Tuesday, 15-09-26 - Molino Viejo (the Old Spanish Mill)

Good morning, everyone.

Here's a link to info about the Mill from a booking site:  https://turismoalmanzora.com/en/item/old-spanish-mill/

The Mill's own site:  https://www.oldspanishmill.com/

And there's some YouTube stuff as well.

This is about three years old:

And about two years ago:

It's a lovely place, an old water mill that has been adapted into a sort of 'wellness' centre or holiday base.  It's not luxury but it is very comfortable in a simple way and the vibe is just lovely.

I took photos and will just talk you through my perspective.

Because it is old and rural and Mediterranean, the walls are well over half a metre thick, the windows are small, covered with mesh (I didn't get bitten once!) with wide opening windows and wooden shutters inside.
Overnight, I could open the windows wide open and the mesh kept all the bugs at bay.  When the sun started shining in, I closed the windows and the shutters and the ceiling fan kept everything beautifully cool, even when it was baking outside.
It did make for a gloomy room but that was not an issue.

The beds looked basic but were really comfortable and each room had an ensuite - mine had a bath as well as a shower which I was thrilled about.  There was plenty of storage and we all had one person occupancy.  

There were plenty of artefacts to remind us of its past - this is in the corner of the lounge (see below) . . .

Yes, that's a TV, the only one in the whole place and it didn't go on once all week.

This is to the left of the above photo, outside (obviously) - more mill stuff.  Many of the doors and windows were protected with bars.

The lounge.  Very cool, very comfortable and I may have fallen asleep once or twice in there during siesta time.

I quickly got into the habit of seeking a cool place from around two thirty to five because it did get very hot and a bit humid.  Mornings and evenings were just perfect.

I just LOVED those floor tiles.

This was taken just outside the main 'house', looking up.  It's build on quite a slope so there's levels and it definitely isn't wheelchair friendly in the slightest.  Just to the left is where we say and chatted or played games and to the right is the lounge.

And, yes, the sky really was that colour most of the time.

We had rain once - a really dramatic night time storm that I missed completely (hearing aids out!) but which kept everyone awake for a while, as did the flooding.  Old windows, bit leaky, I gather.  Normally not a problem but this was a pretty dramatic storm, they said.

Part of the studio where Lindsey did classes.  At the other end there's a massage table and various bits and bobs and there are two windows that look over the mountain slopes.  I meant to take a photo and forgot.

One of several little sitting areas.

And the pool.  Unheated and felt cold when you got in but once in it was delightful.  Lindsey did several aqua classes.

Here's what I mentioned earlier - where we sat to chat or play games.  A very sociable area.  The two windows on the left look into the dining room where we ate our meals.

The sign!!!

A view!  It was like that all the way round and there were a lot of wind turbines.  I love them -they are elegant and carry hope for the future - they do to me anyway.  Much nicer that those ugly old pylons (we could see a few of them too, mind you!).

Over-exposed.  Top to bottom.

(and at this point I glanced at the clock and realised I needed to dash off for Groove - sorry.  Home again now and carrying on!!

The 'roads' up to the mill were really just stony tracks so the last bit of each return was - interesting! 

Being a mill, there used to be a river, of course.  It's now a drop into a dried up river bed that occasionally floods again if there's heavy rain higher up.  Those stones on the edge are the only things blocking the drop.  A bit scary when reversing to the gate on a dark night.

So that's the Old Spanish Mill.  It was such a lovely place - homey, comfortable and restful.

I've booked to go back.  Both next year's trips are booked (Lindsey takes a maximum of eight) and so is April 2028.  She opened booking for September 2028 last week, five of us immediately confirmed and the other three places are now taken.  That's how much people love it.

More tomorrow.  xx