I think there are very few Maltese or Gozitans who have not heard of Fomm ir-Riħ Bay. When you ask how to get there, people look at you as if they are trying to remember something but cannot – and yet this is a place that practically everyone has heard about.

We are talking about one of the nicest bays on our islands that has remained untouched for hundreds of years. Development around this bay stayed at a minimum, even after 1965, when foreigners bought it and access to it was blocked. In recent years it was transferred to new owners and there have subsequently been various examples of landscaping that have damaged the natural state of the bay and its natural resources, which had developed over the centuries. Because it is one of the few places of its kind on our islands, the Ramblers Association would not only like to save this bay from further modernisation but would like to remove the modernisation that has taken place to date. In 1996, two enforcement orders were issued in respect of developments that had taken place at Fomm ir-Riħ, but that is another story – a sad story that can make you stop believing there are people who can do good.

In order to love your country you need to know it

There are many people who do not understand us, including some who accuse us of being politically motivated. In view of this, we would like to ask these people if they know anything about Fomm ir-Riħ. How many times have they been there? How can they understand our feelings when they probably know nothing about the place? This is the first problem that many Maltese need to overcome: we need to know our country! Not to get to know it better but to get to know it really well. If we do not, we will be leaving those who have the power to take control of our country.

This bay manages to retain its own natural characteristics because not many know how to reach it and because there is no nice wide access road. It is a fact that if you want to quickly eradicate a natural place, all you have to do is to provide a good road to access it. Thank God this didn’t happen in the case of Fomm ir-Riħ. You don’t have to be a genius to understand the reasons why things were done this way.

It is not easy to get to Fomm ir-Riħ and it is even more difficult to get down to the bay. About 50 years ago, the bay could be accessed by way of a narrow but reasonably surfaced road that was used freely by everyone. When the land was bought by foreigners in the 1960s, they built a small villa and blocked the road with a large gate and a high wall. Even though the public had used this road for many years, it seemed that in this case the government forgot the right of way acquired over time and today the only access is by a very narrow passageway cut into the rocks, which is dangerous all year but especially after it has rained because it is slippery. You could find yourself in the bay before you realise it!

Let us get to know the place a bit better

This bay faces the wind that blows the hardest on our islands, the Majjistral, and when this wind goes through the bay it is like going through a funnel. The water tries to find a way out through a very narrow place that looks like a mouth that gives voice to the winds, and this is where the name comes from.

Facing the sea, on the right-hand side are l-Irdum Mdawwar and Ras il-Pellegrin, which will lead you to Ġnejna Bay where our national bird, il-merill, breeds.

To the left is Ras ir-Raħeb (patri), high rocks that go down directly to the sea, and opposite is il-Qlejgħa tal-Baħrija. This is of archaeological interest, and is also private property that is not accessible because the owner has closed it off with a gate. The Ramblers have made various enquiries about this but have achieved very little.

Behind you are four valleys: Wied il-Baħrija, Wied Gerżuma – where rare plants known as dis and riħan are found, Wied tas-Santi and Wied il-ħmar. The rest are all fields with various traditional local plants such as widnet il-baħar, which is Malta’s national plant, and every now and then you will see a farmhouse. This area is spectacular, with colours and scents that change according to the seasons. You can find a bit of everything and it is no wonder this it is protected as a European Union Natura 2000 site. It is without doubt one of the loveliest natural places that we have, especially at sunrise and sunset.

And in what way are the Ramblers involved?

In recent years we have made various enquiries to ensure that the public can access Fomm ir-Riħ. We have protested to ensure that this protected site will not be damaged any further by developments and changes that will ruin the untouched character of the bay by, for example, the planting of non-local trees and plants, the paving of passageways with cement, the breaking of rocks so that the owners can access it with boats. We have raised various points with Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi and have also organised protests near the bay. At first, Dr Azzopardi raised our hopes and we thought we were going to achieve something with his help. However, more than two years have passed and we have to admit that nothing has changed. At our last meeting with the most senior officials in the Lands Department (who tried to reach an agreement with the owners),we felt that we were back at the point from where we had started.

There may be some who ask: what do the Ramblers really expect? After all, the land is privately owned. And that’s it – it is privately owned. However, when the land is of special interest for conservation reasons, not everyone can use it as they please, and the state is duty-bound to protect it, as laid down in the rules and regulations of the EU.

In any event, by virtue of a notarial contract, the public has the right to a decent passageway in order to access the bay. This contract was drawn up in 1983 between the Labour government and a certain Maynard, who at that time was the owner of the place. It was this Maynard who agreed with the government to construct a passageway, which was to be completed within six months. The contract was signed but the passage was not constructed and since then the land has changed hands twice – but the passage has never been constructed. The public deed still exists, however, and on the plan attached to it can be seen where the passage was supposed to be constructed.

So who is not keeping his promise?

To those of you who have kept on reading this far, it might seem that some of the parties involved are not keeping their promises. We as Ramblers keep insisting that there is a right of passage. Are we correct, or is the Lands Department correct in saying that no agreement was reached in the past and so they are now not taking any strong steps to see that the public deed is honoured? Or is Parliamentary Secretary Dr Azzopardi showing in this case that he lacks the strength he has demonstrated in other cases?

We will leave the answers to you.

Michiel Paetzel is a committee member of the Ramblers Association