In my previous post I have talked about some of the most beautiful places along the Western Coast of Malta, focusing on the Southern Part. Next is the Northern Coast which apart from the rugged cliffs, is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches. The North Western coast of Malta is affected by Malta’s prevalent wind; the fierce North West Wind. To enjoy your day on Malta’s North West make sure to check out the weather forecast beforehand as some places might become dangerous.
Here are my favourite places to visit in north western Malta:
Dingli Cliffs
Dingli cliffs is a huge area and a walk along this majestic cliffs is sure to clear your mind away from any troubles you may have! Dingli cliffs start right above Fawwara area (where we stopped our journey in the previous post). and keep going north until Mtahleb area. This coastal walk is the most scenic your eyes can witness in Malta, as this is the highest ‘peak’ in Malta. When we speak about peak in Malta it is very relative as we are talking about 250m above sea level. The landscape is characterised by the Mediterranean garigue, the prevalent natural landscape of the Maltese islands. Among the flora there are several species low lying shrubs that have adapted to survive in the strong winds that often hit Dingli cliffs. You may also encounter several species of birds who have their nests along these cliffs such as the Blue Rock Thrush (Merill).
Ras id-Dawwara
Ras id-Dawwara is off the radar for many who visit the Maltese islands and not only. I am sure there are a lot of locals who never visited this place; Maltese people tend to stay away from places to which you cannot get by car. This is a place that involves some trekking to get to and moreover you need to carefully select the days on which you visit. Winds can get pretty rough here and the terrain is very muddy after rain water. When it rains a lot, there is a waterfall here that goes directly into the sea. However, I was never lucky enough to see it. This is just another reason to keep visiting this place in the hope that right day will come.
Mtahleb and Migra Ferha
Mtahleb is one of the numerous rural villages that have been abandoned by its inhabitants. This village consists of a church and several abandoned houses. Some of these houses have been turned into shelters for animals. Mtahleb is not exactly located on the coast but it can be combined with the nearby Migra Ferha. You can get to Migra Ferha easily with a car and you can go down the canyon next to the sea. You can also start your trek towards Ras id-Dawwara from here as it is pretty close as well.
Fomm ir-Rih
Fomm ir-Rih means the Wind’s Mouth and as its name implies, this place is directly exposed to the strongest of Malta’s winds – the NorthWestern winds. You can visit this beach either by starting a trek from Bahrija direction which starts south of the beach. Otherwise you can start from a viewpoint that lies exactly above this beach. There is the option of renting a canoe from nearby Gnejna and canoe to this beach. It is a very nice journey as you can also stop at the caves in Ta’ Marija. You can spend half a day or more canoeing here, but be careful on the winds. Always check out the forecasts before venturing out on a canoe as winds tend to get stronger in the afternoon and going back to Gnejna might become very challenging.
Ta’ Marija Cave
I only discovered this cave a couple of years ago while canoeing from Gnejna. It was a very nice surprise as I was not aware of this cave. After having searched for it on the internet I found out it is actually possible to trek down to these caves. It is not very easy to get here from land as the rocks are very slippery and going inside the caves is only possible when the sea is completely flat. Unfortunately I do not have any good photos of this place as I visited only with a canoe and of course I do not risk taking any photographic equipment with me on a canoe. The photo to the right are from Gilbert Vancell, a very talented local photographer who has several beautiful shots of Ta’ Marija Cave and also several other places here in Malta. Thanks Gilbert for being a source of inspiration, I love your work! You can also view his work and interesting videos on how to get to beautiful photogenic spots here.
Gnejna
Gnejna is one of the few sandy beaches on Malta’s Western coast. It is located close to the rural village of Mgarr and getting to the beach involves driving along a very nice valley which is full of cultivated lands. To be honest I do not love visiting this beach in Summer as it is very crowded and the seas are not very clear. I prefer visiting on beautiful winter days as there are less people and the sea is crystal clear. You can walk along the coast to the right of the beach, past the boat houses and get to the nudist beach or Qarraba bay. This beach is characterised by clay slopes right behind it and is very picturesque.
Ta’ Lippija & Karraba
This is maybe my favourite spot on the island to watch sunset. It is located on the hill between Gnejna and Dwejra and there is one of DeRedin’s coastal towers that guides your way here. Once again it involves some light walking and most probably you will be alone here as not a lot of people get here. A walk along this coast is one of the most rewarding, especially during sunset. If the day is clear, the views stretch even until Ta’ Cenc cliffs in Gozo. If there is one place in Malta to watch sunset from; this is it! Simply breathtaking!
Ghajn Tuffieha
Most people know this beach by the name of Riviera and the name Ghajn Tuffieha is mistakenly used for the nearby Golden Bay beach. This is one of the few beaches in Malta that are still raw; there aren’t any buildings here; no beach houses, hotels, restuarants or apartments. Actually there is just one cafeteria, which is set to the right of the beach and actually blends in very well with its brown tones. Once again I prefer visiting in shoulder seasons and I have never actually swam here! I prefer visiting to shoot photos when there are fewer people or do a picnic for sunset instead.
Have you already checked my previous post featuring Malta’s South Western coast? Click here if you would like to discover more natural attractions along Malta’s South Western Coast.
