This area offers the alternative Spain, to those looking for a natural, peaceful and very affordable alternative to the fast moving, modern living of the coast. We recently bought a traditional Spanish cottage, with a sizeable land plot in this area, and decided upon an alternative ecological style of living.

Our own tastes are not all old world. You need transport, so we bought an old Fiat, ideal for the meandering dirt roads that scatter and connect remote homes to the Village of  Estacion de Cartama. Four Wheel drives are an option, but most locals prefer older workhorses, like the Fiat.

Keeping in touch with the world is not as difficult as people think. We have a private 24 hour satellite Internet connection; it was unstalled easily, cheaply and quickly. Solar panels generate, enough electricity for a television and other electrical appliances. Water is pumped from a tank, filled twice a month by a water truck that makes its rounds through the Hills. We do have neighbours, but rarely hear them, but can see them in the distance. 

If boredom sets in, or the need for supplies, the nearest Village, Estacion de Cartama, is only twenty minutes away. For a small Spanish village things start late. Shops rarely open before 10am, bars and restaurants rarely close before 2pm. A three course lunch, with wine will cost around 4€, lazily eaten during the afternoon siesta. We can also sell olives and nuts by the sack load to the local warehouse.

We regularly visit Estacion De Cartama, on Sunday mornings. Farmers and smallholders bring a wide range of  locally grown fruits and vegetables to sell.

Refurbishing The Cottage

It took me two months to finish the cottage. We had an advantage: the cottage had been built using local stone and local products, scattered around the Valley. Over a hundred years ago, a family built the cottage by hand.  I discovered most of the original materials were still left around the cottage. So it was re-built partly with the original materials, with the exception of some kitchen and bathroom units. 

As an amateur builder, I needed help. So Paco, who lived in the local hamlet, came up on his Motorbike, and helped me finish the cottage.

Along with a family of resident owls who live in a nearby tree.

People are slowly moving back into the abandoned villages, and farms in the area, although not in droves. There are plenty of similar properties, with large areas of land, left to nature and the elements for generations. Yet, the area remains untouched by developers, and still remains an unknown semi-wilderness, close to the backyard of the Costa del Sol.