Ta' Cenc Cliffs

Ta' Ċenċ is a plateau of bare limestone and garrigue above Sannat that ends abruptly in cliffs of around a hundred and thirty metres on Gozo's southern coast. The plateau carries prehistoric remains including cart ruts and a dolmen, and the cliffs hold the most important seabird colonies on the islands: Yelkouan and Scopoli's shearwaters and the storm petrel nest in the crevices, coming and going at night to avoid gulls.

What you actually see

• The cliffs - a drop of around a hundred and thirty metres to the sea.
• The seabird colonies - shearwaters and storm petrels nesting in the cliff crevices.
• The dolmen - a prehistoric megalithic structure on the plateau.
• The cart ruts - prehistoric grooves cut into the plateau limestone.

When to go

October to May is best for walking; the plateau is exposed and summer heat is severe. Shearwaters are present from spring to autumn and are heard at night. Spring brings flowers on the garrigue.

Honest expectations

There is no shade, no water and no marked path across the plateau. Cliff edges are unfenced and the rock is uneven. The seabirds are nocturnal at the colony and are rarely seen by day.

Nearby

Sannat is inland, and Xlendi is northwest.