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19 May 2024
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Hi everyone,
We're looking for a helping hand at our place ! We have some free spots on our calendar and would love to welcome a volunteer to join us.
In September, we'll need someone to house-sit and watch our dogs and cats . If you're interested in volunteering and potentially house sitting in September, send us a message!
Sometimes, finding yourself lost brings you to this place. Our home gives the gift of getting alone. Allowing you to put yourself in decreased sensory input. To hear yourself again. Visitors in years gone by have found this time alone has simplified the heart and pathed the way for the journey ahead. Disconnect to reconnect and clear your mind in hectares of Spanish landscape.
While we offer hosting from two weeks, we're ideal for those searching for an extended stay…a couple months sounds like a treat!
We live a content and uncomplicated life, with an emphasis on zero waste. If you're up for the task and ready to take on the adventure, we would love to hear from you!
We are particularly interested in candidates who specialize in beekeeping, gardening, animal care, massage or anyone who demonstrates how they can contribute to our experiences. So let us know!
We always guide and support in tasks such as house sitting, animal care, vegetable gardening during the spring and summer, as well as general property maintenance and household chores.
So have you stumbled upon your perfect mountainside retreat?
Picture this. A hot morning beverage watching the sunrise over the mountains. Stargazing under a sky unpolluted by light. Pure air and extraordinary beauty amid a harsh climate. This is our Natural Earthship positioned on top of a cliff completely off the grid with solar power and our own water well. We are 35 minutes away from town and enjoy 18-hectares, 13.2-acre property at an altitude of 1017 meters.
Expect intense heat in the summer (pleasant in the evening), and chilly weather and rainfall in the winter.
Be cautioned - this is a remote place! Except for internet and the passing shepherd, this can be lonely. Despite the isolation, it is still a comfortable place to stay.
However, please note that this is not a cheap vacation spot. It has required a significant amount of enthusiasm, energy, time, effort, sweat, tears, frustration, and patience from many to make what it is today. As such, we expect those who share this experience with us to show respect and treat each other and the property with love, nor harm to what we have worked so hard to create.
It seems many people have a romantic idea about a self sufficient house or way of living. It surely is something beautiful, but not easy for those without experience OR who don't know what to expect. Some key points:
Inside the cave is 20º C. The wood for the fireplace doesn't grow in the woodshed (as some people seem to think) and isn't for free either. So that when finally the winter arrives and we get to burn the firewood, we do it with respect, weighing seriously if it is really necessary to throw another piece to the fire and not just because it's nice. Because you never know how hard or long the winter is gonna be and if you will have wood enough.
There are tasks that need to be done everyday, it doesn't matter if it rains, snows or it is 40º C. that's life in a self sufficient house in the middle of nowhere.
*If you decide to contact us, what we really need to know is what you expect from this experience and what you're willing to offer as a volunteer and as a person.
**Also, please be advised of the minimum age limit of 22. This because even when I explain everything here I sadly have to keep on playing the mother role with the people between 18 and 22. Of course not with all of them, but sadly with most of them and I'm simply very tired of that!!
So now, if you did read until here, welcome to our profile! :D
We consist of Hilde, who at 50 years of age chooses to live as a hermit, preferring solitude for personal introspection. Alain, on the other hand, is a 57-year-old extrovert who loves to make others laugh with his humor.
We have 4 dogs, 3 cats, some chickens, and bird of prey.
We left the rat race to start a new life in Spain, with the aim of creating a beautiful and self-sustaining community through perm culture tailored to the dry climate.
In our free time, we enjoy playing board games such as Munchkin, Carcassonne, the Village, Santoska, Star Trek Catan, and poker without any monetary bets. We look forward to getting to know you!
In the event that someone fails to honor the agreed-upon timeframe for their stay, barring any unforeseen circumstances such as death, they may need to find their own way back to the bus station.
Lack of holding this commitment reflects poorly on you, and we will be sure to leave a negative review as a result. Once we have accepted someone we do not give back word or not turn up to meet you!! We expect the same from You .
If you find this offensive then you are probably this type of person!
If you do not find it offensive then you are the one for us!! (Reliable).
If you apply to us, put "happiness" in your answer. So we know you read it all . You can also put in "
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious " without copying and get extra bonus pointsTypes of help and learning opportunities
Art ProjectsHelp with Eco ProjectsGardeningDIY and building projectsAnimal CareHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceUN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will be learning how to live off grid, in respect with nature.
Enjoying the silence and embrace nature .
You will learn cave drilling, building, cooking, electricity, water management, energy management and gardening.
