Fomm ir-Rih Bay

Fomm ir-Riħ, the mouth of the wind, is a bay on the west coast below the Rdum tal-Vigarju cliffs, and it is the hardest beach on Malta to reach: a lane ends above it and a rough path with a few concrete steps drops down the cliff to a shore of clay, boulders and shingle. There is nothing there at all, which is exactly why people go. The clay slopes are unstable and the path has been damaged by landslips more than once.

What you'll find

• The cliff descent - a rough path and steps dropping from the lane to the shore.
• The emptiness - a bay with no development, kiosks or facilities of any kind.
• The clay cliffs - the unstable blue clay slopes framing the bay.
• The rock shore - boulders and shingle rather than sand.

When to go

April to June and September to October are best; summer is hot on the exposed path. Winter storms make the sea dangerous and damage the path. Weekends bring more walkers.

What to expect

The path is steep, loose and genuinely dangerous in wet weather, and landslips have closed it at times. There is no shade, water or facility of any kind. Swimming here is unsupervised and the shore is rocky.

Nearby

Bahrija is inland, and Gnejna Bay is north.