Restoring our abandoned Andalusian cortijo — one olive tree, crumbling wall, and sun-soaked afternoon at a time.
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 LifeBack at Cortijo Renacer in December — cutting back the grapevine, battling low winter solar from a mountain-shaded panel, a car that wouldn't start, and olives so ready they're falling off the trees. Just waiting on the crates.
Read more: Off-Grid Living in Winter Spain | Grapevine Drama, Low Solar & Olive Harvest CountdownAfter three months of travel across Vietnam, Thailand and the UK, we finally returned to our off-grid farm in Andalusia. Here's what we found — the good, the worrying, and the moment we knew the olives were ready.
Read more: We're Home | Returning to Cortijo Renacer After 3 Months AwayWe sold everything, bought an abandoned farm in Spain for €40,000, and started over. This is who we are, why we did it, and what Cortijo Renacer really means to us.
Read more: From Debt to Freedom | The Renacer McGlynn StoryWe nearly split into two channels — but we've decided to keep everything right here. Here's why, where we're heading next, and the honest numbers behind our UK-to-Spain lifestyle change.
Read more: One Channel, Our Full Story | Farm, Travel & The Real Cost of This LifeBehind the scenes of real off-grid living in Andalusia — how we power our home with solar, reuse every drop of water, cook on gas, and keep the family cool in the Spanish heat.
Read more: How We Actually Run Our Off-Grid Homestead in Spain | Solar, Water & Family LifeNine months since we got the keys to our abandoned Spanish cortijo in Andalusia — here's the full off-grid transformation story, from overgrown land to olive groves, a DIY river rock kitchen, and solar-powered family living.
Read more: Nine Months on Our Abandoned Andalusian Farm | Full Transformation UpdateCan you really run air conditioning off-grid in Spain? We finally did it! Three aircon units installed and powered by solar, plus a major land clear-up on our Spanish homestead. Here's how it all went down.
Read more: Off-Grid Air Conditioning in Spain — We're Finally Cool! Plus Our Big Land Clear-UpWelcome back to our off-grid adventure in Andalusia, Spain! This week, we tackled one of the more unpleasant remnants of our abandoned Spanish farmhouse: a termite-eaten interior door. The termites are long gone, but the damage they left behind wasn’...
Read more: 🛠️ From Termite Damage to Rustic Charm | Off-Grid Farmhouse UpdateHola from Renacer McGlynn! We're Jemma, Callum, and the kids—a UK family chasing freedom, sunshine, and self-sufficiency on a €40,000 Spanish farmhouse. In this blog post, we’re answering your biggest questions: How are we living in Spain without a v...
Read more: No Visa? No Problem! Our 2025 Move to Spain & Software-Powered FreedomHola from Renacer McGlynn! We’re the McGlynn family, and since buying our off-grid farm in Andalusia, Spain, in September 2024, we’ve been on a mission to bring electricity to our little slice of paradise. It’s been a whirlwind seven months of surpri...
Read more: Our Off-Grid Solar Solution: Powering Our Spanish Farm for Less!Have you ever dreamed of ditching the rat race, going debt-free, and starting fresh somewhere sunny? That’s exactly what we, the McGlynn family, did—and we’re spilling all the details in our latest YouTube video! After years of feeling like financial...
Read more: How We Bought an Abandoned House in Spain for €40,000 – Our Off-Grid Adventure Begins!Nestled in the heart of Andalusia, the village of Almanzora is one of the closest spots to our off-grid farm. This beautiful rural location is rich in history, natural beauty, and a deep-rooted agricultural tradition. In our latest video, we take you...
Read more: Discover Almanzora: A Hidden Gem Near Our Off-Grid FarmLooking Back at Our Off-Grid House Hunt in Spain: A €50,000 Close Call Are you dreaming of an off-grid lifestyle in Spain? So were we! We are the McGlynn family, also known as Renacer McGlynn, and we moved to Andalusia, Spain, to restore an off-grid...
Read more: Looking Back at Our Off-Grid House Hunt in Spain: A €50,000 Close CallAre you dreaming of buying an off-grid home in Spain? We are the McGlynn family, also known as Renacer McGlynn, and we moved to Andalucía to restore an off-grid farm into a self-sufficient haven. Before we found our perfect €40,000 farmhouse, we almo...