Can you teach us something, be welcome.Help
We are looking for people to help us. We love to teach you new skills. But the main gain is to meet people to let them discover this fabulous region and our style of life . Workawayers should have their own health insurance cover whilst staying with us. EU citizen a EHIC card
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Spanish: IntermediateAccommodation
Accommodation options include a small single-person cave atop the hill or a larger, studio-style cave complete with a bedroom and small kitchen for cooking.
An outdoor shower with sun heating and an eco-toilet are provided.
Basic local food supplies are included and are vegetarian and healthy (locavore), but additional food must be obtained via bicycling as the nearest shop is 17km away with limited supplies.
Guests are required to bring their own eco-friendly soap, shampoo, and detergent for washing, as not doing so will result in no washing.
Sleeping bags and work gloves are also required for hygienic reasons, but extra blankets can be provided.What else ...
Transport : There is a bus to Orce from granada every day except Saturday. On Sunday it is a late bus , but you have to look first from Granada to Baza and then from Baza to Orce. Sometimes you have to switch bus in Baza .
Hitchhiking is difficult to here, but not impossible . We can pick you up at the bus stop .
All other possibilities can be discussed depending from where you are coming .
We will help you to find the most easy way by plane, train , bus or all other forms of transportation.
The big attraction of the cave houses is the fact that you feel in a cave house like in the nature. "In a cave house is cool in summer and warm in winter. " In the winter the cave maintains 21°C with one log burner and in the summer the same but without the log burner . :-)
We are in the UNESCO Global Geopark of Granada within the Badlands typical of the region. The Andalusian village of Orce may be small, but is nevertheless of remarkable importance in the search of the first traces mankind in Iberia.It is certainly worth a Google to discover the heritage of the site. We are also here to teach what we know!A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have starlink, superfast.
Space for parking camper vans
We life remote, so you need a van with some ground clearance. Electricity and water can be provided. Watch out , when it rains , the road is impassable for the cars, even 4x4 , ( only the Lada Niva manages it :-) )
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
25 hours a week, defided as needed .
Feedback (80)
Meet Roisin, the 24-year-old Irish dynamo who brought a touch of the Emerald Isle to our off-grid haven in Granada. Roisin seamlessly blended her culinary prowess with a hearty dose of humor and an unmistakable Irish twinkle in her eye.
Working tirelessly to… read more
She was not only super nice but also incredibly well-educated, which made for some fascinating conversations. Her sense of humor was infectious, and she had a treasure trove of entertaining stories to share. But what really stood out was… read more
Jokes aside, Alain is an open and joyful person, who will make you feel welcomed and at home. He is a people's person,… read more
And speaking of treasures, Sarah is a culinary wizard in disguise. Her crispy… read more
Now being back in Germany I realise even more (didn't expect that that's even possible) how lucky I am to have had such an amazing experience!
Okay, if you plan on going there you definitely should be okay with getting dusty, working with your hands and being surrounded by quietness (except loud laughter and dogs… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.6)
Cultural exchange:
(4.2)
Communication:
(4.5)
Meet Roisin, the 24-year-old Irish dynamo who brought a touch of the Emerald Isle to our off-grid haven in Granada. Roisin seamlessly blended her culinary prowess with a hearty dose of humor and an unmistakable Irish twinkle in her eye.
Working tirelessly to… read more
She was not only super nice but also incredibly well-educated, which made for some fascinating conversations. Her sense of humor was infectious, and she had a treasure trove of entertaining stories to share. But what really stood out was… read more
Jokes aside, Alain is an open and joyful person, who will make you feel welcomed and at home. He is a people's person,… read more
And speaking of treasures, Sarah is a culinary wizard in disguise. Her crispy… read more
Now being back in Germany I realise even more (didn't expect that that's even possible) how lucky I am to have had such an amazing experience!
Okay, if you plan on going there you definitely should be okay with getting dusty, working with your hands and being surrounded by quietness (except loud laughter and dogs… read more
First and foremost, Lauren is a lovely person inside and out. From the moment she arrived, her warm and friendly demeanor made her an… read more
The work hours where nice. 3,5 hours a day. What is seperated on the day, focusing on the weather. So two hours in de… read more
She's not only a warm and lovely person, but also a dedicated and hard-working individual who gives her all to any task she undertakes.… read more
A warm welcome, very varied work and I was very well taken care of. Nothing is too much for Hilde or Alain.
Nice game, good conversation and good laughs.
The dogs are all sweet.
I can recommend everyone to go here. I wouldn't… read more
- She complained about everything and did not liked to work .
