimitri gives way to open
countryside where terraced fields
are mostly dry-farmed.
Reaching a junction you now take
the road on your right. P ro ce e d i n g
along the route, you will start seeing
the distant Ta Gurdan Lighthouse
towe r i n g a b ove t h e u n d u l at i n g
landscape. A footpath on the left

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

leads to a fireworks factory. A red

flag at full mast indicates that work
is in progress. It is advisable not to
loiter too close to the factory in such
a case.
A few m e t re s away f ro m t h e
fireworks factory, the road plunges
abruptly to the left. However, before
t h i s l e ft t u r n i s t a ke n , i t i s
wo rt hwhile to walk up a side lane

on the right that leads to San

Dimitri Chapel. This chapel dates
back to the fifteenth century. The
altarpiece represents St. Demetrius
on horseback. The highrise on which
San Dimitris Chapel

The Legends of San Dimitri

One of the legends of San Dimitri starts with a surprise attack by Turkish corsairs
on this part of Gozo. A young lad, the only son of a peasant who lived close to
the chapel, was captured and led into captivity. His desperate mother rushed to
the chapel and passionately implored St. Dimitri to redeem her son from slavery.
The woman made a solemn vow that she would provide oil for the chapels lamp
every single day of her life. Miraculously the images of the saint and his horse
came to life from the chapels altarpiece,and rushed out after the Turkish slave
ship, saved the boy from the terrified corsairs and rode back to the chapel,
delivering the lad safe and sound to his delighted mother. After this miraculous
sally, St. Dimitri returned to his original position in the picture. Local people insist
that his horse left his hoof marks on the rocks around the chapel.
The other two legends relate how a massive earthquake drove the land on which
the old chapel stood into the sea.However, the chapel miraculously did not
crumble and the oil lamp continued to burn in the depths.The legend claims that
fishermen sometimes see the oil lamp still flickering down on the seabed.
A similar legend narrates how two sailors, who dived from a ship anchored nearby
to try to free their blocked anchor, came up to narrate how they had seen a chapel
in which an oil lamp was burning! The present chapel built between 1736 and 1809
is well looked after by the members of a lay religious society based in Gharb.
5

megaliths set on a plateau.

The beauty of the Gozitan landscape

the chapel stands provides a

breathtaking view of Gharb, Ta Pinu
Sanctuary, Ta Gurdan Lighthouse,
Zebbug and other parts of the island.
Going back to the crossroads, you
should take the road that turns to
the left. Not far in the distance, you
c a n o b s e rve a c i rc u l a r row of

Following the footpaths you will

arrive at a T-junction. At this point,
the footpath on the right is to be
taken. This path then takes a left
downhill turn and runs along heavily
e ro d e d ye l l ow i s h g l o b i ge r i n a
limestone and clay. However, after a
short stretch, an old paved road is
encountered. The footsteps dug in
the barren rock surface are of
notable support to the hiker. At the
e n d of t h i s ro a d , a l e ft t u r n
eventually leads straight to Wied ilMielah.
Along this route you may notice

Common Poppy

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

The massive window of Wied il-Mielah

caper plants growing from cracks in

the walls. Caper picking is very
common in Gozo. Caper flower buds
are harvested in early spring right
up to mid-summer; after which they
a re i m m e r s e d i n v i n e ga r a n d
preserved in jars.The hardy endemic
Maltese salt tree can also be seen
growing along the sides of the
rubble walls.
Ta G u rd a n L i g ht h o u s e towe r s
ahead as the valley dips on your lefthand side. Ta Pinu Sanct u a ry can
also be seen in the distance. The
walk proceeds close to the sheer cliff
that leads straight down to the open
sea and continues until the head of

the gorge at Wied il-Mielah is

reached.
The natural rock formation of a
massive window in the cliff was
once a small crack in the rock that
became increasingly wider due to
the combined actions of rain, wave
action and erosion until it assumed
the current shape of a large natural
The delicate flower of the caper plant

