On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Winter Wren
Wied il-Għasri was just a few miles from our vacation rental during Thanksgiving week 2024. I ended up visiting three different times: first on a mid-afternoon drive along the whole northern coast with my wife, once on a morning run from our rental and once in the afternoon/early evening with my son and his wife after they returned from a morning spent scuba diving.
Most of the northern coast of Gozo consists of 20-30 meter high cliffs like these at the mouth of the canyon. The sea the morning of this visit was starting to get whipped up by steady 30 mph northwesterly winds.
The path to the bottom of the canyon started near this small field of flowers.
The bottom of the canyon was a short hike with steps carved into the stone canyon walls. Not too scary, steep or strenuous. You can also see the lighthouse in the background here.
A few switchbacks provide overlooks to the canyon as you descend.
There is a small beach that can be used in good weather to enter the water at the bottom.
During our first visit, the water in the canyon was very calm. During these calm days (and when the water is warmer), the canyon inlet is popular for snorkeling and scuba diving. During rough days, the waves came in and crashed against the little cave under the overhang on the right and created a dramatic spray.
On our visit near sunset, the water was a bit rough! Here you can also see the light house behind and some small pools in the foreground where the sea spray from the waves collected.
The waves were so powerful that sea spray made it to the top of the cliffs that we were on…
where it filled some of these ancient salt pans carved into the rock…
that were fed and drained by carved channels in the cliff top rocks like these.
I’d love to go back some time in calm weather when the water is warmer and swim in that inlet!
Baud
I bet you boost their tourism. Such an interesting island.
Lapassionara
Lovely. Thanks for sharing these.
AM in NC
Thank you for educating me about a place I didn’t know existed before your posts educated me!
eclare
That inlet does look like a cool place to swim. Check the weather forecast first!
stinger
Wonderful scenery! I knew about man-made salt pans but had never seen pictures of them.
Betty
Please be careful about standing too near the edge even from high up when the waves are strong enough to reach you. Tourists here in the Caribbean have been swept away by unexpectedly strong waves in such places.
Winter Wren
@Baud: Yes, this is a top 10,000 blog after all :-)
Winter Wren
@Betty: Indeed! We made sure to stay pretty far from the edge.
bjacques
Thanks for these photo. I visited Gozo about 15 years ago. It was a lovely place. It wa pretty entertaining driving on the wrong side of the road near cliffs and up and down hills.
arrieve
What beautiful photos! I’ve only been to Valletta, and have now got Gozo on the (very long) wish list. Thanks for easing my way into the day.