2020 and 2021 have been have been unlike no others. Covid-19 has taught us to adapt and move on. It has also taught us to focus on who and what is most important.
While respecting health directives, XirCammini continued with its local walks, providing an avenue for people to meet socially and to exercise in the outdoors. In 2021 it also resumed its overseas trekking activities, walking the 850 km Camino Portugues, followed by Matera e Sassi and the Cammino di San Giacomo in Sicila. In between we also enjoyed the Gozo weekend, the Comino perimeter and the Victoria Lines. All in all 2021 has been a busy year.
As we continue to update this piece we can also mention the beautiful experiences we had
- snow-shoeing in Nebrodi and Etna Nord (in lieu of Sila, Calabria due to a cancellation of flights). It was an amazing long-weekend break for the feast of St. Paul in February 2022;
- on the Camino Ingles which we ran twice, in March and in April 2022;
- on the Costiera Amalfitana in June 2022;
- on the Camino Primitivo in Jul/Aug 2022; and
- walking the Tochar Phadraig the Reek and Church Island (County Mayo) and the Cliffs of Moher (County Clare) in Ireland in Aug 2022.
The itinerary is a live document and we update it throughout the year. Local treks (other than whole weekend events or ones requiring transport or logistics planning) do not require booking. They are only open for XirCammini registered and paid-up members and all are asked to respect prevailing Covid-19 rules so as not to jeopardise the health of others.
Thanks Marie Louise Muscat Azzopardi for working on this itinerary of walks and for offering to leads some, Thanks John Darmanin for offering to lead the Wednesday Walks and thanks Don Pace for offering to lead the Saturday Walks. Thanks Tucc for the all round support in organisation and administration. Thanks also for those who stepped up to lead some of the overseas treks. This is our association and our collective involvement makes it richer, giving us all more value.
Q1 to Q3 2022 Itinerary:
| Date | Code | Meeting Time | Name | Level(*) | Meeting Place |
| Saturday, 15th Jan | P110 | 14:00 | Siggiewi / Tal Providenza Chapel / across valley towards Salib tal Gholja / across the ridge to Gebel Ciantar and the Bronze Age Grain Silos / down to Fawwara / back to Siggiewi | Mod | Siggiewi Parish Church |
| Wednesday, 19th Jan | P111 | 19:00 | Birzebbugia / Dar ta’ Pultu trail / Ta’ Kaccatura water reserovoir/ on towards football ground in Ghaxaq /Triq Telleritu / and back to starting point. | Easy | St George’s Bay, Birzebbugia (small parking place where boats are kept on land) |
| Saturday, 22nd Jan | P112 | 14:00 | Bahrija / Bingemma/ Dwejra / Wied il-Qleghja /Bahrija | Mod | Bahrija swings |
| Sunday, 23rd Jan | P113 | 9:00 | Naxxar (at roundabout at the top of T’Alla u Ommu) / Sta. Katerina Chapel / down towards Ghallis tower/ back part of the trail and then turning towards Salini Hotel / crossing coast road to Salina salt pans and Salina Nature Reserve / towards Bird Park / back towards Naxxar. | Mod. | Naxxar at roundabout a the top of T’Alla u Ommu) |
| Wed, 26th Jan | P114 | 19:00 | Qrendi /Hagar Qim / towards Triq il-Wied / return to Qrendi | Easy | Qrendi Parish church |