Ox-eye-daisy

The scarletpimpernel

window. The process of erosion is an

ongoing one and inevitably the top
layer of this rock formation is bound
to fall off.
The path to the right provides
The rugged Gozitan northwestern coastline

b re at htaking views of the cliffs

pockmarked with huge caverns even
at water level. These caverns are
favourite haunts of local diving
schools. The terrain in this area
above the cliffs that is full of holes,
cracks, fissures and sharp points is
called a karst. Karst is formed by the
action of acid rain on the upper
co ra l l i n e l i m e s to n e. W h e n t h e
c a r b o n d i ox i d e d i s s o l ve s i n t h e
rainwater, it forms a mild acid that
causes erosion along the fissures of
the bedrock. Since rock is composed
of diffe re nt minerals, it does not
erode evenly, thus giving rise to the
typical karst landscape.
If an area is composed only of the
soft globigerina limestone it erodes
eve n l y to fo r m s m o o t h p l a n e s
usually full of fossils. But if some
upper coralline limestone (a harder
type of sedimentary rock) is found
on the globigerina, the part that is
covered erodes more slowly than
the other parts. This gives rise to
structures that resemble tables with
an upper coralline limestone top

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

Many different species of

grasshoppers live in these habits

The rocky coastline steppe

and a globigerina limestone leg. The stretches

of globigerina limestone visible to the left side of
this road clearly illustrate this.
One may notice that this type of landscape slowly
starts to give way to a new type of habitat, the
rocky steppe. This type of habitat is formed when
an area is composed mainly of the hard lower
co ra l l i n e l i m e s to n e a n d o n l y t h e c a l c i u m
carbonate found in it dissolves. The remaining
minerals form the red soil that can be seen in the
cracks.Where the pockets of soil are deep enough,
typical plants start growing. If the conditions are
favourable enough, the karst slowly turns into a
steppe. Due to several environmental factors, such
as lack of water, that particularly affect the steppe
due to shallow soil pockets, only a few plants are
adapted to live here. The following are the
typical flora of a coastal steppe:
Mediterranean steppe grass, goatgrass and sea

Some rocks can endure

erosion more than others

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

The fossil of a sea urchin conserved in globigerina

squill. The main shrub is the

Mediterranean thyme sometimes
heavily bordered by the parasitic
plant,the dodder. This site also hosts
certain endemic species growing
only on Gozo such as the Maltese
stalks and the Gozo
hyoseris.
Some orchids can also be identified
by the discerning eye.
This area is very rich in fauna,
among which one finds molluscs,
i n s e ct s, beetles and reptiles. If this
walk is taken early in the morning,
one may even spot the common
Black snake.

islands are made of sedimentary

rock that had formed under the sea
about 25 million years ago.
The effect of erosion on the cliffs,
caused by the elements, can be seen
i n t h e va r i e t y of s h a p e s a n d
contours that the surrounding cliffs
and hills have assumed. The village
of Zebbug, standing on the plateau,
can be seen from this area.

This area is littered with fossils

embedded in the rock. These fossils
are the remains of ancient creatures
that used to live in the sea and
provide evidence that the Maltese
12

The parasitic Dodder on its preferred host

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

The edible snail

By following the path downhill one

arrives at another valley, Wied ilGhasri. Prickly pears and capers
clamber on and over the rubble
walls. During late spring the area
becomes a carpet of red poppies.
As you leave Wied il-Ghasri, the road
follows a straight path until it veers
left, where it passes by a re s to re d
farmhouse. The pigeon loft can be
s e e n o n t h e f i r s t f l o o r of t h e
farmhouse. Walking slightly uphill,
past this farmhouse, you turn to the
right and continue walking straight
a h e a d u nt i l a s q u a re e nt i re l y
devoted to Gozos oldest basilica

and a statue of Our Lady is reached.

This church, standing along the
valley on the ruins of an earlier one,
was built in 1739 and dedicated to
the Pat ro n a ge of Our Lady, the
Madonna tal-Patroinju. Sixty years
later the church was placed directly
under the authority of the ArchBasilica of San Giovanni in Laterano
The endemic Gozo hyoseris flower

13

of Rome. The watercourse of the

valley runs by the basilica. Going
upstream past the Statue of Our Lady,
you will notice another stone cross.
Beside the cross, a row of white and
pink flowered oleanders border the

A characteristic Gozitan farmhouse

road on the side of the stream bed.

At the end of the row of 0leanders,
you will see a bridge. Walk to the

Stonework on the basilicas exterior

right where the oleanders give way

to a large elder. Then, the road turns
left and uphill into Triq il-Gonna.
Along this route you will pass by a
large livestock farm that stands on
the right hand side. This road joins
another road called Triq tGhammar.
Our walk continues towards the
hamlet of Ghammar. However,
before leaving this picturesque
h a m l e t , y o u m ay t a k e t h e
opportunity to climb Ta Gurdan hill,
see the lighthouse and view the
panorama.
After leaving Triq il-Gonna, our trail
co nt i n u e s s t ra i g ht o n w i t h o u t
taking any turns. Eventually you will
arrive in Triq il-Fanal that leads on to
TaGurdan Lighthouse.

