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Andalucian CottagesDramatic heartland of the Spanish south
• wide choice of activities such as walking, biking, climbing & kayaking • diverse wildlife • shared pool • car hire included • welcome hamper These cottages are the ideal base for an active family, with the added bonus of making you feel part of a real Spanish village. There is rewarding walking among dramatic mountain scenery, a host of other activities such as mountain biking and kayaking, and the surrounding area is a natural paradise full of birds and flowers. This fascinating corner of south-west Andalucia truly has something for everyone. Great days outAndalucia is famed for its pueblos blancos, villages of whitewashed houses which bask in the sunshine. Probably the most famous of them all is Ronda, a town split in two by a spectacular gorge. Cross the bridge from which many priests were flung to their death into the gorge during the Civil War, visit Spain’s oldest bullring (now a museum) and stroll through the atmospheric streets. There are many other white towns and villages to explore, such as the astonishingly positioned Arcos de la Frontera, or Zahara de la Sierra and Jimena de la Frontera with their prominent Moorish castles towering over the village houses. Near Montejaque are some important underground caves with some magnificent rock formations and polychrome rock-paintings judged to be around 25,000 years old. WalkingThe walking here is simply wonderful, the chance to see a variety of wildlife adding an extra dimension to the routes. Montejaque Circuit (11km, 4hrs): an undulating route – parts of which are along an old cobbled path – which explores the area to the south-west of Montejaque. Highlights include great views of Ronda, the chance to see a huge threshing floor at the site of an abandoned farmhouse, and a short section along the Victorian, British-built Algeciras to Ronda railway. Montejaque to Ronda (13km, 4.5hrs): the route winds up to the crest of a ridge, from where you descend into the next valley and rise to a second ridge for views of the famous pueblo blanco. Following the ridge, you continue to enjoy good vistas of Ronda, then descend through a wood of holm oaks and walk along a wooded gully to enter Ronda through the lower town walls. You can return to Montejaque by train or taxi. The Ronda Gorge (2hrs): this circular route from Ronda takes you down into El Tajo, the gorge which dramatically divides Ronda in two, offering a different perspective of the town as well as an insight into the area’s interesting geology and wildlife. The Secret Valley (14km): this circular walk from Grazalema follows a beautiful route over the ridge of the Sierra del Endrinal (‘Blackthorn Mountains’) to an old ruined farmhouse standing in a secret valley amid poplars and tiny streams, and encircled by a high wall of sheer rock. Other activitiesFor something a little different, hire kayaks and take to the water on Zahara de la Sierra’s lake, or head into the hills on mountain bikes. A local company organises weekly full- or half-day guided walks, rock climbing lessons for all levels and multi-adventure sessions involving activities such as orienteering and archery. The cottagesThe cottages we feature are dotted all over the village (none more than a ten-minute stroll from the centre), the modern ones clustered together round one of three swimming pools, the older houses tucked away in the winding streets. Your friendly host, Cristóbal, has worked hard to see that all are decorated and furnished to the same simple, but very comfortable, standard, carefully converting the older houses so that they retain all their original character. The bright, traditional-style accommodation features terracotta floors and wooden beams, and all properties, including the charming village houses, have access to one of the swimming pools (usually open from mid-March to mid-October). Which cottage or apartment we book will depend largely on the size of your family and your requirements – the properties sleep up to eight, with between one and four bedrooms, one bathroom (usually with a bath with a shower over it), and an open-plan living space incorporating a dining area and a basic kitchen corner equipped with a small hob, oven and fridge. The facilities are sufficient to rustle up simple meals at ‘home’, but there is a good selection of restaurants if you prefer to dine out. The villageThe small pueblo blanco of Montejaque (pronounced ‘Montay-hackay’) is a sleepy village of narrow, twisting streets and whitewashed houses set against a backdrop of rugged limestone peaks. It feels pleasantly authentic, with a handful of tapas bars and restaurants, all of which welcome families, creating a pleasant atmosphere for long lunches and late-evening dinners. Thursday is market day. Local wildlifeWithin the dramatic limestone landscapes of the region’s Grazalema Natural Park can be found over a thousand species of flower, as well as stands of an ancient species of fir, the pinsapo, a relict of the Tertiary Age found only in Andalucia and Morocco. Some of the trees are 300 years old (as such you must obtain a permit from the information centre to enter the Unesco-protected reserve, which is closed between July and late September and at times of increased fire hazard). The Park also boasts one of Europe’s largest colonies of griffon vultures. Bonelli’s, booted and short-toed eagles join them in the blue skies, as do hoopoes, bee-eaters, rock buntings and blue rock thrushes. On the ground, look out for mongooses, genets and mountain goats. Prices & travel 2008
# Child price applies with 2 paying adults. If there is only one
adult, the first child pays adult price Click here for more family self catering holiday ideas. To receive your free copy of our Families programme, simply request a brochure. Alternatively, you may wish to subscribe to our email newsletter and be the first to hear of all our new programmes. > Any queries? Let us call you back > Booking form (2-bedroom cottage) |
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One of the modern properties 
