Lost! - near Marsaskala, Malta
As much as I have loved The Three Cities and its history, nature was calling me. I found several interesting walks on https://www.visitmalta.com/en/ an invaluable website about traveling in Malta. I settled on one between the two villages of Marsaskala and Marsaxlok.
After walking along the bay and reaching the outskirts of town, I found myself in a hilly area overflowing with rock walls, facing the sea. Eventually, I realized this area was seemingly never-ending, that it wasn’t on the walk’s itinerary and I was lost!
I consulted my GPS and found a “shortcut”, a dirt paved road with stone walls on each side, back to Marsaskala. I had ventured WAY off the designated walk, in fact, I went in the opposite direction! But the mistake proved to be a beautiful one and I saw a unique, unadvertised area. ☺️
After returning to Marsaskala, and taking a much needed break, I continued on the designated walk for a short distance before evening descended.
Marsaxlok, I will see you another day!
My adventure started with a beautiful walk along the bay, with the village of Marsaskala on either side.
What a gorgeous day! Feeling fantastic already…
I’ve seen very unusual cloud patterns in Malta!
Many people were enjoying the view, relaxing in various ways.
Rock Retaining Walls
There were seemingly miles of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal stone walls on the hillside. (This is when I started to get an inkling that I might be lost!) I later learned these are rubble walls, found everywhere in the Maltese islands, used mainly as borders between fields and farms.
A tiny homestead, made of rocks and limestone.
And what a view that homeowner commands!
Once the “I’m lost” realization sunk in, I consulted GPS and headed up this lane. Many old gates were scattered in the stone walls, and behind some were small, one-room homes similar to the one above.
After lunch and a much needed break, I started on the “real” walk, heading in the right direction.
More interesting cloud patterns!
In Malta, salt pans - shallow pools dug in limestone rock - have been used to produce sea salt for the last 350 years.
As twilight descended, I sat on a bench, soaking in the scenery.
I’d love to explore that hill!
The only speedboat I saw all day…
I lived vicariously through this little boy, as he happily entertained himself with nothing but water and rocks.
I ended my walk with one last look at the sea, littered with small colorful bouys.