14

This high vantage point offers

magnificent views of the island.The
North coast and much of the rest of
the island can be seen clearly. On
days of optimum visibility, one can
also observe the outline of the
Tal-Patroinju:Gozos oldestbasilica

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

TaGurdan Lighthouse

island of Sicily. The now dilapidated rooms close

to the lighthouse used to serve as an RAF base
during World War II. There was also an
observatory post manned by three Scouts in
this base. The keen observer may notice the
red colour of the cliffs along the road. They are

The pink oleander flower

Detail from the stone cross at Tal-Patroinju

Ta Gurdan Lighthouse
The construction of the lighthouse started in June
1852. Originally it was lit by means of a large oil
lantern and revolving reflector. This system was
changed to one using kerosene lamps and lenses,
later replaced by a more sophisticated system,
installed by the firm Barbier Bernard of Turenne in
France and which is still in use until the present day.
15

View of the northern coast of Gozo

composed of sandstone, one of the

oldest sedimentary rocks present on
the island.
The route takes you back downhill,
to the point where the asphalt road,
Triq tGhammar, runs into Triq ilFanal, some metres before the point
w h e re Tr i q i l - G o n n a j o i n s Tr i q
tGhammar. This road is the main

road linking Ghasri to Ta Pinu. This

ro a d p a s s e s t h ro u g h G h a m m a r
h a m l e t a n d p ro ce e d s towa rd s
G h a r b. T h e m a j e s t i c Ta Pi n u
Sanctuary is now quite close and
you may visit this church which is
open daily for worship and visiting .

The small flower of grey birdsfoottrefoil

A black beetle

16

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

The Ghammar plateau is dire ct l y

ahead, crowned by a statue in front
of t h e s a n ct u a ry. T h e t h i rt e e n
statues of the Way of the Cross can
be seen along a steep, uphill road.
To continue with the route, retrace
your steps and proceed to Triq tasS d i e r i , w h i c h r u n s b e l ow t h e
s a n ct u a ry down the valleybridge.
B e fo re the bridge spanning Wied
Qsajjem is reached, on the righthand side, you will see a
whitewashed small room, bearing a
plaque Ta Pinu Borehole. This room
houses a borehole, administered by
the Water Services Corporation

Statue from the Via Crucis at TGhammar

Ta Pinu Church
Ta Pinu Church was built by public subscription
following a miracle in 1883 involving a spinster,
Karmni Grima,and a small chapel located on the
site. The foundation stone was laid in 1916 and the
consecration by Bishop Gonzi took place in 1931. A
year later Pope Pius XI elevated it to the status of a
Basilica.The precision and intricate elegance of the
splendid stone work especially on the inside of the
church are admirable. Ta Pinu is visited by large
numbers of pilgrims as well as tourists.The sacristy is
full of ex-voto offerings.The 16th century chapel is
still preserved inside the Basilica as is the original
Madonna Ta Pinu painting (1619) by Bartolomeo
Amadeo Perugino.

Ta Pinu Sanctuary

17

Birds eye view of Ta Pinu Sanctuary

which manages the groundwater resources of the Maltese Islands. Similar

boreholes are commonly found along other valleys in Gozo, Comino and
Malta.
Soon the bridge over Wied Qsajjem is reached where you can observe the
orchards nestled in spent stone quarries by the valley. The stones that were
used to build Ta Pinu were extracted and refined in these former quarries.
Before proceeding uphill, you should have a last look at the sanctuary and its
imposing belfry tower.
Triq tas-Sdieri continues
Triq tas-Sdieri
uphill until you reach the
outskirts of
Gharb
v i l l a g e .T h e wa l k
continues along Triq ilBlata
on your left,
where the
various
designs of stone
balconies - old and new 18

GOZO C O U N T R Y S I D E W A L K S

as
well as the typical
a rc h i t e ct u ral features of old
v i l l a ge d we l l i n g s offe r a
quaint, unique scene. Soon
the road passes by the side of
the parish church and enters
into the village square from
w h e re t h i s wa l k i n g to u r
began.