- We asked her to cook ( She is a chef ) . She was not able to .
She was Saying it was cold , we gave her hot water bottles , onesies, extra blankets and even… read more
positives + :
- Hilde and Alain are very nice and friendly. And actually Hilde is way much nicer that what she pretends to be, and very funny lady too !
- The doggies are very nice and gentle, I loved them very much… read more
When Magali comes into your life you will never forget her as she stands out !
Independent , respect your boundaries, has an amazing talent of being perfect. She is a gift from heaven of giving amazing massages. She is smart, adapt to various people and fit in perfectly Likes to talk about psychology,… read more
I first stayed with Alain and Hilde and 2 others volunteers, then with one other volunteer and with Hilde and at last I stayed with Hilde by myself
In total I stayed 5 weeks and each moments were really enriching and a learning curve.
I am very astonished and administrative for the amount of work and… read more
The first words that come to mind about Robbie are: easy going, agreeable, willing and he is always going the extra mile with a smile.
If I announce to the group that some task needs doing, he is always the first to jump up and volunteer every time and he does so… read more
To touch on the details of my experience that matter to you, Alain and Hilde are caring and give you the respect that you give them. They will follow through on their promises surrounding your… read more
We had lots of work to do on a garage expansion, some of it requiring 2 people.
Aoife was very easy to supervise, works her buts of as she has a strong interest in looking after our animals as well.
She is amazingly thorough and willing - everything she did was done really… read more
It is the perfect place to regenerate and take time out to meditate away from your normal life. It is very off grid and there is not much internet, so be prepared for this.
If you’re looking to learn about… read more
She is a trustful person, and is a well-balanced person with a lot of good story’s.
Very self-organised, so you could set her some tasks, and she just got on with it, and when finished, would find more things to do, without having to ask me all the time.… read more
It was my first time living in a cave, so I had no idea how it would feel. At the beginning was kind of strange for me the silence, that peace. My mind was working to fast, and it made me feel uncomfortable with myself. But after few days I realized: it… read more
We really recommend Melanie; she is helpful and a nice to have around person. It was wonderful to have Melanie with us this fall; always in a good mood . She was a great help to our family and we loved her and will miss her a… read more
What was the best?
The quiet, the animals (i still miss them), the conversations with Alain, Hilde's cooking skills or Alain's funny jokes?
I do not know it.
It was unbelievable, i was there for 3 months, i could breathe deeply and recharge my batteries.
Thank you for everything I was… read more
She is an elf wandering in the house , .Always in a good mood , she helps you were she can . And was she cannot do , she learns and fast . , she was moving piles of wood , shuffling sand , working in the garden , walking the dogs , running the house… read more
Hilde and Alain are two unforgettable people. Respectful, honest and very friendly.
Despite my little experience in gardening or construction, Alain and Hilde trusted me and entrusted me with very diverse tasks.
I can't thank them enough for everything they taught me. Alain and Hilde are always ready… read more
- sustainable travel tip: we came by train from Madrid to Granada (stop in Cordoba with renfe)
- we stayed 3 weeks in July (desert climate: very hot during the day and cold in the very early and late hours); only Hilde was present most of the time
- walking the dogs meant for us mainly getting one… read more
He did arrived last notice and well aware this was out of his comfort zone , we had a great time with him . He is punctual , respectful , well-mannered and a hard worker . He does pick up things really fast and execute them to perfection .
Even after a hard work ,… read more
A positive, open minded and inspiring young woman with the world at her feet, as Churchill would have put it: her only fault is her modesty!!! :-) And . Well the dogs loved her to bits.
She knows what it is to live off grid, she… read more
We stayed for a month, and it was welcome relief from Virus… read more
We walked the dogs together and we assisted him the work, after these periods you did not see him. He isolated himself.
He is a dog whisperer for sick dogs , feeding a sick dog.
A minus that we think is important, is the time that you commit to help us out , you stick to it . He came here… read more
A very remote place!
Very nice people!
She is a lovely, warm person and happy to do any task.
She was fantastic, she learnt the work fast and was always punctual , every morning we would be greeted with her beautiful smile, no matter what the early hour to start work, she was kind and very caring to all of our animals… read more
Alain and Hilda understandibly have rules as they have been let down in the past by some workawayers, so I understand why they need to implement them as you are being welcomed and invited into their home.
Don't… read more
She is really smart and trustful . She has knowledge and opinions about different areas and is great to change ideas with.
