Malta — Ta’ Dmejrek (253 m): The Calm Between Peaks
Altitude: 253 m
Coordinates: 35°50′45″ N, 14°23′49″ E
Route: Short walk from Dingli Cliffs Road to Ta’ Dmejrek summit area
Transport to region: 2,827 km total
• 205 km drive Glen Nevis → Edinburgh Airport
• 2,610 km flight Edinburgh → Malta
• 12 km bus Malta Airport → Ta’ Dmejrek (via Dingli)
Accommodation: Slept overnight at Edinburgh Airport
Conditions: Hot, sunny, and calm with a light coastal breeze
Total cost of climb: €5 (return bus ticket – the cheapest of the entire expedition)
🌍 A Shift in Worlds
Only 24 hours earlier, I had been soaked to the bone on the stormy slopes of Ben Nevis. Now, stepping off the plane in Malta, it felt like I’d landed in another world, from 9°C rain and wind to 35°C of blazing Mediterranean sun.
I had slept a few hours on the airport floor in Edinburgh before catching the early flight south. The moment I left the terminal in Malta, the heat hit like a wall, heavy, dry, and bright.
🚌 The Journey to Dingli
From Malta International Airport, I took a local bus toward Dingli, the small village near the island’s highest point.
The ticket cost only €2.50 each way, making it officially the cheapest summit of the entire expedition, and probably one of the most relaxing.
After about 45 minutes of winding roads through sunlit stone villages and olive groves, the bus dropped me off near Dingli Cliffs Road. From there, it was a short, quiet walk along a rural path to the GPS-marked point of Ta’ Dmejrek (253 m).
☀️ The Summit Above the Sea
The “summit” itself is subtle, no dramatic ridge, no cairn, just rolling farmland descending toward the sea. But the view over the cliffs is breathtaking: deep blue horizon, white limestone, and the sound of wind moving through dry grass.
I spent half an hour exploring, taking photos along the edge, and simply enjoying the contrast, the silence, the warmth, and the feeling of standing at the highest natural point of an island surrounded by the endless Mediterranean.
✈️ The Afternoon
By midday, I walked back to the bus stop, caught the return ride to the airport, and boarded my next flight to Barcelona El Prat, the gateway to the Pyrenees.
It was one of those rare days when the expedition slowed down, giving space to breathe, reset, and prepare for the next big push.
💬 Reflection
Malta was more than a low peak, it was a pause between extremes.
No snow, no storms, no fatigue, just sun, salt air, and perspective.
It reminded me that this project wasn’t just about climbing, it was about crossing all of Europe’s landscapes, from glaciers to cliffs, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean.
Date: 6 August 2025
