John's Main Mystic And Nature Experience Walks, Hikes, Rambles and Swims

Gozo Secrets

My First Gozo Mystery Walk With John

By Lesley Kreupl

It was a "who knows?" walk, a walk, full of conjecture and guesses and imagination!

We, my friends Paul and Christine from Austria, John, a very dear friend who seems to be familiar with every stone on the island - quite a feat as there are an awful lot of stones on this island -and myself, started off from the chapel at Qala cemetery. We were high above the coastline - with a magnificent view of Comino and Malta. As we passed by John showed us etchings on the ancient chapel stone walls depicting various sailing vessels. Some of which must date back hundreds of years, maybe a sailor's appreciation for getting back home safely after time at sea? Or just a pictorial record of ships passing by? Who knows? It was a good start to our mystery walk.

We headed off along the paths and goat tracks around the newly ploughed terraced fields on top of the hill. We walked between the undisturbed garique which is full of ancient cart ruts and weird footprints. John is an amazing and knowledgeable guide. He has so many interesting theories about the rock formations in the area. For example, all the cart ruts and 'footprint' sized indentations in the flat rock. Could they have been made by people fleeing from some catastrophe or disaster, through a bog which then solidified - who knows? But it is fascinating.

Having had so much rain the plants were all coming to life after the hot dry summer. The ground was covered in minute pale mauve, translucent-white saffron crocuses. The wild, bright yellow calendula was beginning to flower - their tiny flowers are the exact miniature of those big showy ones we are familiar with. The numerous rock pools were all full of water and some were occupied by tiny shrimps! The mosquito larvae had already mostly hatched and I have a huge bite on my cheek to prove it! The thyme is just starting to get green and as one can't help walking on it at times, the smell would just rise like a cloud. There were quite a few aromatic plants so we were accompanied by many different perfumes. The heather was also just beginning to flower. Numerous other bushes and plants were coming into flower and the sea spurge is completely green now. With its perfectly round shape it looks as if it has just been pruned.

John pointed out a Monk's pepper tree or Chaste Tree (Vitex). So we had a taste of the leaves and pepper corns - a brew of the leaves and wild carrot roots are said to help period pains. Apparently the seeds were chewed by monks to prevent them from getting sexually aroused when hearing saucy confessions! Hence the name. The area is also dotted with ancient stone walls, mounds, caves and sacred places.It has never been seriously explored and would be an archaeologists dream. Because of the pottery shards one finds all over the area, it is known that many of the structures go back to the bronze and punic ages and earlier. Probably every second field in Gozo has some sort of archaeological relic in it, from the huge, monoliths which are all that remain of pre-historic temples, to pottery shards and carvings.

We - or rather I - with the help of a pair of walking sticks, huffed and puffed up the next hill which gave us a magnificent view over several little inlets and John's 'Mother Goddess' statue. It had been raining on and off all morning so we slipped and slid down the very wet, sticky mud track to the coast. We all grew several inches and put on a kilo or two as after a couple of metres, lovely gooey 'mud platforms' stuck to our shoes - modern, but not very elegant! This mud is so hard to scrape off and for once the prickly wild artichoke plants served a purpose. They made quite good mud-"scraper-offers". To my utter delight, the narcissus had just started to flower in the sheltered fields close to the coast - they are such happy flowers and my very favourite!

The massive rocks in this area are a jagged, tumble of disorganized chaos. One can't even imagine what sort of upheaval in the earth's crust could have caused such havoc. A lot of the rocks are very geometrical - as if they have been cut into rectangular and triangular blocks by some mystical giant who also had great fun balancing them on top of each other. The little inlet is strewn with monolithic 'islands'. There is a tumble of rocks which could represent a sleeping child on one of them and various phallic symbols dotted around. Somehow the child, the main phallic symbol and the mother Goddess are in straight line. Under the Mother Goddess statue is a (wo)man-made cave which is lit up by the summer solstice! Another "who knows?"