She was lovely with the dogs ,… read more
It’s impossible to pick a favorite day of my stay between the amazing meals cooked by one of the most creative and kind women on the planet and Alain’s (awful but brilliant) jokes, looking back on it, every day felt like a dream.
Alain taught me not only a new style of humor, but he also taught me all about construction;… read more
So amazing in cooking 3 course meals vegan/vegetarian style or any style you like. She can work with the ingredients you provide an make amazing meals with it.
If you need a Mary Poppins in your kitchen, she is the one.
She also took care of… read more
They made me feel really at home in the cave and taught me a lot. Their home is very cozy and I will miss the tranquil feeling of being surrounded by nature and dogs! haha
I appreciate their perspective on things and way of living. They were kind enough to pick us up and drop me off at the bus.… read more
Alain and Hilde are Incredibly welcoming hosts. When I first arrived I was… read more
Alain, Hilde and Anais are each in their own way very fascinating people and I had such a great time with them. First I spent some days with Alain doing the floor for my cave (what an amazing feeling to walk on your own floor). Alain was great to work with and his upbeat music and funny character are a great companion… read more
She spent five weeks with us and from day one she fitted into our rhythm. she is a good worker, you can count on her .She is autonomous, discreet and nice. To dig and to plaster, paint and making a kiln ! Even cleaning is not a problem . Everything with a big smile .
Original and highly motivated… read more
This lovely person, with whom you can have amazing smart and fun conversations with is an asset to your project. Always the sunshine in the house, not smothering. She is eager to learn, not afraid of hard labour work. A strong believer of gender equality, for everything. Doesn’t mind… read more
Alain and Hilde are so nice and lovely people! You can feel at home with them!
Tasks are really different, you can do and learn almost everything! Know i can renovate (more or less ahah) a cave!
i enjoyed every single moment in the cave!
Food is delicious, thanks Hilde! Also the… read more
She analyse people and situations and will react correspondently to them. She can motivate, find the possibilities in everyone’s… read more
She arrived here in almost the coldest period of the year, and had fun with hard outside work, working with others, learning new skills as concreting , reinforce walls with chicken wire , digging trenches, making clay mask out of freshly dug clumps, sawing… read more
First off, being a cliche backpacker, this feedback is long overdue. I stayed with Alain, Hilde, Anais & a lovely british couple for 3 weeks in January '17. I arrived in Orce on my birthday and was welcomed by the start of snowfall and the wackiest… read more
Still very much missing the incredible food creations by Hilde (patiently waiting on the meals on wheels service hehe).… read more
They were very… read more
We can really… read more
The family host, Alain Hilda and Anais are really nice, always with a good mod and always joking about everything, meals are always super funny and a food even better! Thank you so much Hilda!
The work can be hard or easy depending or what you do, but they fully… read more
He was tutoring the daughter for maths and learned in advance the integrals again in his free time before tutoring her (on his own demand). While tutoring he wasn’t not surfing the internet, but showed interest and gave support if needed. He can… read more
The work was mostly physical (I was also helping Anaïs… read more
its coming up to a year since i shared a lovely two weeks with this family but now is my time to tell you all about my experience with them.
Alain, Heile & Anis are a lovely family that relocated to spain to fufill their dream in the cave house. And what an amazing on going transformation it has been… read more
Alain is a very nice person willing to share, he will make you work hard, but never push you out of your limits. And the cave is amazing, they have done an amazing job really! If you want to… read more
He started to help out with digging a cave, finishing a fire pit and design and create an amazing entrance mural painting.
Helped out as a gentleman were he could.
Expressive talker and entertainer at the table and the brushing teeth area. Brushing teeth are so fun with him, can you think how fun other jobs are with him. Good time… read more
They are together a very unique family, full of joy and laughter. Alain is kind of superman, drilling all these impressive caves, but he is also very light and funny. Hilde is a wonderful cook, lovely sculptor and a very caring women (as… read more
I stayed 3 weeks and for me it was my first time in workaway.
It was amazing, first when i came to this place i didn't know I'll have a true family after.
Alain support you, help you, make you laugh, it's a very funny person I'm very glad to meet him
The work is definitely intense, be prepared to do more or less anything but you're guaranteed to find muscles you didn't know you had! It can definitely be painful but overall it is very… read more
Arrived a bit shy , she turned to be a real asset. Every morning she walked the dogs with me at 06.45 in the morning and saw the sunrise.
All the works she did here with enthusiasm , sweat and a smile were : welding, tiling, digging out a cave with a professional jackhammer,… read more
Lots of work to do and lots of things to enjoy; from digging cave to playing the wii ! (the best will remain getting lost into the wonderful spanish countryside). Super family and great respect of the guest and workaway "rules".
