Family Climbing Adventure in Malta: How to Make the Mosta Valley Unforgettable
The morning sun tingles on our skin as we begin our descent into the Mosta Valley. Two kids (4 and 7), a backpack full of climbing gear, and one mission: to enjoy Malta's rugged rocks together. This wasn't going to be a relaxing vacation day, but a day full of victories, scraped knees, and clothing that can take a beating.
Scrambling, climbing & teamwork: how a family tackles the Mosta Valley
The start? An adventurous descent between sharp rocks and bushes. Our oldest skipped ahead like a mountain goat, the youngest climbed with full dedication (and a backpack half his size). Climbing with children is about patience, encouragement and the right equipment. It's not about perfection, but about fun. About that moment when your child smiles at you while hanging above you - and you realize: "this is it, this is why we do it."
Practical tips for climbing families
- Choose a suitable route – The valley has easy sections for kids and challenging routes for parents.
- Helmets on – Those loose pebbles are treacherous, so we put our helmets on as soon as we're at the rocks.
- Bring enough food and water – Children burn energy quickly but also get distracted easily. The solution? A backpack full of nuts, fruit and water bottles. This keeps the kids happy and busy while parents can climb peacefully!
- Dress in layers – The weather can change quickly, wear breathable clothing that's easy to put on and take off or multifunctional clothing like zip-off pants.
- Make it fun – Play games along the way, tell stories or let them discover plants/animals to keep the hike interesting.
- Teach risk assessment – Explain what to watch out for (slippery stones, steep edges) without scaring them.
- Lather, lather, lather! - That cooling wind is a false friend. Our red noses proved it. Reapplying sunscreen every 2 hours became our mantra! Top tip: Keep sunscreen in the spacious pockets of our Tracy Pants – no more excuses!
- Involve children in planning – Let them help decide about routes or break times or have them help search for paths that are sometimes hidden. This makes them feel more involved.
- The more the merrier: climb with multiple adults. Not just for your own safety (something unexpected can always happen), but also to have those extra pairs of eyes watching. Especially with children, it's nice to be able to divide attention.
Why this day touched us
Before you know it, hours have passed, you've scored new sun freckles, and the kids ask: "When are we going to the beach?" Climbing in Mosta is more than sport – it's laughing together, helping each other, and enjoying small victories.
The wind made it exciting, but the children thought it was especially cool – just like mom and dad on the rock!
My outfit for day 1
My outfit for day 2
Practical Tips
- Best time: Fall/winter/spring (summers are scorching hot)
- Facilities: No shops in the valley – bring everything with you!
- Parking: At the edge of the valley (near Mosta)
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Climbing organizations & Guides: Some Maltese climbing schools and organizations offer guided family climbing days:
- MC Adventure Malta
- Go Climb Malta
What was in our backpack:
- Water bottle
- Backpack
- Snacks
- Zip-off pants / shorts
- Sweater
- First aid kit (for those inevitable scrapes)
- Rope, quickdraws, grigri, carabiners, ...
- Harnesses for adults
- 2 types of children's harnesses (for the youngest Petzl Ouistiti and for the older one: SIMOND)
- Climbing shoes
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