This charming, 300 year-old cottage is like something out of a fairytale,
set deep in a richly forested 150 acre estate,
a magical location in the midst of wonderful, verdant countryside.
And, true of all fairy-tale cottages, it is accessed by a
narrow wooden footbridge which crosses the little stream which runs past the front
of the house, where bullfrogs croak and cuckoo's coo in Spring.
If
you love nature, this is the place to be. In mid-April and May the nightingales
settle into the lush poplar groves and start to sing. The myriad of wildflowers,
peonies, viper's bugloss, cistus, blue pimpernel and scarlet poppy are at
their best in May and June.
Egyptian
mongoose, badgers, red deer and wild boar are all around and about here, deep
in the woods. Not all easy to see, but sometimes as you sit quietly sipping a
sundowner on your terrace you might catch a glimpse of a mongoose coming down
to drink, or perhaps the blue flash of a kingfisher's wing.
In summer,
too, it's difficult to think of a more delightful place to be. Low in the valley
and surrounded by tall trees, the cottage enjoys shady tranquility, hidden away
from the fierce afternoon sun. It enjoys the best of both
worlds, because there is a sunny clearing to the side of the house where you can
enjoy those glorious rays, cooling off now and again in the little swimming pool.
And
you could be lucky enough to witness the peeling of the cork forest here on the
Estate which takes place in July / August. Autumnal visitors may catch the chestnut
harvest.
The other outdoor delight here is the cobbled terrace which extends
right along the front of the house, shaded by grape vines and roses
which clamber over the rustic wooden support poles. There's a barbecue here and
outdoor furniture for those all important al fresco meals.
Inside, one enters to a roomy sitting / dining room with a a sofa and armchairs
arranged around an antique wood burning stove. It's all very casual and rustic
in mood, an ambience which is enhanced by attractive paintings and colourful rugs.
Logs are provided in winter.
A door leads through to a fully equipped
kitchen and from there a back door will take you through to a small walled patio
at the far end of the house. On the other side of the living room there is a small
children's bedroom with bunk beds and an adjoining bathroom with walk-in shower.
Stairs
lead up to the two first floor bedrooms, one twin and one double, both with en-suite
bathrooms (each has a shower over a tub).
The cottage has a good Vodafone
signal and GPRS. Laptop owners with the correct card will find a swift connection
to the Internet and email.
Guests are welcome at the main estate house
(where the owners, Sam and Jeannie live) for a meal if they do not feel like cooking.
Jeannie is a real expert, regularly offering cookery courses as well as presenting
TV cooking programmes here in Spain. They have their own extensive organic fruit
and vegetable gardens here on the estate.
Located just outside the pretty market town of Aracena, not so far from the Portuguese
border in the Sierra de Aracena Natural Park, it's a unique and outstandingly
beautiful area. Hills, thickly wooded with sweet chestnut and cork oak, give way
to small groves of olives or walnuts and orchards of apples, plums, peaches and
figs. Stone-walled mule tracks meander from village to village and are perfect
for walking or riding.
In Spring, wild flowers carpet the meadows and
clumps of peonies grow in the shade of the chestnut trees. Very pretty whitewashed
villages hang on the side of hills or nestle in the valleys. It really is a
beautiful corner of a wonderful country and right here you will be in its very heart.