| Saturday 29th Jan | P115 | 14:00 | L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha loop | Mod | Ghadira parking place, near the public toilets |
| Wednesday 2nd Feb | P116 | 19:00 | Telgha t’Alla u Ommu, Naxxar…Wied Anglu…Wied Faham…Wied id-Dies | Mod to hard | Roundabout at top of it-Telgha t’Alla u Ommu, Naxxar |
| Saturday, 5th Feb | P117 | 14:00 | Mgarr / Fomm ir-Rih / Round headland towards Gnejna / up to il-Lippija Tower / towards Golden Bay but before reaching Golden Bay taking path back to Mgarr. | Mod | Mgarr Parish Church |
| 9th – 13th Feb | P118 | n/a | Sila (Calabria) Ghiaccio e Neve | 3 | n/a |
| Wednesday 16 Feb | P119 | 19:00 | Rabat loop with a starting warm-up in the Mdina moat | Mod | Domus Romana, Rabat, just outside Mdina |
| Saturday, 19th Feb | P120 | 14:00 | Manikata Church Carpark / Pwales /Pilgrim Trail / Mizieb Valley / Majjistral / Manikata | Mod | Manikata Car Park |
| Sunday, 20th Feb | P121 | 9:00 | Gnien l-Gharusa tal-Mosta / Dwejra / Chadwick lakes / Mosta | Mod | Gnien l-Gharusa tal-Mosta, Mosta |
| Wednesday 23rd Feb | P122 | 19:00 | Siggiewi loop | Mod | Limestone Heritage on the Siggiewi By-Pass |
| Saturday, 26th Feb | P123 | 14:00 | Roman Villa / Mdina Ditch / Stazzjoni / Mtarfa / Wied l-Qlejja / Qolla l-Bajda / Dwejra Lines / Binhemma Lines / Wied l-Qlejja / Nigret / Rabat. | Mod | Roman Villa |
| Sunday, 27th Feb | P124 | 9:00 | Marsaskala / Xrobb l-Ghagin / il=Hofriet / St Peter’s Pool / Tas-Silg / St Thomas Bay / Marsaskala | Mod | Marsaskala Parish Church |
| Wed, 2nd March | P125 | 19:00 | Rabat /Wied l-Isqof / Girgenti / Wied Hesri / Zebbug / Rabat | Mod /hard | Domus Romana, outside Mdina |
| Saturday, 5th March | P126 | 14:00 | Bidnija loop / Dwejra /Bingemma Fort / Vivtoria Lines / is-Santi / past British Brewery(Strickland Hse) | Mod | In front of San Anton / San Andrea School at l’Imselliet |
| Wed, 9th March | P127 | 19:00 | West Victoria Lines | Mod | il- Kuncizzjoni Chapel, limits of Bahrija |
| Saturday, 12th March | P128 | 08:30 – 16:00 | Universal Peace Walk 1543AD | Mod | Cathedral Square, Mdina |
| Wednesday, 16th Mar | P129 | 19:00 | Bahrija / Bingemma/ Dwejra / Wied il-Qleghja /Bahrija | Mod | Bahrija swings |
| 28th March – 4th April | P130 | n/a | Camino Ingles | Mod | n/a |
| Tuesday 29th Mar | P131 | 09.00 | Camino Ingles Trainign (open to all members) Rabat Loop | Mod | Domus Romana, Rabat |
| Thurs 31 March | P132 | 09:00 | Fishtail: Ghadira, Ahrax, Armier, Marfa, Cirkewwa, Torri Ahmar Ghadira | Mod 4hrs | Ghadira Carpark |
| Sunday 3rd April | P133 | Round the coast of Comino | Mtarfa or Cirkewwa quay | ||
| Wednesday 6th April | P134 | 19:00 | Marsaskala meeting at San Tumas Tower / St Thomas Bay / Xrobb l-Ghagin / Tas-Silg / Marsaskala | Mod | Torri ta’ San Tumas, Marsaskala |
| Sunday 10th April | P135 | 9:00 | Paradise Beyond Paradise | Paradise Bay Car Park | |
| Wednesday 13th April | P136 | 19:00 | Mgarr to Fomm ir-Rih | Easy | Castello Zammitello on the road from Mgarr to Gnejna |
| Friday 15th April | P137 | 08:30 | Good Fri Walk – Smiling with Jerome (Zurrieq – Qrendi Loop) | Easy | Xarolla Windmill |
| 16th – 23rd April | P138 | n/a | Camino Ingles | Mod | n/a |