The statue itself is weird - from above it looks a bit like a lion-headed creature sitting down. From below, the head is more elongated, like a horse or a friendly dinosaur. And one can clearly see two zig-zag seams in the rock where the head has been placed onto the torso and the torso onto the hips. The zig-zag seam appears to hold the separate stones in place and to prevent them from sliding apart. Of course, this is all speculative and we will never know whether it was a quirk of nature or really (wo)man-made.

John is a very mystic and close-to-nature person so has developed many theories over the years. He has experienced the power of nature that is so often present in such places. So we were happy and privileged to be able to share some of them with him. There are many unexplained fissures and holes in the boulders in the area. Because of the amazing temples like Gigantija (apparently the oldest free standing building in the world) not far away, it is very likely that some of them are ancient sacrificial and/or burial sites. Again, who knows?

One of the many highlights was our sojourn in the 'fertility' cave. This is an opening in a tumble of balancing rocks with a view over the sea 'to die for'. We stopped there for a breather, a sip of schnapps - for all of us including the cave - while John played his doleful Vietnamese instrument. This sounds like a cross between a didgeridoo and a Jewish harp and looks like a little pen-knife! It was very special indeed.

It was getting late so our route back along the coast was somewhat hurried as the sky was looking very threatening with big angry black clouds which had very kindly been holding off all afternoon. Being winter it was getting dark as well. We scrambled over the loose shale and stones of John's secret path over the rocky mounds like not-very-agile mountain goats - torn between looking at the beautiful sea and sky and where we were going to place our feet next!

Gozo, November 2009


Mother (Fertility) Goddess Temple Experience - Rambling, Walking, Hiking and Swimming

What you experience:

The Mother Goddess Statue and its baby.
  • Experience the Mystical Sunrise from the Sea from the Energy Site just under the Bronze Age Village of Qala.
  • Bronze Age Walls and Shrines.
  • The Mother Goddess and sleeping child large statues, sacred phallus and the manmade cave under the statue that lights up on sunsrise of Summer Solstice.
  • The Virgin Mary statues in small rock crypts at the temple and the buddha like shape (possibly natural) in the head of the mother goddess.
  • Experience the Energy at the temple and the whole area.
  • Amazing views of Comino and Blue Lagoon.
  • Tal-Halfa little island, its pebble and coral beach and its altar in the middle.
  • Tal-Pinnur watch house.
  • Clay slopes and wonderful rock formations in the form of massive sea waves.
  • Seeing the Salt Pans and Pools, Salt tasting and feeling the Salt Brine which feels like mineral oil (Excellent for massages).
  • Saint Anthony redoubt (fortress) where they blew up enemy ships with their cannons.
  • Natural Pools for swimming with sea grass that is very good for the skin (Summer).
  • On special days this walk will be held at sun rise and moon rise from the sea.
  • Wild Plants feeling, tasting and smelling.

