In the midst of wonderful, verdant countryside, once upon a time this holiday cottage used to be home to the estate owners´donkey ...
"If you want a place to take the family ( regardless of age) where you really can get some peace and quite then this place is perfect. I would defy anybody not to come away feeling relaxed".
Set deep in a richly forested, 150 acre woodland estate, a magical location in the midst of the wonderfully verdant countryside of the Sierra de Aracena, this cottage 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 holiday home, and quite appropriately, named it after him.
The cottage 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.
"I began my abiding love affair with with Spain right here and we try to return to this magical place as often as possible".
A grassy garden separates it from the small 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 with iPod connectivity. 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 views and surrounding area are just stunning. A spot of walking/hiking is a must to appreciate the beauty of the area".
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, hand basin, and WC. The twin room has a walk-in shower, hand basin, and WC. All the bedroom furniture is handmade and hand-painted in Sevilla.
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 bird watching or enjoying the multitude of wildflowers which carpet the meadows each Spring.
For a bit more – actually a lot more – action, magical Sevilla is a “must see” day out, an easy hour and a bit away from here. Cities don’t come any more vibrant – or any more beautiful than Sevilla.
All the facts and features about these villas
Weather permitting, the swimming pool will be open from April to mid October (although, because it’s not heated, the normal swimming season is from late April to the end of September)
Prices are inclusive of a welcome pack and firewood (in winter)
WiFi internet is available via a 4G router which is available on request, charged at 5€ per day paid locally on arrival.
Rentals for this property normally run from Friday to Friday in high season
RB/VR/CA/00012
| 2024 Season Dates | Sleeping upto 4 per week |
|---|---|
| 1st November to 31st March | 650 € |
| April, May and October | 780 € |
| June and September | 910 € |
| July and August | 1,110 € |
| 2024 Season Dates | Week | Fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| Prices Pending | — | — |
Reached by a 1 km unpaved track (easily negotiable in an ordinary car), 2 km from Los Marines (basic facilities) in La Sierra de Aracena region (Province of Huelva).
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