Property Description
Not far from the pretty village of El Gastor and just a half hour's drive from Ronda, this farmhouse is surrounded by groves of olive and almond trees and looks out to a wonderful panorama of mountain, forest and fields of wheat.
To the north there are inspirational views up to the 1,000 metre plateau of Acinipo, where the Roman theatre, hewn out of solid limestone, still stands.
The farmhouse has been renovated and redecorated by its South African owner and reflects her deep love for her native Africa. Bright colours, masses of paintings, sculptures and interesting furniture have been combined to create a remarkable, very individualistic home. Most of the photos on this page were taken in the depths of winter - just imagine what it's like in the summer!
The overall feel is friendly, light hearted and colourful. A large kitchen / dining room, with a long, scrubbed pine table (which can easily seat a group of eight), opens out at one end to the stunning views, as does the adjacent sitting room. Here too the style is bright and cheerful, casual and comfortable.
A snug off to one side has a satellite TV, masses of books and a DVD player with an interesting collection of recent films. Infact, there are fascinating books throughout the house as well as photos taken by the owner of her travels in Africa and India.
There are four bedrooms in total, three in the main house and one in the pool house. The master bedroom, which also has its own little living room with an open fireplace, is accessed from the front porch. Here too the decorative feel is jazzy and light-hearted.
All of the bedrooms have their own bathrooms, two of them with baths, two with shower rooms. Beds, mattresses and linen are of excellent quality.
The pool house, a building inspired by the architecture of African villages, has a pronounced 'ethnic' style. It has its own kitchen and lounge / diner and an interesting circular shower room just off from the bedroom.
Perhaps the most memorable feature of the house is its swimming pool. Twelve metres by five, it has an infinity edge which takes the eye out to the remarkable panorama beyond. It uses a salt filtering system and is lined in natural, stone coloured tiles. Surrounded by massive rocks, it harmonises beautifully with its surroundings.
There is a wide, flagged terrace leading down to the pool and a Moroccan style 'chill-out' area with masses of brightly coloured cushions, lounges and a barbecue just to the side of the pool house. This is an great place to be, at any time of day or night.
Although the house is not connected to mains electricity, it has a state-of-the-art generator which can be switched on from inside the house. It also has a top quality solar heating system. The cooker and fridge are run on gas (there are masses of spare bottles in the adjacent garage).
El Gastor, the nearest village, is a ten minute drive away. The village has several bars and restaurants, a number of shops (bakery, butcher's, greengrocers etc.), and a petrol station. The people of the village are very welcoming and you are bound to make new friends should you venture out for lunch or dinner.
Quite apart from the wonderful countryside all around and the natural treasure-trove of the nearby National Park, it's also an ideal location for exploring much of the best that Andalucía has to offer. Ronda, Grazalema and the other pueblos blancos of Cádiz province are close at hand, and it's not so far to Sevilla, Gibraltar and the wonderful beaches of both the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean Sea, either.
Just half an hour from this haven of rural peace and tranquility, Ronda, known to locals as the "The City of Dreams" has a fascinating history and a character to match. An ancient hill town, it straddles the extraordinary Tajo Gorge which plunges to a depth of more than 150 metres.
The oldest part of the town, the original citadel fortress of the Moors, lies to the east of gorge, a labyrinth of winding streets with ancient mansion houses, churches and enchanting little squares. There are breathtaking vistas from many of the bars and restaurants out across the gorge to the surrounding mountains.
The newer part of the town began to grow when the famous bridge was finally completed at the end of the 19th century. This is a bustling area of small shops, bars and restaurants and the site of Andalucia's most famous bullring.
There are a number of larger supermarkets as well as other interesting shops and, of course, some excellent restaurants including the Michelin-starred "Tragabuches". And a short drive away in the hilltop village of Zahara de la Sierra is the superb 'Al Lago' restaurant. Plus, of course, any number of good, decent tavernas selling home cooked fare at reasonable prices.
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Property Details
Main House (sleeps 6)
All on one floor :
Living room
Kitchen / dining room (with separate pantry)
Snug / TV room
W.C
3 bedrooms :
1 twin bedded (it can be zipped together as a double if preferred) with en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub)
1 twin bedded (it can be zipped together as a double if preferred) with en-suite shower room
1 double (the master bedroom) with en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub) and private sitting room; accessed from the front porch
Partially covered porch (furnished)
Dining terrace (furnished)
Pool House (sleeps 2)
All on one floor :
1 double bedroom with en-suite shower room
Small kitchen / dining area
Facilities
Satellite TV (Free to view) • DVD • CD Player • Internet connection (bring your own laptop) • Selection of DVD's and books
Open fireplaces in the living room and in the sitting area of the master bedroom • Wood burning stoves in the kitchen / dining room and in the Snug / TV room • Radiators • Portable Fans
Gas Oven • Gas hob (4 rings) • Fridge / freezer • Toaster • Juicer • Kettle • Coffee pot • Cooking utensils • Cutlery • Crockery
Washing Machine • Iron & board
All linen is provided (but not pool towels) • Hairdryer • Cot & Highchair available (on request)
Salt filtered infinity swimming pool (12 x 5 m, 0.95 - 1.70 m deep)
Pool terrace • Gardens • Sunbeds • Barbecue • Moroccan style 'chill-out' area • Outdoor dining and garden furniture • Parking
Notes
The property is available for rental in the summer only. The swimming pool is open throughout this period
The house has no mains electricity; it has generator (which can be switched on from inside the house) and solar heating
Welcome hampers can be provided for 50 € per person. All must be ordered in advance but are payable locally on arrival. There is also a 10 € delivery charge.
Rentals for this property normally run from Saturday to Saturday
Location
Accessed by a 2 km dirt track, 2½ km from El Gastor (basic facilities, bank, restaurants etc.)
Ronda 30 mins; Grazalema 30 mins; Arcos de la Frontera 1 hr; Costa del Sol 1¼ hrs; Málaga 1½ hrs; Jerez 1½ hrs; Sevilla 1½ hrs
See the location map above
Airports
Málaga 1½ hrs; Jerez 1½ hrs; Sevilla 1½ hrs
See our Links Page for web sites of airlines traveling to Andalucia from the UK.
Car Hire
We offer competitive rates for car hire from Málaga and other airports in Andalucia. Click here for full details
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About the Ronda Mountains
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