| A Journey
Into Undiscovered Andalucia |
| A Stone
Cottage And Beautiful Landscapes |
| By Mark Medley |
| When people
think about Andalucia, they often imagine long coastal stretches of man-made
beaches, and high rise Tourist Towns. Yet, only forty minutes away from
the Coast lies a half wild, unexplored and untamed region of Spain. A Spain,
where lonely traditional farms and cottages are scattered around a quiet,
hilly region. Hidden away from the mass urban sprawl, touristy ghettos
of the coast, is a enchanting landscape, with hares, the occasional wild
deer and eagles circling the sky for their pray.
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. |
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| The only real
local contacts we had, was with the Local Bar/Post Office, a few kilometres
down the valley, where locals park their horses and then head for
a glass of locally made wine, gossiping away the hot afternoons. Wild fowl
walk aimlessly through the small hamlet, with the occasional rabbit crossing
the quiet roads. Nature living in harmony with people, in a modern European
country.
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. |
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| Early evenings
we can watch the lights of fishing boats leaving the modern port of Malaga.
Further down the valley a curious view of mixed greenery, with the faint
blue ripple of the Sea. A priceless view. The haunting sound of the valleys,
echo, with a cool, light breeze cooling the hot afternoons as Olive and
Nut Trees timelessly grow.
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. |
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Offshore Resources Gallery
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| Other more
sophisticated traders sell household goods imported from China, for very
reasonable prices. We often meet friends at the Kiosk, where Juan cooks
a Sunday paella, and talks about his horses, he breeds. We have found living
a natural and modern lifestyle, in a warm climate has been quite simple
to adapt to. The only downside is adjusting to the local idea of time.
In the area, people rarely are on time. Manana, means sometime tomorrow,
rather then tomorrow morning at nine. This can be frustrating if you are
refurbishing your home.
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. |
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| When more
than four hands were needed, his son would come up on weekends to help.
This also was an advantage, as Paco was born in the area, and understood
how the cottage was constructed. Our garden was the next challenge. The
land in the area is scattered with a wide range of natural wild flowers,
olive, nut and palm trees. All we had to do was to tidy up the land, and
we had a natural garden.
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. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| Living
Costs
You can live
well on around 500€ per month, once a home has been completed. Locally
grown products are inexpensive at the markets and village shops. The only
real expense is transport, as even local governmental taxes rarely exceed
70€ per year. Your home can be self- sufficient, especially with your
own water well.
Property
Prices In The Area
Property prices
are very reasonable, compared to other properties in the area. Property
agents tend to ignore the area, due to its distance and the better commissions
made on properties further down the valley. Remote abandoned farms with
over 25.000m2 of land can be sold for as little as €40.000.
Getting
Around The Area
A Car or a
Motorbike is needed to get to any property in the area. Once you reach
Estacion de Cartama, bus services and an extensive train service links
you to Malaga, local villages and the coast. From my cottage it takes around
forty minutes to Malaga Airport, and twenty minutes to Estacion de Cartama.
If you would
like to contact Mark or see his web site with property listings in Andalucia
then Click Here.
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