We Are the
McGlynns
A UK family who traded the familiar for the extraordinary — buying a crumbling Andalusian cortijo in Spain, learning Spanish on the fly, and documenting every messy, beautiful moment of it.
The Family Behind Renacer
We're Jemma and Callum McGlynn, and we did something a little mad. We bought a completely abandoned Spanish farmhouse — a cortijo — for €40,000 in the hills of Andalusia. No running water. No electricity. Overgrown land and crumbling walls. It was perfect.
"Renacer" means "to be reborn" in Spanish, and that's exactly what we're doing — to the farm and, in many ways, to ourselves.
The Heart of the Farm
Jem is the soul of Renacer McGlynn. She photographs, writes, tends the land, and somehow makes even the hardest days look beautiful. Her Instagram captures the raw and the radiant — dusty hands, ancient olive trees, golden-hour magic.
With a background that never quite prepared her for wielding a machete or negotiating with a Spanish builder, Jem brings honesty, warmth, and a very good eye to everything she does. She's the reason we document this journey at all.
The Tekky of the Family
Callum is the tech brain behind Renacer McGlynn. When he's not on camera alongside Jemma, he's running their software company, building websites (including this one and all their others), and making sure the digital side of the operation actually works.
On the farm, that same problem-solving instinct gets put to very different use — wrangling overgrown olive trees, figuring out off-grid power, and tackling the kind of renovation challenges that no amount of Googling fully prepares you for.
He's also the one who found their trusty 7-berth motorhome on eBay — an impulsive bid that became the family's base camp during the months Schengen rules keep them out of Spain.
The Cheeky Duo
Hayden (9) and Amaiya (6) are the heart and noise of the McGlynn household. They bring laughter, curiosity and chaos to the farm in equal measure — and we wouldn't have it any other way.
They help on the farm — feeding animals, exploring the olive grove, getting involved in whatever project is on that week — and they're learning at home as we go. Growing up between a crumbling cortijo in Andalusia and a motorhome somewhere on the open road is turning them into remarkable little humans.
They're also the honest reviewers of every meal, every campsite, and every renovation decision. Their opinions are unfiltered and frequently hilarious.
The Farm's Faithful Pooch
Every cortijo needs a dog. Ours is Patch — a scruffy, endlessly loveable rescue who has completely embedded himself in farm life. He follows us around the olive grove, crashes wherever he pleases, and has firmly decided the cortijo is his territory.
Patch came to us through Paws Patas — an incredible animal welfare charity near Los Gallardos in Almería that has been rescuing and rehoming dogs, cats, and more since 1985. They currently care for over 160 animals at any given time, running almost entirely on donations and volunteer power.
His sister Lola was adopted separately by another family member — we couldn't bear the thought of them ending up worlds apart. Thanks to Paws Patas, they stayed close.
How We Got Here
The Dream Takes Shape
Fed up with the cost of living and the relentless grind, Jemma and Callum start seriously exploring what an alternative life might look like. Spain keeps coming up. An old farmhouse. Space. Sunshine. A real connection to the land.
The Farm Is Found
They buy an abandoned cortijo in Andalusia for €40,000. The land is overgrown, the buildings are crumbling, and the possibilities are endless. The channel name is chosen: Renacer — to be reborn. They begin documenting everything.
The 90-Day Reality
As UK citizens, the Schengen rules mean they can only spend 90 days in Spain every 180. So when they're not on the farm, the family life moves to their 7-berth motorhome — and the adventures don't stop.
The Restoration Continues
Every visit brings progress — cleared land, repaired walls, planted seeds, and stories that are worth telling. The blog and YouTube channel are their honest account of the whole journey, including the hard days.
Our Philosophy
The values that guide every post, every video, every decision on the farm.
Honest Storytelling
We show the mud and the magic in equal measure. No highlight-reel life here — just the real thing, messy and beautiful.
Slow Living
The farm teaches patience. Things take time. We're learning to slow down and trust the process — in renovation, in growing food, in everything.
Freedom of Movement
Whether it's the farm or the open road, we believe in choosing how you live. The motorhome isn't a compromise — it's a whole other adventure.
Community First
The people who follow along aren't an audience — they're part of the journey. Their support, questions, and shared experiences make this worth doing.