| Walk to Wied Hanzira and Wied Qirda |
Sunday 18 December saw the continuation of the Ramblers' programme of
walks. A group of 25 turned up despite the day's early showers and cold
northwest wind.

Caption:
The walk started from near the Peridot Hall in Żebbug
and the group descended into Wied Qirda. They then took a country road
to the south which led past abandoned quarries, eventually reaching
Wied Ħanzir. Here the walking was through the
(almost always) dry valley bottom where it was obvious that illegal
off-roading was regrettably taking place. RAM intends to inform MEPA
about this.
At the confluence of Wied Ħanzir with Wied Qirda the group stopped at a
cave called Ghar Ħanzir - reputably an underground " swallow-hole "
which leads all the way to Marsa. The group then turned into Wied Qirda
proper where soon the curious rock-hewn monument known as "il-qabar ta' l-Ingliża"
(the English woman's tomb) was encountered. A member of the group
recounted how in his younger (and leaner) days he used to enter the
"tomb", but there is nothing much of note. He also explained that for
young boys from Qormi and surrounding areas getting into the tomb was a
common dare-devil rite of passage.

Caption:
The group then continued upstream until they reached the charming
chapel of Wied Qirda. From then on it was only another ten minutes or
so to the starting point.