WS1 - Portico of Tal-Hlas Chapel

Some 75 ramblers converged on Pjazza Tumas Dingli in Attard in what was rather warm weather for late November. The walk started through one of the quaint village core streets to cross Notabile Road and enter the Wied is-Sewda area. Although an important waterway this valley is rather neglected and sadly a favourite dumping site for large material - enough to say that two cars have been dumped there since August despite the valley being given a thorough clean-up recently.

The group made its way via a narrow country path running parallel with the valley bed. Then we briefly emerged on the Attard-Zabbug road and continued our way downstream by the valley bed until we reached a pumping station. From here we took a right turn uphill to reach the Chapel of Tal-Hlas where we made a brief stop. The present chapel was built in 1690 and its design is attributed to Lorenzo Gafa. An older chapel stood here before that time and traces of the original building are now incorporated in the chapel sacristy. Today the chapel is a venue where parents present their newborn children to the Holy Mary in gratitude following a safe delivery. The chapel also has a number of galley graffiti still visible on its outside walls. A fine arched portico and a couple of large trees complete the idyllic setting.

WS2 - One of the farms that characterise Wied is-Sewda

From here we moved on towards Qormi through more country paths. Entering Qormi from the Ta Farsina area we stopped briefly to have a look at Palazzo Stagno - one of the oldest buildings in Qormi dating back from around 1589.
Although the palace is today a private residence one can still admire the ornate sculpted motifs on its doors and windows. Next down the road was the magnificent Parish Church of St.George. Qormi is one of Malta's ten oldest parishes and the present building is the third to be built on the site. Work started on its construction around 1584. The church has undergone several changes since that time but it retains one of the most harmonious facades of any church in Malta (fa?de attributed to Vittorio Cassar - son of Gerolamo) and an impressive dome by Lorenzo Gafa - the latter added around 1684. Crossing the valley floor - in this part of town actually a surfaced road with a propensity to flood badly in heavy downpours - we made our way up to the small chapel of the Assumption - known locally as Tal-Blat. This simple chapel dates back to 1644 but an older place of worship stood here even before that time. The remains of a holy monk, one Francis Rinaldet, are said to be buried in the chapel.

WS3 - The owner of Coffee Farm is intrigued
to see so many ramblers in the area

WS4 - Facade of St. George Parish Church

From here it was a straight walk back to Attard via more country paths interspersed here and there with some old farms and other more recent " developments ".

All in all a pleasant and easy walk through agricultural land with gentle gradients.