Gozo day 6: Calypso Cave and Ramla Bay

Another two buses to get us to the start of today's walk in Xaghra where you can visit the oldest free standing  structure in the world, Ggantija, dating from c3500 BC. Sadly we were too early as it didn't open until 10am and we were there at 9. We decided to start the walk and then come back this way on our return from Ramla Bay.

 We walked through the town and past the church with two clocks. There are  other churches in Malta that have two clocks where one is set to the wrong time as a local legend 'to confuse the devil'. On this church they both showed the same time.

It didn't take us too long to walk through the town and arrived at the spot where the entrance to Calypso's Cave used to be. According to legend this is the cave referred to by Homer in the Odyssey, the epic Greek poem of the 9th cent BC. The nymph Calypso reputedly lived in this cave and this is where she hosted Ulysses for seven years before he resumed his journey. Calypso's cave is a series of caves extending down to the sea. The cave is no longer accessible to the public as the roof had caved in. The next part of the walk took us down to Ramla Bay. However the downhill path mentioned in the instructions didn't seem to exist.

It started off OK but then disappeared into the undergrowth. It was a case of scrambling down very carefully as the rocky ground slipped away from beneath your feet. Slowly but surely we managed to make our way down to be rewarded with a sandy beach albeit red and not golden sands.

At the far end of the beach were a couple of volunteers protecting a loggerhead turtle nest as there were still some eggs buried there waiting to hatch. A group of volunteers keep a 24 hr watch over any nests on this beach to protect the turtles as best they can. they reckon that only one baby turtle in a thousand survives. 

C and I decided we would have a swim. We found a spot where we could have a sandy walk into the sea rather than over pebbles. Once in, it was lovely and warm but the waves were much stronger than I had anticipated. I lasted about 20 minutes before deciding I'd had enough of the waves and got out. There were showers near the toilet block so it made sense to clean off the sand and get changed back. My blister plasters had come off so I cleaned my foot as much as possible and replaced the plasters, knowing there would be a few more kms to walk.  

As we wanted to return to the historical site at Xaghra, it meant a change to the written route we had been given. With the help of M's Satnav on the app we got back to the town without getting lost. 

The Ggantija Temples are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The site consists of two temples dating back to between 3600 and 3200BC. The name Ggantia refers to the Maltese word for giants as it was first thought that these temples were built by giants. Some of these megaliths or large blocks exceed five metres in length and weigh over 50 tons. The outer walls are built from hard wearing coralline limestone, one of the reasons why they have survived so long.

On each side of the doorway leading into the temple, circular  hollows are carved opposite each other on two large megaliths. It is thought that these might have held some sort of barrier to close off the entrance. Unlike the rest of the walls, the doorway was built using a softer limestone. 

On this wall you can see evidence of graffiti from centuries past.

There is a museum at the site exhibiting some of the items found during excavations of the temples.

A limestone head found at the back of one of the temples.

When individuals were buried they were accompanied by some belongings. These items were discovered in the oldest tomb in the Xaghra circle. They are dated c4100BC.

A shell necklace

 A bone necklace and pendants 

Seated clay figurines.

Clay snail with human head

It was an impressive site and I am so glad we returned to the town to see these treasures. It took a couple of bus rides to get back to the hotel but we were still back with plenty of time to relax and enjoy the pool.

Gozo Day 5: Comino island

 A day off from walking today as we were off to a small island close by called Comino Island. No need to wear the walking boots as it was a day for swimming from a sandy beach. The majority of beaches are rocky outcrops on Gozo so I was looking forward to being able to walk out into the sea, We had to get two buses to the port where we would get a ferry for the short journey across to Comino.

You have to get a timed pass (either am or pm) to go onto the island. I assumed this would restrict numbers on the small island but that didn't seem to happen.

This postage stamp sized beach was 'the sandy beach' which was not what I had envisaged at all.

