We bought an abandoned Spanish cortijo for €40,000 and began breathing life back into it — one olive tree, crumbling wall, and sun-soaked afternoon at a time.
Hi, we are Jemma and Callum McGlynn — a UK family who swapped the rat race for an abandoned Andalusian farm. Because of Schengen visa limits, we can only stay 90 days out of every 180, so when we are not on the farm, we are exploring the world in our 7-berth eBay motorhome (Dave).
Five categories, one shared thread: building a life worth living.
Restoring our abandoned Andalusian cortijo — one olive tree, crumbling wall, and sun-soaked afternoon at a time.
Our trusty 7-berth eBay motorhome and the roads less taken — from UK lanes to Spanish mountain passes.
Growing, harvesting, and eating from our own land. The slow, satisfying rhythm of self-sufficiency.
Honest reviews of the tools and tech powering our off-grid adventure — from solar power to chainsaws.
Schengen limits mean we explore beyond Spain. Hidden gems, new horizons, and adventures as a family.
Two big moments at Cortijo Renacer — we welcomed rescue dog Patch to the farm, and finally said goodbye to bucket showers with our first proper hot water installation. Plus Andalusian clay lampshades and plant pots at the gate.
Read more: We Got a Dog, We Got Hot Water | Cortijo Renacer UpdateWe imported a left-hand drive Volvo C30 from the UK to Spain in 2026 — here's the full cost breakdown including the car, import and registration fees, and travel. Plus why we chose UK over buying locally in Spain.
Read more: Importing a UK Car to Spain in 2026 | Full Cost Breakdown: £3,950 TotalSnow in the mountains above the farm, more rain stalling the olive harvest, Hayden building steps, a caravan found on a rainy marketplace browse, and the electric olive harvester that changed everything in three hours.
Read more: Electric Olive Harvester, a Guest Caravan & 23 Litres | Cortijo Renacer UpdateWhen storms stalled the harvest, we turned to indoor tasks — curing our own table olives, bottling our first olive oil for family back home, installing a breakfast bar, and fixing a chimney leak that threatened the kids' room.
Read more: Jarring Olives, Bottling Our First Oil & a Chimney Scare | Cortijo Renacer LifeAfter a year of clearing, pruning and nursing our neglected olive grove back to life, we finally harvested our first olives in Andalusia — six crates, a race against the rain, and 12 litres of our very own olive oil.
Read more: Our First Olive Harvest at Cortijo Renacer | 12 Litres of Our Own Olive OilVideo is where the magic happens. See the farm transformation, motorhome adventures, and family moments that words cannot fully capture.
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