In the few years since registering XirCammini as a Voluntary Organisation we have come a relatively long way … and the road ahead is even longer and more exciting!
Introduction
From the original group (of less than 20) that walked the Camino Primitivo in May of 2018, XirCammini has grown to over 200 registered and paid-up members and a wider social media network of the XirCammini Community on Facebook of over 1,200.
We immediately started forging relations with like-minded, mainly, Camino and hiking organisations in Europe and also rolled out a robust itinerary of local and overseas trekking activities. In time we also became recognised as the local organisation representing the International Federation of Associations of the Way (of St James). As representatives of the Friends of the Way, XirCammini also provides Credencials and practical advice on various Caminos to all who request assistance prior to embarking on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. We do not profess to know it all. We are pilgrims helping fellow pilgrims on the journey.
In addition to pursuing Caminos in Spain, XirCammini was also the first international organisation to field groups walking all five Celtic Irish Caminos (61 Maltese walked the irish Caminos in 2019) and also the first international group to walk the Cammino di San Giacomo in Sicilia in 2021. Since founding the organisation we have walked, scouted or led trekking teams in Ireland, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Sri Lanka. Close to 200 people have joined us overseas on trekking experiences since 2019.
Committed to also putting Malta on the European map of faith-based heritage walks we started working on re-launching the pilgrimage of St. Gregory fromCitta Notabile ( Mdina) to “le terre di Santa Caterina (Zejtun) as mandated by Bishop Cubelles in 1543. Pro Pace Universali, or the Universal Peace walk 1543AD was again walked by XirCammini members on its anniversary date in March 2022 and shortly be available with waymarks as a self guided walk.
On the social well-being and charity front, it has become a Christmas tradition of ours to help inner-harbour families by collecting and donating shopping hampers during December. We have also assited other causes by leading charity / fund raising walks. We are grateful that our members participate whole-heartedly i nthese endeavours.
End of 2021-22 Itinerary: Hospice Walk
With only one overseas trek (Isole Eiolie) and two local ones (Selmun Sunset Walk and Universal Peace Walk Western Segment) to go, we will be concluding this trekking itinerary by leading a 3-day Round Gozo Walk in aid of Hospice Malta (money raised by Hospice Malta will go towards building much needed palliative care capabilities in Gozo).
We urge you to join at least one of the 3 events organised by Hospice Malta and to donate.
More information about registration and donating is available here. XirCammini is endeavouring to organise pre and post event transport as well as accommodation in Gozo for those interested in joining the 3-day Round Gozo walk that we are leading for Hospice. By completing our form you will be helping us. We cannot guarantee transport or accommodation for those who do not fill in the form. Please also note that to participate in the actual events you would need to separately register via the Hospice form.
I want to thank John Darmanin and Donald Pace who have offered to lead the walk.
The new 2022/23 Itinerary
I would like to share with you the upcoming local trekking itinerary for October and November 2022. The rest of the itinerary for Dec 2022 – Sept 2023 will follow shortly.
For October and November 2022 the itinerary is as follows. We will stick to the Wed evening and Saturday afternoon formula which worked well for us in the past:
| Date | Code | Meeting Time | Name | Level(*) | Meeting Place |
| Saturday, 15th Oct | P162 | 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 Oct | P163 | 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 Oct | P164 | 14:00 | Bahrija / Bingemma/ Dwejra / Wied il-Qleghja /Bahrija | Mod | Bahrija swings |
| Wednesday, 26th Oct | P165 | 19:00 | Qrendi /Hagar Qim / towards Triq il-Wied / return to Qrendi. | Mod. | Qrendi Parish church |
| Saturday, 29th Oct | P166 | 14:00 | L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha loop | Mod. | Ghadira parking place, near the public toilets |
| Wednesday 2nd Nov | P167 | 19:00 | Telgha t’Alla u Ommu, Naxxar/Birguma Victoria Lines towards Madliena looping back via Gharghur | Mod | Roundabout at top of it-Telgha t’Alla u Ommu, Naxxar/Birguma. |
| Saturday, 5th Nov | P168 | 14:00 | Mgarr / Fomm ir-Rih / Round headland towards Gnejna / up to il-Lippija Tower looping back to Mgarr and Zebbiegh. | Mod to hard | Zebbiegh Parish Church |
| Wednesday, 9th Nov | P169 | 19:00 | Mdina ditch | Mtarfa | Qolla l-Bajda Loop | Mod | Domus Romana, Rabat |
| Saturday, 12th Nov | P170 | 14:00 | Manikata Church Carpark / Pwales /Pilgrim Trail / Mizieb Valley / Majjistral / Manikata | Mod | Manikata Church Carpark |
| Wednesday, 16th Nov | P171 | 19:00 | Siggiewi loop | Mod | Limestone Heritage on the Siggiewi By-Pass |
| Saturday, 19th Nov | P172 | 14:00 | Paradise Bay | Fomm Qammiegh Loop | Mod | Paradise Bay Carpark |
| Wednesday 23rd Nov | P173 | 19:00 | Gnien l-Gharusa tal-Mosta | Wied l-Ghasel, Burmarrad, Salini looping back to Mosta | Mod | In front of MCAST, Mosta (opposite LIDL) |
| Sunday 27th Nov | P174 | 08:30 | Universal Peace Walk 1543AD (28km walk (Registration required) | Mod | Cathedral Square, Mdina |
| Wednesday 30th Nov | P175 | 19:00 | Rabat /Wied l-Isqof / Girgenti / Wied Hesri / Zebbug / Rabat | Mod /hard | Domus Romana, outside Mdina |
In respect of our overseas trekking itinerary for 2023, we still have to firm up the dates but can state that we will be having 2 Caminos in Spain over the Lenten and Easter season (March | April 2023) One of these will be the Camino Portugues from Porto (2 weeks), providing also a 1-week option from Tui. In May / June 2023 are endeavouring to run the Camino di San Francesco in Italy. We are actively working on putting in place routing, accommodation and transport requirements. There is already a strong demand for the Tochar Phadraig (Ireland) so we do not rule out walking this again. In September we are actively looking at walking the Camino San Salvador in Spain. We have had requests for other walks but we are still studying them both from an economic viability perspective as well as from a resources perspective since more walks would also require more persons to lead such walks and more resources to plan, organise and manage them.
Conclusion?
I trust the above provides you with a flavour of what lies ahead and we look forward to sharing this wonderful journey with you.