Last spring I attended a guided walk around Comino organised by Nature Trust. The weather couldn’t have been better and the Nature Trust guide, Annalise Falzon, couldn’t have done a better job of keeping the company equally bright.

We were handed Nature Trust’s own Archipelago – Comino magazine, which offers some very comprehensive information about Comino.

The tour began at Iz-Zurzieqa and the walk took us around the entire coast in a clockwise manner from near Wied San Niklaw inland to Il-Qala ta Santa Marija. On the western side of the mouth of the valley one will also find the old police station and the chapel of Santa Marija.

There is even an old disused bakery towards the centre-west of the island. One will also notice that the entire island is criss-crossed with old rubble walls.

Evidence clearly points to it once being the permanent home of a community and that it was also reasonably self-sufficient. We continued walking up towards L-Imnieri where we explored the cave that was used as the treasure-trove in the film “The Count of Monte Cristo” – a beautiful small cave that leads through a narrow passage to an opening that gives a spectacular sea-level view of the Imnieri cliffs.

The cliffs all along the east coast towards Il-Qattara are truly something to behold. One has to stand on them to truly appreciate their beauty. The cliffs continue to Ta’ Proxxa towards the soon to be closed pig-farm.

We made a stop at It-Trunciera tal-Mixta also known as the Santa Marija Gun Battery – an 18th century gun battery that served to protect the Gozo Channel from pirates or any other hostile forces – one of only three still surviving in Gozo and Comino.

We set off again along the south coast and were given a briefing about the Comino Tower, as well as the Santa Marija Gun Battery and their current restoration stages courtesy of Din L-Art Helwa.

We spent a while at the tower, exploring all its rooms and features. The roof of the tower is the best vantage point in Comino where one can enjoy views of most of Comino as well as Malta and Gozo.

We walked towards Il-Wardija past the old cemetery, and then continued along the West coast through Ta’ Galand and Ir-Ramlijja. From Il-Bejta tal-Fenek we could see the l-Ghar ta’ Bla Saqaf or “Roofless Cave” to the South and the sunken valley that ends at the Blue Lagoon. The large rocks, one of which is Kemmunett are actually the remains of an ancient valley that over time sunk below sea level. If anyone is only familiar with the view of this valley from the Blue Lagoon, then I would suggest taking a short stroll along the edge of this ancient valley. L-Iskolli ta’ Bejn il-Bibien practically offer cross-sectional views of a valley system. It is something that one would only ever see in the form of diagrams in Geography text-books.

The day finally came to a close and the short ferry ride back even included a short sea-tour of the Western side of Comino. By 6pm well on our way back to Cirkewwa.

Many people have been to Comino to enjoy some peace and quiet, but I’m sure that very few have actually been able to truly appreciate her. Walks such as those organised by Nature Trust are a sure way of appreciating Comino to the fullest, while taking care not to harm her natural and historical heritage.

I would like to dedicate this letter to Ferdinand Demicoli, an active member of Nature Trust, who passed away last year. His enthusiasm and dedication to increasing people’s knowledge and understanding of Malta’s natural heritage goes beyond that of most people I know. I’m sure his critical and witty humour has allowed him to succeed in one of his goals; to make an impact. I hope that we shall all continue helping to preserve the natural environment of Malta and may every leaf and shrub keep him in our memories.

Luke Vincenti

Nature Trust member