It is quite a moving experience to see the Sun Rise from the warm Mediterranean Sea and feel the gentle and fresh sea breezes rolling over your skin. Under the Bronze Age Village in Qala there is a place which John believes was a special place of worship for the ancient Gozitans. Here we sit in a Lotus Position on the large rocks scattered in the area and wait for the sunrise while enjoying the wind and hearing all the nature sounds. There we visit a little hill made of perfect triangles where there is an old watch house and from there we see the massive sculpted statue of the Mother Goddess sitting in a Trance Position. There is also a sculpted statue of a big baby on a small island pointing to the Mother Goddess Statue. The phallus is in the middle of the bay which is just under these ancient Statues. These three points form a strong energy connection. Even though naked (nudity) swimming is not allowed in Gozo some people swim naked (nude) in this sacred beach. They say it feels like a baptism of rebirth. North of the Mother Goddess Temple there is a well which possibly was used for ritualistic baptisms. This cistern is never empty even in the hot summer. From the cistern we can see a man made hole (1m wide and 3m deep) under the mother goddess statue which points to the Summer Solstice Sunrise. This hole fills up with light for three weeks around the 21st of June. During this time the temple is full of healing energies. While there we have a quick glimpse at the St Anthony Cannon Fortress which was built in 1712 and its Salt Room. The soldiers during summer while on guard made salt from the sea. These salt pans still make salt up to this day and in the summer you can taste it with John and try it on your skin. It feels like Mineral Oil. From there you return to the Goddess Temple to see the Buddha form at the back of the Mother Goddess head and feel the energies at the very large square rock which has two small statues of the the Virgin Mary. In the temple there is mystical cave with amazing views of Halfa Rock and the surrounding beaches. In this cave one needs to be careful of what to wish because they come very fast and unexpected. In Summer after the swim we can enjoy the very sweet wild figs which grow around the temple. After a small hike in this ancient path through the big rocks we come to the pebble beach of Halfa Rock. Here you can have another swim on hot days. On the sandstone rocks were you find more Salt Pans you can see the wood marks where the Knights and possibly the Muslin Pirates used to bring their galleys up for quick repairs or to escape from the strong North West winds. Legend says that Dragut used to frequent this area a lot due to its good sheltering qualities of the bay. During the walk you will experience the cart ruts and also taste, feel and smell a lot of the wild plants.

Some couples that have been trying to have a baby for years with no success were successful just after visiting this amazing Fertility Temple. It seems that this energy at this temple helps women and men to become more fertile. This could be due to the balancing of the energies between the male and femalte energies within the person that visits the temple and makes the wish. The most powerful spots in the temple are the square hole under the Goddess Statue (possibly symbolizing a spiritual vagina) which fills with light in the Summer Solstice or the cave behind the the Goddess Statue facing the little alter island which is a few hundred metres away from the temple.

Mystic Ancient Temples and Energies Experience - Rambling, Walking

What you experience:

Gozo Stonehenge.
  • Wied il-Mielah Valley and Window and its breath taking views.
  • The massive sea cliff cave close by temple similar to the Atlantis temples cliff cave.
  • Gozo Stonehenge Temple, Three Holy Rocks lined up to Summer Solstice sunset and the energy fountain (Possibly going back to the Atlantis times of 18,000 years ago).
  • A man made rock cave in the form of a shell pointing to the Gozo Stonehenge Temple possibly used to create amazing powerful trance sounds.
  • The lined up water cisterns that line up with the Gozo Stonehenge energy fountain.
  • See the Beautiful Clay Slopes and hill shaped like the Maltese Mother Goddess Statues from hip downwards.
  • Monoliths with a carving of the Eye of Horus that lines up with the Sunset of the Summer Solstice.
  • Energy Crypt where they possibly placed the sick to heal or for the dead so their soul reaches the heavens.
  • Two large punic rock cut water shrines with its ritual swimming pool. This is a place of strong energy. One Shrine has a trough possibly where they embalmed the dead and the other Shrine is full of water all year round. The temple is surrounded with water canals placed under the temple. The shrines are lined up with the Winter Solstice Midday Sun. Temple foundations can also be seen on top of these shrines.
  • Old cobble stone roads possibly dating back to Roman times.
  • We will see Ta Kangla round monolith in the middle of the hill and other scattered monoliths in the shape of a diamond. Possibly part of the Ta' Pinu and Ta' Ghammar Leyline.
  • At the Gozo stonehenge temple, mystic and spiritual people could achieve spiritual and physical healing mainly due to the total relaxing and happy energy at this place.
  • Wild Plants feeling, tasting and smelling.



The amazing water falls in winter around the temples amplify the electricity around the temples.

