Marfa Ridge

The walk

From the Għadira bus stop, climb through restored woodland to the ridge, then turn east along the ridge road for the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.

At Rdum tal-Madonna, beside the chapel, the cliffs hold the largest Yelkouan shearwater colony in the Maltese Islands. Shearwaters can be seen in flight over the waves, especially before sunset or on windy days.

On still nights in their breeding season you can hear them calling from the chapel, so come back to it after dark as a separate trip. Leave no litter and avoid lights at night: both harm the nesting birds.

The cliff path runs north from the chapel to the lanes at L-Aħrax. Coral Lagoon, a sinkhole formed by coastal erosion, is a detour of about 250 m out on the point. Just after it, the White Tower, an old Knights' watchtower, stands on the hill above White Tower Bay, about 170 m up a path.

The north shore is flat: lanes past Armier Bay and the Marfa jetty, then the pavement shared with cyclists beside the Marfa Road to the Ċirkewwa ferry port. Paradise Bay is down a flight of steps from the road beyond the port; go down to swim and climb back up the same steps.

The path then climbs the western cliffs to Ras il-Qammieħ, the highest ground of the walk. The way home runs east along the ridge road to the Red Tower, painted deep red.

The Red Tower opens when its volunteers can staff it, and entry is ticketed. You can climb to its roof for the view over Mellieħa Bay, then come back down through the woodland to Għadira.

The terrain

Tarmac covers the ridge road, both out to the chapel and home past the Red Tower, and the lanes of the north shore.

The rest is path and track: the woodland path from Għadira, the cliff path at Rdum tal-Madonna, the pavement shared with cyclists beside the Marfa Road to Ċirkewwa, and the bare limestone of the western cliffs between Paradise Bay and Ras il-Qammieħ.