| 24th April | P139 | n/a | Ramblers Association Walk CANCELLED BY RAMBLERS | n/a | n/a |
| Wed 27th April | P140 | 19:00 | Rabat /Wied l-Isqof / Girgenti / Wied Hesri / Zebbug / Rabat | Mod /hard | Domus Romana, outside Mdina |
| Saturday 30th April | P141 | 14:00 | Salina (ta’ Cassia Restaurant) towards Wied il- Ghasel | Mod | Ta’ Cassia Salina Restaurant / Chapel of the Annunciation ,Salina |
| Wed 4th May | P142 | 19:00 | Birzebbugia / Dar ta’ Pultu trail / Ta’ Kaccatura water reserovoir/ on towards football ground in Ghaxaq /Triq Telleritu / and back to starting point. | Easy about 2 hrs | St George’s Bay, Birzebbugia (small parking place where boats are kept on land) |
| Saturday 7th May | P143 | 14:00 | L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha loop | Mod | Ghadira parking place, near the public toilets |
| Wed 11th May | P144 | 19:00 | Xemxija/out to Majjistral Park and straight out to Cliffs (structure on 4 columns)/ Znuber Tower/rd down and path on Left/ straight back / cross valley/ on to rd tp oldest carob tree and bee hives/ Xemxija | Mod | Xemxija (near kiosk) |
| Saturday 14th May | P145 | 8:30 | Mgarr – Dahlet Qorrot Coastal Loop | Mod | Mgarr quay, Gozo |
| Wed 18th May | P146 | 19:00 | Rabat loop/ Rabat / Wied Hazrun/ Dingli Cliffs / Rabat | Mod | Dominican Priory in Rabat |
| Saturday 21st May | P147 | 14:00 | Mellieha / Selmun Palace / down path to Mistra Bay/ along coast facing St Paul Island/clay slopes/Mgiebah Bay/ up to Mellieha | Mod | Wellbees supermarket (ex-Bellevue), Mellieha |
| Wed 25th May | P148 | 19:00 | Wied Qannotta loop/ into valley behind Scotts/ left up to small chapel/ on to ridge/ turn on to rd/ turn L/ then sharp L in from Castello dei Baroni/… | Mod. | Scotts supermarket /Burmarrad |
| Saturday 28 May | P149 | 16:00 | Siggiewi / Salib tal Gholja / Gebel Ciantar / Bronze Age Silos/Fawwara/Mt Carmel Chapel/Tal Providenza Chapel /Siggiewi | Mod | Siggiewi Parish Church |
| 7th – 12th June | P150 | n/a | Costiera Amalfitana e Positano | Mod | n/a |
| Saturday 25th June | P151 | 14:00 | End of Season Trek, Picnic & Swim | Selmun Palace | |
| Wednesday 6th July | P153 | 19:00 | Hagar Qim !Wied Iz-Zurrieq | Temples Loop Sunset Walk | Hagar Qim Car Park | |
| Friday 15th July | P154 | 18:30 | Mass | Blessing of the Camino Shells & Pasta Night | To be advised | |
| 18th Jul – 2nd Aug | P155 | na | Camino Primitivo | Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela | |
| Wednesday 10th August | P156 | 19:00 | Dingli Laferla Cross Sunset Walk | Tinda Buskett | |
| 14th – 21st August | P157 | na | Tochar Phadraig (Irish Camino) | County Clare & County Mayo | |
| Sunday 28th August | P158 | 07:30 | Ta Maria Caves Trek and Swim | Bahrija overlooking Fomm ir-Rih Bay 35.905757154203286, 14.339188562857379 | |
| Wednesday 31st August | P159 | 19:00 | Sunset Walk Selmun | Selmun Palace | |
| 7th – 14th September | P160 | na | Isole Eiolie | Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Alicudi, Filicudi & Stromboli | |
| 16th September | P161 | 16:30 | Universal Peace Walk (Western Segment) Mdina – Zurrieq | Mdina Cathedral Square https://www.facebook.com/events/1069748877014704 | |
| 1st – 3rd October | P162 | na | Round Gozo in Aid of Hospice (more info to follow) |
