It had been ages since I last trekked this valley very close to home. In my childhood days, I used to come down here almost every Sunday, together with some friends where we used to play Hide and Seek and other similar games.
In those days we also ran around the valley trying to catch tadpoles or maybe get a glimpse of some frog. I had thought that all these were now hard to find or impossible to see in this valley. Yet I was wrong!!!
Never have I seen so much wildlife in one place in the Maltese Islands. Beatles, bees, butterflies, spiders, frogs, cobwebs and also a baby chameleon. Luckily a good stretch of the valley bed was still wet with rain water which fell during the previous days and this made it easier to see these species in their natural habitat.
To get to Wied Qirda, it’s very easy. The entrance to this valley is midway in the road between Zebbug and Siggiewi. An engraved poem written by the National poet, Dun Karm Psaila, welcomes you at the start of this valley. As you start walking, you soon come across a small chapel dedicated to the Visitation of Our Lady to St. Elisabeth. If you look closely to parts of the facade of this chapel one can also find some graffiti.
Walking ahead, one comes across a large vineyard by the side of the road, and further on a fireworks factory of one of the three band clubs situated in Zebbug.
Further on, you get to choose, either keep walking on the asphalted road, or else take the path leading down into the valley bed. I chose the latter. And it made all the difference with regards to exploring the beauty of this valley.
The path on the valley bed is full of shrubs, carob trees and bamboo branches which got us all wet since their leaves were still full of the rain which fell the days before. At times who have to lower yourself so as to pass from under the bamboo branches whereas other times you have to pay attention to avoid the thorny branches from getting into your face.
Almost, half way through the valley, once finds a cut out tomb, about 10meters high up by the cliffside. It is known as “Il-Qabar ta’ l-Ingliza.” From some research I made, it seems that many ages ago an English woman was riding a horse through this valley, when all of a sudden she lost control of her horse and the latter threw her off his back. She lost her life in this valley and she was buried in a tomb dug out in the cliff, facing the spot where the incident happened.
From this place onwards, the valley bed is not much rough anymore. In all, the valley is approximately 2km long. At the end of the valley there is a small farm and then you can continue walking either to the left to Wied il-Kbir which leads to Qormi, or else to another valley on the right, Wied Hanzir which ends up in Hal-Farrug.
eman azzopardi 