Once you managed to squeeze through the crowds the water was warm and a delight for swimming. I only wish I had brought goggles with me as there were so many different kinds of fish swimming between us. Above the beach there were a number of fast food and drink outlets which detracted from the beauty of the island. I wouldn't be tempted to return but I did enjoy the swimming.

The ferry back to Gozo took us round the island to see some of the caves.

Once back on Gozo we decided to get a taxi back to the hotel rather than two buses. A very welcome rest day today.

Gozo Day 4: Xlendi Bay and Layercake cliffs

 

Another early start this morning but no bus needed to take us into the town as we begin the walk on the cliff tops at the other side of the hotel. The cliff path will be taking us the tourist spot of Xlendi Bay. 

Part of the path had been created using the local stone and you could see lots of fossils. Gozo is made of limestone formed from ancient marine life making fossils a common feature. 

It took a couple of hours of walking along the beautiful coastline before the bay came into view.

Steps took us down to this stone bridge across the bay.

The bay was full of restaurants and cafes. 

We sat in a cafe overlooking the sea and watched the small fishing boats returning to shore. M and C decided they wanted to go in the water. As it was rocky underfoot I decided to give it a miss. Blisters from yesterday were still painful and I didn't want to make matters worse. 

I was happy to stay on land and look after their things.

We decided to go back the way we came as it was a beautiful walk along the cliffs. The alternative way on our walking instructions would take us back via roads. We all decided it was the right decision as it took just 1.5 hours to get back and meant we missed the main heat of the day. The rest of the day followed our usual routine of swimming in the hotel pools, relaxing, reading and then meeting up again for a meal in the hotel restaurant. The standard of food and service has been excellent.

Gozo Day 3: Ta'Pinu and Gharb

 A longer walk today to the other side of the island and back. We started out earlier today and got the 7.45 am bus into Victoria from outside the hotel. 

Most of the walking today was along stony paths  and quiet lanes. The lanes leading us out of the town were lined with dry stone walls.

The first major landmark we came across was the  church of Ta'Pinu. There are records of a church here from the 16th C. The shrine of Our Lady of Ta'Pinu gained recognition in 1883 when Kamela Grima reported hearing the Virgin Mary's voice leading to her miraculous recovery leading to the construction of a new church here. The church was constructed in 1920 and took 12 years to complete. It was elevated to a minor Basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1935. Pope John Paul II visited here in 1990. Pope Francis also visited here in 2022. It has become a site of pilgrimage and one of the most visited sites on the island.

Another couple of kilometres and we reached the cliffs at the opposite side of the island from where we had set off this morning. 

We found these steps taking you down to the sea. 

We cautiously walked down the steps which gave us a look at a natural arch with the sea swirling in and around.

It felt even hotter today although we had left much earlier and it was only midday. I had to stop to apply a blister plaster. My feet were not happy bunnies today. We left the cliffs and walked inland passing over this valley where the stone had been quarried for the Basilica.

We made a slight detour into the village of Gharb. The houses had lovely stone balconies. We had hoped to find a cafe where we could have a sit down and cool drink but there was nothing other than a small shop. Oh well off we go. The next point on the walk is a lighthouse. If you look closely you can see the lighthouse at the top of the hill in this photo. Our walk instructions told us that the view from the lighthouse was magnificent but the lighthouse was closed. M and I walked up a very, very steep hill towards the lighthouse but the road was closed so we couldn't get to the top of the hill to appreciate the views. We were not impressed with the instructions, nor the road closure sign which was missing from the bottom of the hill.

We  were all shattered now and trudged along in the heat back to the bus station in Victoria.

I took very few photos. I'm not sure why. I think it was taking all my energy to complete the walk today.

By the time we got back to the hotel at 3pm we had walked 14km but it felt as though we had walked much further. Once back I spent the rest of the afternoon at the spa pool. I found a sunbed in the shade and I enjoyed a very quiet couple of hours alternating between swimming and reading.