#MALTATAL ICE CLIMBING CONDITIONS SERIES#
#MALTATAL ICE CLIMBING CONDITIONS ZIP#

Numbers of divers are swelling along the coastline, too.

Hikers can trek along the top of Malta’s many cliffs – where fishermen used to scramble down, without ropes or harnesses, to catch fish in the bays – stopping at pans where fresh salt is still harvested by hand.

#MALTATAL ICE CLIMBING CONDITIONS ZIP#

Thrill-seekers must take a leap of faith off the edge of a rock, before whipping down the zip line at a top speed of 60km an hour. MC Adventure recently built a 250m-long zip line, which runs high over a valley and through the arches of a yellow-stone bridge. “Malta is only 27km long, so you can climb for half a day, then go and visit Mdina or a museum.”Īs the profile of Malta’s climbing scene has grown, so too has interest in satellite activities. The other draw is how compact the area is. We also have grades which are in the high eights, which means that some of the world’s top climbers come over here to experience climbing in a Mediterranean environment.”Ĭaption: Molly tackles the Via Ferrata (Photo: Molly Blackall) “We have really easy grades, so we regularly take out beginners who have never climbed on rock before. “It’s for everyone,” he says of the Maltese climbing scene. In the early 2000s, he and a group of climbers began developing routes and taking out enthusiasts, using equipment funded by local authorities and secured into the rock by the climbing community for free. The transformation of Malta into a climbing destination has been largely driven by one man over the past two decades – Andrew Warrington, the founder of MC Adventure. In spite of the varied terrain, the islands’ climbing credentials are still reasonably young. Guides will assure you that the route can be completed by 12-year-olds, though it has caused more than one confident adult to tremble.

#MALTATAL ICE CLIMBING CONDITIONS SERIES#

Visitors can tackle a via ferrata across the Valley of Honey, a route which invites thrill-seekers to swing and scramble over a series of ladders, cables and bare rock face more than 35m high. Malta’s climbing scene is increasingly attractive among European enthusiasts, with an estimated 1,300 routes that range from beginner to expert – cliff edges looming over the sea, inland valley crags carved out by ice-age glaciers and coastal caves with gravity-defying roof climbs.Īn aerial view of Malta’s Three Cities and Valletta Harbour The islands claim to offer “360 days of sun” each year – with even the glaring winter sun demanding a hat and sun cream – putting outdoor adventure on the calendar year-round. Pre-pandemic, demographic growth of visitors was increasing fastest in the 0-24 age bracket. From kayaking to abseiling and diving to paragliding, the Maltese islands are increasingly becoming a destination for adventurers. But among the honey-coloured rock and swathes of prickly pear, adrenaline is surging. Hand in hand with those statistics comes a reputation as a slower, older destination. It welcomed more than 750,000 cruise passengers in 2019, more than all British arrivals – and Britons are by far the biggest visitors to the island nation.

Maltatal ice climbing conditions