AftThe radar dome is not the highest point in Malta

This is the mistake almost everyone makes, including me.

There is a large white radar dome on the Dingli Cliffs, visible from a long way off. It looks exactly like a summit marker. It is a research and radar installation, and the actual high point is not there.

I walked all the way to the dome, realised I had already passed the peak on the way, and had to backtrack. The true high point is a very slightly raised, entirely unremarkable patch of ground near the car park, close to a flower bed. There is no marker, no sign and no cairn.

If you're standing there thinking "surely this isn't it," it is.

Where exactly is Ta' Dmejrek? Nobody agrees

This is worth knowing before you go, because it will save you the walk I did.

• Peakbagger states the location is unclear, that the clifftop area is relatively flat, and that several points could be the highest. It lists a main point near Dingli and a secondary point near the radar dome.

• Wikipedia gives coordinates of 35.84583, 14.39694 and lists the location as Siġġiewi.

• A SOTA activation report gives 35.85280, 14.38350, a noticeably different spot, and describes the true summit as ambiguous.

• Another peak-bagging account says the two candidate points are 1.6 km apart, one near the Santa Marija Maddalena chapel by the radars and one near a mine.

So the two most-cited coordinate sets for the highest point in Malta disagree with each other, and the plateau is flat enough that you cannot resolve it by eye.

What I'd do: go to the area near the car park at the Dingli Cliffs, not the radar dome. If you want to be thorough, walk the stretch between the chapel and the car park and you'll have covered both candidates in about half an hour.

How to get to Ta' Dmejrek

There is no direct bus to the Dingli Cliffs from most places on the island, which is the practical problem.

What I did: got a taxi to a village on the south coast and walked the cliffs from there. My accommodation's receptionist got me a cab for 15 euros instead of the 35 I was quoted, so ask at reception rather than booking through an app.

What I'd do instead: hire a car, or take a taxi directly to Dingli and walk from there. The village of Dingli is a short, flat walk from the high point.

The walk along the cliffs is beautiful and much longer than it looks. I covered 18 km, partly through wrong turns and the radar dome detour. The cliff path has sections with a genuine drop to the sea and no barrier, so it needs attention, but it isn't technical.

Pre-book your return. There's no reliable transport from the cliffs back to the towns. This is the thing I'd most want to have organised in advance.

What to wear and take

Nothing technical. It is a walk on paths and roads at 253 m.

Take proper footwear anyway, because the distance adds up fast. I did this two days after walking through snow in Cyprus and finished with a substantial blister.

Take food and water. There is very little open along the route, and outside of the cliffs area there are long stretches with nothing. The chapel area near the radars sometimes has drinks.

Watch out for private land

The plateau is farmland and the boundaries aren't obvious. I got turned around and ended up on someone's property without meaning to. Malta does not have a right-to-roam law, so stay on the paths and the road.

Is it worth it?

The peak itself is nothing. It's a flat patch of ground you'd walk past without noticing.

The Dingli Cliffs are genuinely spectacular, and they're right there. Go for the cliffs, tick the high point while you're there, and take a picnic. Winter is a good time for it: the countryside is green and full of flowers and you may not need a jacket.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest point in Malta?

Ta' Dmejrek, at 253 metres above sea level, on the Dingli Cliffs in western Malta.

Is the radar dome at Dingli the highest point in Malta?

No. The white radar dome is a research and radar installation. The actual high point is a short distance away, unmarked, near the car park.

Is the highest point of Malta marked?

No. There is no sign, marker or cairn. The surrounding plateau is flat, and sources disagree on the exact location by more than a kilometre.

How hard is it to reach?

Not hard at all in terms of terrain. There is essentially no ascent once you're on the plateau. The difficulty is transport and distance, not the climb.

Do you need a guide or a permit?

No. It's open access and free.

Can you get there by bus?

There's no direct bus service to the cliffs from most parts of the island. Taxi or hire car is the practical option, and you should arrange your return before you set off.

How long does it take?

If you drive to the Dingli Cliffs car park, minutes. If you walk the cliffs from a neighbouring village as I did, allow a full day. I covered 18 km.

What's the best time of year?

Winter is excellent. The countryside is green and flowering and the temperature is comfortable for walking, which is not true of a Maltese summer on an exposed clifftop with no shade.

Is Ta' Dmejrek the highest point in the Maltese islands?

Yes, it's the highest point of the island of Malta and of the Maltese archipelago.

Peak 3 of The Peak Project: climbing the highest point in every country in Europe.