Read more: We Almost Bought a Sinking Farmhouse in Spain!Hola, friends! I’m Jem from the McGlynn family, and I’m thrilled to share how we bought an abandoned farmhouse in Andalusia, Spain, for €40,000 and turned it into our off-grid dream . Welcome to Renacer McGlynn —a house reborn! Our latest YouTube vid...
Read more: Buying an Abandoned Farmhouse in Spain for 40,000 Euros: Our Off-Grid DreamHello, Renacer McGlynn community! In our latest adventure, Jem takes on a relentless 'ugly dead bush' that's been blocking our picturesque view of the valley. Armed with determination and her trusty chainsaw, this task turned into an epic showdown be...
Read more: Unveiling Our Valley View: Jem vs. the Stubborn BushWhen we first set eyes on our abandoned farm in the stunning Almanzora Valley, it felt like a dream come true. Little did we know that a hidden Spanish law would soon threaten to turn that dream into a nightmare. In our latest YouTube video, we share...
Read more: Did We Almost Lose Our Dream Farm in Spain? The Shocking Truth About Spanish Land LawsWelcome back to Renacer McGlynn! Today we’ve got some seriously exciting news – we’ve finally secured our fire license, and it’s time to put it to good use. In our latest adventure, we’re taking on a sustainable land-clearing project by burning away...
Read more: Wahoo! Fire License Secured – Our Sustainable Land Clearing & Burning Journey with the McGlynnsWelcome back to Renacer McGlynn ! If you’ve been following our farmhouse renovation, you’ll know that we started transforming our old tiles using natural marble rocks collected from the rambla at the bottom of our land. This week, we’re finishing the...
Read more: From Dated to Dreamy! DIY Tile Makeover with Andalusian Marble Rocks – Part 2Welcome back to Renacer McGlynn ! This week, we're making a start on a truly unique DIY project—transforming our old farmhouse tiles using beautiful natural marble rocks gathered from the rambla at the bottom of our land. Bringing the Outdoors In Our...
Read more: Turning River Rocks into Stunning Tiles | Andalusian Marble Rocks (Start of a Stunning Farm Makeover)Welcome back to our journey of farm restoration and olive grove revival here on our abandoned farm in Almería, Spain ! 🌿 In this video, we're taking on one of our biggest challenges yet: bringing century-old olive trees back to life. These beautiful...
Read more: Chainsaw Newbies vs Century-Old Olive Trees: The Second Day of Transformation | WORX Cordless 20V ReviewWelcome to the latest chapter in our Spanish farm restoration journey! In this exciting episode, we're tackling our first major pruning project on our abandoned farm , focusing on century-old olive trees that haven't been maintained for over 20 years...
Read more: Chainsaw Newbies vs 100-Year-Old Olive Grove - Can We Revive It?Join the McGlynn family as we embark on a thrilling treasure hunt right here on our Andalusian cortijo ! While working on our farm, we stumbled upon a mysterious box , and of course, the excitement was palpable – is it treasure or something ominous ?...
Read more: Cortijo Treasure Hunt: Kids' Exciting Mystery Box Reveal in Rural AndalusiaJoin the McGlynn family on our journey to make our Andalusian cortijo more accessible and welcoming for everyone, especially for grandparents . In this exciting episode, we tackle the challenge of building a gentle ramp through our olive grove to hel...
Read more: Cortijo Renovation: Building an Accessible Ramp in Our Andalusian Olive GroveWelcome back to another exciting chapter in our Spanish adventure! This time, we encounter an unexpected challenge with our trusty motorhome, Dave, as we navigate the rough terrain of our new property in Almería . In this episode, you’ll see how the...
Read more: Stuck in Spain: How We Solved Dave's Muddy Predicament with a Stone Ramp! 🚐🪨 #MotorhomeLife #SpanishAdventureWelcome to Part 3 of our adventure! The day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. Step inside our Andalusian farmhouse (or as we like to call it, our cortijo ) and experience the magic of seeing it for the first time. In this episode, we wa...
Read more: Part 3: First Peek into Our Andalusian Farmhouse – Starting Our Dream in Spain! 🇪🇸🏡 #MoveToSpain #NewBeginningsWe’ve got some exciting news to share with you all – the McGlynn family is moving to Spain ! After months of planning, we’ve taken the plunge and purchased a Cortijo (Spanish country house) in the heart of Almería , Andalusia . But here’s the twist:...
Read more: Big News: We’re Moving to Spain and Restoring an Abandoned Cortijo!
