La Casa Del Arriero

A romantic and secluded cottage in magnificent walking country

Cortes de la Frontera

Cortes is without doubt a magical place for nature lovers and what better way to explore the area than on foot or horseback? The Cortes valley is made up of a whole network of footpaths (some of them still with sections of ancient stone paving) and there are walks to be enjoyed for people of all levels of fitness.

As well as self-guided route notes of the immediate area there is also a reference copy of Walking in Andalucia in the cottage. The author has focused on some of the most beautiful areas of Southern Spain and staying in Cortes you will have easy access to 2 or 3 of the areas featured.

Horse riding

If you prefer 4 legs to 2, then this is also a fabulous area for riding. The valley is criss-crossed with tracks and footpaths, so depending on your preference and riding experience, you can enjoy the gentler slopes and green pastures of the lower valley or ride high into the mountains.

If you´re not a rider but apreciate the grace and beauty of horses there are a number of events you ought to try and catch – the famous “dancing horses” is a show held in Jerez every Thursday. Also in Jerez, is the Feria de Caballo in mid May which is a visual feast of horses, Flamenco and sherry – very Spanish and great fun. Finally, the most impressive of all, is the “ rejoneo” (bull fighting on horseback) in early September. The event is held in Ronda at one of the oldest bullrings in the country and the skill of the horses and their riders has to be seen to be believed.

Other activities:

Swimming:
If you visit the cottage between the months of May and September you will definitely want to know what the swimming options are. We are very lucky to have some fantastic pools in the area, including a 25m pool in the village. After your swim, you can either lounge on the grassy slopes under the shade of a tree or retreat to the terrace of the restaurant that overlooks the pool. An alternative and more “natural” swimming experience is to drive to the village of Zahara de la Sierra where there is a huge lake. The setting is quite magical and its amazing diving into its cool, fresh water. For the more active or those with children it´s very easy and great fun to rent a canoe and head out across the lake.

Cycling:
You don´t need to be an avid mountain biker to explore the magical nature park of los Alcornocales on 2 wheels. Bikes can be rented at a very reasonable rate and you will have the choice of several routes– one of these involves following a small tarmac road which snakes down through the cork forest and ends up in the village of El Colmenar in time for a cold beer and a plate of tapas before you catch the train back to Cortes.

Bird watching:
Cortes is on the migratory route for birds flying to and from Africa. There are reference books in the cottage for you to consult, otherwise day trips can be organised with a specialist ornothologist.

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La Casa Del Arriero   Cortes de la Frontera   Andalucia   Tel: +44 (0)1380 840407  Mobile: +44(0)7500 622651   Mail: