Quinta das Abelhas, Permaculture in Central Portugal
We’re very pleased to be featured in the launch issue of the UK’s National Geographic Traveller magazine, in an article by Alice Griffin on “Voluntourism”.
Responsible travel, or voluntourism, is becoming increasingly popular as people seek to give something back, submerse themselves in a different culture and, possibly, change their lives.
Read the article at:
http://www.alicegriffin.co.uk/Images/164_NGT_0111_161_volunt_SING_R1.pdf
Inga has made some new beds for herbs outside the pixie yurt which are looking lovely. Plus there is a new hammock on the terrace which makes it a perfect spot for a person who wants to get away from it all (and there are 11 of us on the quinta at that moment!)
Inga outside the Pixie Yurt with its new beds
A perfect spot
Matt and Andy have been busy with this today, making sure that the water will drain into the new beds dug by Hedvig and Andrea. Our eco-friendly ionising capsules have arrived to help keep the pool clean. So it’s had a good clean and we should be back in it splashing around very soon.
New Shower Area
Unfortunately we can’t afford to construct a natural swimming pool just yet, but we have finally got around to putting up the above ground pool we bought 2nd hand a couple of years ago. Yesterday we filled it almost to the top, and today we’ll top it up. Then we can go for a swim on hot summer afternoons!
The pool will also be available for guests and volunteers to use – we’ll be asking for a contribution of 5 euros per week towards the costs of (eco friendly) pool maintenance.
Next step is to plant pretty flowers around the pool and try to disguise it’s ugly plastic-ness …
My favourite place to visit so far has been the Bucaco Forest about 45 minutes away by car. Benedictine Monks estabilished a hermitage there in the sixth century and it remained in religious hands until 1834 with the dissolution of the monastries. It also was the site of Napolean’s first major defeat in the Peninsular War. But more importantly in my eyes, it is an amazing forest with 700 different species of trees and some fantastic Mexican cedars.
Highlights include discovering caves, waterfalls and panoramic views at the top.
View from Cruz Alta - the top of Bucaco Forest
The site is also lined with seventeenth century chapels in which terracotta figures depict the stages of Jesus’s journey carrying the cross. You can also walk around the impressive Palace Hotel and it’s gardens.
Hotel Palace, Buseco
Wisteria at Buseco Forest, Palace Hotel
A magical place!
Matt, Aaron and Andy (supervised by Poppy) have been making the final preparations to the base for the swimming pool. First they levelled a 4.5m diameter circle on the ground (the ground looks level but there was a 10cm height difference from front to back of the circle!), then build a surround of stones (left over from foundations of the picadeiro wall), put down a weed-suppressant (the remains of our polytunnel that got trashed in the hurricane), and then a layer of sand to provide a soft and stone-free base for the bottom of the pool.
Final Levelling of the Ground
Laying Plastic to Suppress Weeds
Soft Sand Base for Pool
We sometimes see Black Kites now soaring in the sky above the quinta. Apparently they winter in Africa and are only seen in the UK when they are passing through. They summer here though, lucky us as they are majestic!
Black Kites will take small live prey as well as fish, household refuse and carrion. They can be distinguished from the Red Kite by their slightly smaller size, less forked tail and generally darker plumage. The Black Kite nests in forest trees, often close to other kites.
Black Kite above the River Mondego (thanks Tom Warlow for taking this photo when he visited)
We can walk through the village to the other side of Povoa de Midoes to get to the River Mondego (takes about 20 minutes). There we can see where the birds are nesting and Matt braved a swim last week (it’s still a bit chilly!)
Matt down at the River Mondego prior to his swim
View of the River Mondego from the village (thanks to Tom Warlow again)
Sophie and I have just got back from our weekly horse riding lesson at Quinta da Pombal in Beijos (half an hour away from here). It is a ‘proper’ Portuguese stables with stallions and mares and they do Portuguese Dressage there. We have about an hour with a teacher for a very reasonable price and my beginners riding has improved no end. Sophie gets to do ‘pirouettes’ and ‘spanish walk’. It’s brilliant!
Horse Riding at Quinta da Pombal
You can also go horse riding in the country side here which is an AMAZING way to see it in my experience. You can ride for hours and only see a local villager tending to their goats, no other horses or people and you don’t have to go on any roads…the public tracks go everywhere. I am so lucky!
Beautiful French Cart Horse at the stables where we go riding -he is HUGE
We’ve been wanting to build a slide for Poppy for a while, and today Kirsten managed to blag a great pallet crate which has inspired the “Pirate Ship Slide”! We’ve decided to build it next to the Kitchen Caravan, so visiting children can use it too.
Pirate ship builders set off on their expedition, carrying the looted crate
Captain Oli digs holes for support posts
Making sure the support posts are level, don't want the ship to capsize!
Putting the ship on its supports, Poppy supervises.
The slide is added and Poppy inspects the progress.
Making wooden steps to board the ship.
