We lived and worked in Worcester for many years. We loved the city. However, we packed our bags several years ago and found a new, healthier life in southern Spain. It's been an eye-opener seeing how differently things work out here compared to the UK. We'll share some of our experiences (good and bad) with you - and will be happy to try and answer any questions if you're thinking of making the move and relocating to the sun.
Back in 2003 we decided to escape the UK and seek a new life in sunny Spain. We sold our house in Worcester, squeezed as many of our personal belongings into our car – the remainder went into storage – and set off on an exciting journey. We’d had two flying visits out to Spain and done as much research as we possibly could before getting on the ferry – as there would be no turning back!

Initially we rented an apartment in the Coin area while we scoured the countryside for our home in the sun. The over-developed Costa del Sol was never an option and we quickly formed opinions about where we’d prefer to base ourselves and where, most definitely, we didn’t.

After several months of searching we found the perfect place. One hour inland from the busy coast and two hours away from the airports of Malaga, Gibraltar, Seville and Jerez we discovered the small pueblo blanco of Jimera de Libar. It’s just 30 minutes from the spectacularly located historic town of Ronda and within a two hour drive it’s possible to reach the cities of Seville, Granada, Jerez and Cordoba.

We found our house located off the road between the main village and the area of the estacion (railway station). It was a sad, neglected concrete shell on an overgrown one acre plot when we first saw it. Several months of major excavations and building works were required to get the property into some sort of habitable shape. But now we have a comfortable two storey casa rural with our living space downstairs and totally separate self-contained guest accommodation on the upper floor. We now welcome rental guests to share in the spectacular 360-degree views, the wonderfully fresh air and the spectacular wildlife. We also share our home with three feral cats who have adopted us!

The small, friendly village of just 400 inhabitants nestles on the side of a mountain in the Serrania de Ronda and on the edge of the Grazalema Natural Park. Despite the small size of the village it boasts a good school, a couple of shops, library, bank, doctors’ surgery, pharmacy, railway station and a huge open-air swimming pool. The village enjoys a full social calendar with many different events scattered throughout the year. The most important date every year is the first week in August when everything else grinds to a halt and the week-long feria (carnival) takes place in the steep, narrow streets. It culminates with a Water Festival where everyone gets soaked to the skin – very welcome when the thermometer often reaches 40°C during the heat of the summer. There are a few other Brits who live permanently in the village and we all endeavour to learn the lingo. The only local who speaks any English is the young village pharmacist Ignacio.

In the three years we’ve been in southern Spain we’ve learnt much about the way things work – and sometimes don’t. We’ve made some mistakes along the way and will probably make some more in the future.

If you’re considering a new life in the sun and want some advice don’t hesitate to email us at casapendle@terra.es or find more information on our web site at www.casapendle.com. If you register as member you can access all our blog entries that detail all the highs and lows of our experiences from the moment we arrived by ferry. Also, if you’re looking for a holiday rental in this beautiful unspoilt area of real Spain we’d be delighted to welcome you to our home.

http://www.provision360.com/casa_pendle/media/DSCN2577.jpg