Canyon Experience - Rambling, Walking, Hiking and Swimming

What you experience:

Imgarr ix-Xini Canyon.
  • Mgarr ix-Xini Bay.
  • Mgarr ix-Xini Valley with all its fauna, birds, flora and beautiful natural mineral colours on the valley cliff sides.
  • A feeling of being in Jurassic Park.
  • The old pumping station that worked with coal and steam power.
  • The Summer Solstice sunset beam cave and shining rock.
  • The shrine of the rising sun and its energies of peace.
  • The ancient ritual troughs.
  • Breath taking views from valley ridge.
  • The prehistoric caves in the valley cliff with grinding pots dug in the ground and the cave chimney.
  • Mgarr ix-Xini Tower and its horse way.
  • Horse head peninsula.
  • Tal-Fissej Rock.
  • Ta' Cenc cliffs.
  • Wild Plants feeling, tasting and smelling.

Sunset Experience - Rambling, Walking, Hiking

What you experience:

Sunset At Dwejra.
  • The Wardija Punic temple and ritual swimming pool.
  • The mystic rainbow eminating from the punic temple at sunset. Seen mainly on semi cloudy sunsets.
  • Uluru similar looking rock that has a magical through and is full of strong energy especially during sunsets.
  • Breath taking views from the high cliffs of Dwejra Bay, Azure Window, Fungus Rock and Inland Sea.
  • A land cliff burial crypt.
  • View the Fungus Rock Window which can be seen only from certain points.
  • The knights cove in Dwejra bay where they used it to launch their boats for sea patrols and possible attacks.
  • Will see the pole holes that held the rope bridge between Fungus Rock and the Fungus Rock Peninsula.
  • Dwejra valley.(In winter is full of flowers and you can see an amazing waterfall).
  • Kercem stone quarries.
  • San Raflu pond with its exotic animals.
  • Wild Plants feeling, tasting and smelling.


Atlantis Temples and Mushroom Rock Experience - Rambling, Walking, Hiking

What you experience:

Jacqui Pescha at Mushroom Rock.
  • The rock cut shrine of the lonely priest possibly dating back to punic times.
  • Multiple accessible cliff side energy crypts.
  • A massive sea cliff cave between the two main sea temples.
  • Wied il-Mielah Window and its breath taking views.
  • Mushroom rock and its amazing moonscape surroundings.
  • Two main temples separated by 350 metres.
  • The fireworks factories.
  • San Dimitri rector's old house.
  • San Dimitri chapel its legends and the close by temple.
  • Amazing sunset views creating beautiful hill shadows.
  • Wild valley plants tasting in winter.
  • Spiritual people will feel the powerhouse energy that will lift their spirit.
  • Wild Plants feeling, tasting and smelling.



Sandy Beaches and the Wild Gozo Coastline Hike - Rambling, Walking, Hiking and Swimming

What you experience:



Dahlet Qorrot and the Bronze Age Village Hill Walk - Rambling, Walking, Hiking and Swimming

What you experience:

Hiking to The Highest Point in Gozo - Rambling, Walking, Hiking

What you experience:

Gozo Nature Walks and Hikes Guide

Other Info

John's with the Malta Ramblers - Gozo Nature Guide.

What you need to bring with you for the walk:

  • 1.5 Litres of water (2lt in Summer) per person.
  • A strong but light walking non slippery shoes or sandals.
  • A hat and sun protection cream to protect you from the strong sun.
  • Preferrably a long pants cause some fields and paths will have some prickly small thorns. They do not hurt but could be annoying.
  • A camera and spare batteries to photograph the amazing views.
  • Swimming clothes and towel since we have a swim on some walks in Spring, Summer and Autumn.

John's favourite swimming spot.

Walk and Swimming Duration is around 3 to 4 hours. That does not mean continuous walking. We will have lots of resting breaks so we can enjoy the amazingly beautiful surroundings by seeing, smelling, hearing, touching and plant tasting. John will narrate a few stories and local legends about the places visited from knowledge he gained from the local people.

The price per person or per group varies depending on the walk/hike/swim duration and group size. We also do individual, couple and small group walks since some people want to experience the temple energies with their family, friends or alone in total tranquility.

Walks, Hikes and/or Swims for Non Profit Organizations are done free of charge.

Contact John or call him on +356 7955 0846.

John Nature Walks Guiding the group.