Set deep in a richly forested, 150 acre estate,
a magical location in the midst of the wonderfully verdant countryside of the
Sierra de Aracena, this casita used to be home to the estate owners´donkey. When a neighbour bought him to keep his other donkeys company, they converted
his stable and loft into a lovely holiday home, and quite appropriately, named
it after him.
The house is situated in a wide orchard meadow. There are lots of old apple
and fig trees and, from time to time, the estate sheep will be there too. You
will hear the tinkle of their bells as they graze - not such a bad accompaniment
to an al-fresco meal or a glass of wine taken on the shaded terrace which
runs full length along the front of the house.
A grassy garden separates it from the small but nonetheless, inviting swimming
pool (5 m x 3 m), an idyllic spot for cooling off on those hot, lazy summer days.
There is a high stone wall behind the pool and garden area. This is for added
privacy as an old mule trail runs behind the house and just occasionally someone
may walk past.
From
the terrace, one enters to a neat and cosy sitting room. Easy chairs, a sofa and
a coffee table are gathered around an old, glass-fronted wood-fired stove (logs
are provided). There are books, a Scrabble board and other games and a CD / Radio.
As elsewhere in the house, walls are enlivened by attractive, original paintings.
The large kitchen / diner is alongside. It is well equipped with a marble
work-top, an electric fan oven, gas hob, dishwasher, washing machine and fridge/freezer.
The (extendible) kitchen table can seat up to eight, just in case you feel like
asking some friends in to join you.
The
two bedrooms (one double and one twin, both with en-suite bathrooms) are upstairs.
The double room has a king-size bed, and a bathroom with tub/shower, handbasin,
and WC. The twin room has a walk-in shower, handbasin, and WC. All the bedroom
furniture is handmade and hand-painted in Sevilla.
The cottage has a
good Telefonica 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 six kilometres from 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.
You might, for example, enjoy a walk to Los Marines or to Fuenteheridos,
two charmingly typical white-washed pueblos, each about a 20-minute walk
away. Los Marines is quieter while Fuenteheridos (which has three or four restaurants
to choose from) bustles with life. Or perhaps you will prefer to stay put, right
here, spending your time birdwatching or looking at the multitude of wildflowers
which carpet the meadows each Spring.