If you wanna experience the unusual, try this place,… read more
We learned him a new card game, could loose with a smile and he even win several one . Really fitted into the family and always welcome… read more
Good, very interesting and open-minded people with a lot of ideas and imagination. The place is for sure one that you have never seen. And the dogs :-) ... are lovely!!!
A lot of Thanks!!!
Kalo
Always with a big smile, early up, walking the dogs, and doing some hard work at our place. Looking fragile, we challenged her with a lot of hard work. She did everything fantastic and with a laugh. From tiling stones to drilling out caves with a drill hammer (an heavy… read more
A great street art performer , a bit frail , but overcompensation with a lot of positive energy. Smiling, laughing and… read more
I stayed with these lovely monsters for 10 days last month and it was absolutely amazing. I never knew I could accomplish the things they taught me! We were… read more
I had really great time with Alain, Hilda and Anais. I learned many things while working with Alain, the work can be hard sometimes, but I enjoyed it a lot! I'm almost able to drill my own cave and… read more
Alain, Hilda and Anais cave has been home for two weeks.
Also for working, they help and explain you how to do things the times you need. Anyway, all the work needed is surrounded by nature or in touch with animals, so is really nice to work here!
Ive been helping Anais with her… read more
When she arrived, she even brought us bilingual books to help us out in Spanish.
She learned are daughter in many funny ways the Spanish poetry, Spanish literature and syntaxes.
Walking the dogs, being all alone in charge, make nice… read more
This place is beautiful. The astonishing view, the silence and millions of stars during the night, the wild rabbits passing by... I slept in a car… read more
What I can tell?
First of all you have to be prepared for learning really strange, extraordinary tasks ;P like...
building a huge wall with a round-shape entrance
drilling caves
making an own cave for the shower
cuddlering five dogs in the same time (but you have just two hands!)
understanding Alans sense of… read more
She is very creative and extremely helpful.
The dogs were in love with her.
She will always have a warm place in our hearts… read more
You will like her, help out where she can and being a real part of the family for us. We already miss her.
Very nice to have around, no hassle, no stress. Always in a good mood. An ideal versatile worker. We sure recommend her, wish her great… read more
She almost win the Harry potter game with Anais and helping out with a 1000 puzzle .
she is a… read more
Thank you for the incredible experience at your amazing cave house. I organised to come with little notice and Alain was very helpful with telling me how to arrive. I stayed and helped for 2 weeks but I wish I could have stayed longer!
Some hard physical work is involved and I got to learn many… read more
We really liked them, independent, musical, adventurous, really nice and tasty American apple-pie makers. They can reveal they inner child (Harry Potter birthday party , play along ) , and be absolutely seriously about digging a cave , WHAT 2 caves, and dare to sleep in it. So they… read more
She was amazing, you give her an idea, a hint and she go for it. You give the materials, she will make it. And a smile comes at the end with no price included. The five dogs loves their beds, also visitors notice her work .
She is always welcome .
Although she had no actually teacher’s skills, she started on her task to help out Anais with her Geology and… read more
We had a lot of laughing with dancing with the Wii, good conversations about everything .. I surely recommend here. Have a great trip .
They are very nice people always doing jokes and happy, we enjoy working with Alain and with the great food of Hilde.
They helped anais a lot with the Spanish, explaining, put in concrete at the top of the cave and on the slope. Very exhaustive. They just did it with a smile. They were only one week here, but we enjoyed every… read more
She is just fantastic. Nothing more to add.
No need to add thousand words, she is just the workawayer you need
I had a truly amazing time and was fortunate to spend a few days with the wife and daughter of Alain! The place itself is magical and… read more
The cave is in the middle of nowhere, really nice and quiet place, but Alain took me into the village everyday, going to the natural swiming pool, intercambio with local people, language courses.... He is an amazing host, caring for what you need,… read more
having a lot of fun in working. like… read more
He showed me around to nice places and introduced me to his very kind friends. I liked chatting with him about different topics.
The work in his cave house was very exciting for me and… read more
She did a great job. Fantastic to work with, I would recommend her to all the hosts, because you will not regret it.
Alain was the most gracious host - the first thing he did after picking me up was take me for a 3 course meal, beer included! And it didn't end there - always a huge cooked meal every evening (with locally sourced ingredients),… read more
Positive points: hard worker, well-spoken, polite, broad interests, a great cook (better than I), open mind. Great with animals.… read more