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 twenty 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.

Background

The cliffs form a strip of about 20 ha along the coast of Sannat, rising from the sea to 120 m below a fringe of garrigue. BirdLife International lists them as an Important Bird Area for their breeding seabirds: 800 to 1000 pairs of Cory's shearwaters and 150 to 300 pairs of yelkouan shearwaters. Close to the cliffs lie the remains of Borġ l-Imramma, a megalithic temple of the Mġarr phase, two dolmens from the Tarxien Cemetery phase and several sets of cart ruts.

Source: Wikipedia, "Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs"

What's there

• The cliffs - a drop of around a hundred and twenty 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.

Good to know

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.

Key facts