Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
Community
Spain is a wonderfully diverse country that enjoys a Mediterranean lifestyle, beautiful scenery and genuinely friendly people. Our lives revolve around living, breathing and enjoying our home, our valley, the local community and our adopted country. Modernisation since Franco has been a bumpy road with traditions and values sometimes struggling to survive massive changes. Fortunately, many traditions in Spain can be enjoyed and strengthened by tourism and we play a part in sharing some simple delights, helping to preserve and promote the Spain that we know and love. With the increasing industrialisation of farming, small inaccessible steep sided valleys become less economic to tend. Those left working the land are from an older generation and do so more out of labour of love than a need to make an income. Land becomes neglected, over grown, walls collapse, old groves and vineyards suffocate in weeds and become inaccessible.
Our first challenge was to clear the thicket and bring life back to these ancient terraces. We are now repairing the traditional stone terrace walls and in future plan to replant the terraces. Many of the families in the town have lived in Jalon for hundreds of years. There are strong traditions including the making of charcuterie, wine, honey, patisserie and olive oil. These activities face a threat from new supermarkets and convenience shopping and tourism is a welcome outlet to an audience that has the time to enjoy and appreciate these individual artesan products. We support these businesses, advise which local restaurants, cafés and bars our guest are most likely to appreciate and use local trade people and stores where practical. Adapting to the modern world is challenging for all of us. We make a contribution to the local community by understanding how to promote the best of the area and develop a sustainable business that supports the community.
We want our business to enhance the area and create an environment that compliments and enables guests to enjoy the traditional landscape. There many aspects to highlight whether it be exhilarating walking, family friendly holidays, local artisan produce, enjoying traditional landscapes or more recognised aspects such as the beaches, sunshine and lifestyle that people more often associate with Spain. Either way we aspire to enrich our visitors’ holiday experience and strengthen the values and traditions of our local community that we hold so dear.
Environment
We believe in a basic principal of utilising our resources efficiently and effectively, and minimising waste and any negative impact we have on the environment as can be practical. This is an ethical perspective which we believe to be a sound business practise also. Managing resources is at the forefront of our business strategy. The house is not connected to mains electricity, mains water, mains gas or mains drains so close monitoring of these resources is necessary for the smooth running of the business.
Electricity is provided by solar panels to give a base level of power during the day. Peak loads such as pumps, driers, dishwashers, etc run in the evening and the morning when there is a demand for lighting or the batteries need charging – this level of power requirement is better suited to the generator. Water is brought in by truck and grey water from the house is recycled to use on the garden and the lawn. Rainwater is collected during the winter months for use on the garden during the long dry summer. Cooking and heating is powered by gas, an efficient use of energy.
The heating is an under floor system only needing to heat water to relatively low temperature that avoids wastage, a modern and efficient coaxial boiler heats the water. The sceptic tank employs a natural process of enzymes to break down the material and the water soaks away into the garden. Waste from the house is divided, vegetables and food go to the animals, buckets for recycling are provided for guests which reduces the general rubbish that needs transporting ourselves.
We are closely aware at all times of resources we use and the levels required to keep the business running. The waste we produce also needs close monitoring so it can be disposed of as effectively and efficiently as possible.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