Stone balcony displaying excellent craftsmanship

Gharb village core

19

Fa cts about the ro u t e

20

The route is suitable for hike s,

horse rides and pedal bike s .
Most
of
the
route
is
a ccessible to small ve h i c l e s .
One should check the local
A typical oil skink basking in the sun
bus timetable if one is
t ravelling by bus to the route starting point.
The local we ather fo re c a s t should be checked befo re setting off
as t h e re is hardly any shelter from adverse we ather co n d i t i o n s
along the ro u t e. A ra i n co at can come in ve ry h and y in ra i ny
co n d i t i o n s .
As most of the walk is over open co u nt rys i d e , i t is advisable to
c a r ry a packed lunch. I t i s p ossi ble to buy food at Gh arb or
Ghasri.
A dire cti on sign at Gharb vi llage square indi cates t he ro u t e
s t a rting point . This route is co l o u r-coded in ora n ge. A number
of smal ler di re c tion si gns, made of wood and numerically
m a r ked in ascending ord e r, a re found along the route to show
the right d i re ction in the absence of clear landmarks .
Public co nve n i e n ces are available at Triq t a Pinu and Triq it-Tr u x
in Gharb.
If one looks carefully at the map, one may see t h at the walk can
be bro ke n down into smaller laps. One can go to Ta G u rd a n
L i g ht h o u s e if one starts the walk from near Ta Pinu Sanct u a ry .
Some fi elds are marke d wi th white bl otches of paint and t h e
letters RTO indicate t h at the area is out of bounds for the visito r
s i n ce it is privately ow n e d . Piles of small stones stacked on each
other are also a t raditional n o -e nt ry s i g n .
B i rd t rapping and bird shooting are pra ctised in the co u nt rys i d e.
T h e re are , h owever strict re g u l ations determining areas where
such activities are permitted and times of year where no such
a ctivities are allowe d . Note also t h at b i rd shooting is pro h i b i t e d
f rom 1.00pm onwa rd s on Sundays and pub lic hol idays
t h ro u g h o u t the ye a r.

Tips for the road

Hikers are advised to follow the set route.

Short cuts are to be avoided since many
fields are privately owned.
Hikers should not climb over rubble walls
to avoid damaging them.
Hikers should avoid collecting wildlife
specimen, including flowers or plants.
Hikers are advised to tread carefully
along the trails to avoid trampling on the
sparse vegetation.
The throwing of stones or other objects
into valleys or other freshwater sites is
strictly prohibited.
Walking or cycling close to the cliff edges
is to be avoided.
It is advisable to follow this route in broad
daylight, giving due allowances for time
allotted to inevitable stops, resting, taking
of photographs and observing nature.

Useful telephone numbers

Emergency and rescue:112
Ambulance: 196
Police Station: 191
Telephone Enquiries:1182
Ministry for Gozo: 21 56 14 82
website: http://www.gozo.gov.mt
Malta Tourism Authority: 22 91 50 00
website: http://www.visitmalta.com
Gozo Tourism Association: 21 56 51 71
Gharb local council: 21 56 05 56
website: http://www.gozo.com/gharb
Ghasri local council:21 55 86 86
website: http://www.gozodirect.com/ghasri

Natural forces at play

Other
useful information
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced,
sorted in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any
means, e l e ct ro n i c , mechanical,
p h o to co py i n g , re co rd i n g o r
o t h e rw i s e , w i t h o u t t h e p r i o r
written consent of the copyright
holder. Direct enquiries may be
forwarded to the Ministry of Gozo
or the Malta Tourism Authority.
Date of Publication:May 2002
Text Prepared by:
Joseph Borg, Marita Sultana.
Photos and Map by:
Etienne Micallef

Ta Gurdan Walk
Walking along the route one will discover how the islands rich history, traditions and
geographical features intertwine with nature and local folklore. Hiking on the cliffs one
can observe the rugged coastline of the Maltese Islands, where panaromic views show
how secluded valleys full of life are found among the hills. Old farming methods are
gradually being replaced by modern farming.

Other walks in the series

Dahlet Qorrot Walk
Passing through: Nadur - Dahlet Qorrot Bay
TaGrejgel Valley - Qala

Saltpan Walk
Passing through: Victoria - Sara Valley
Ghasri - Ghasri Valley
Reqqa Point - Xwejni

Ramla Bay Walk

Passing through: Nadur - Wied Bingemma
Ramla Bay - Ta amet

Lunzjata Valley Walk

Passing through: Victoria - Lunzjata Valley
Santa Luija Hamlet
Ghajn Abdul

Gozo Countryside Walks is a partnership project of the:

Ministry for Gozo, Ministry of Tourism,
The Malta Tourism Authority and the Gozo Tourism Association
The project is being launched in 2002, the World Tourism
Organisations International Year of Ecotourism.

Price Lm1.00