Property Description

This secluded property in the foothills of Monsanto offers 4.6ha of land with a straw bale and granite house, perfect for family living or agricultural business opportunities.

Straw bale and granite house has a timber roof, interior walls are plastered with clay dug from the land, giving a smooth natural finish. Insulated by the straw bales, this house is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Insulated slate flagstone floor and a wood burner on top of a granite and slate hearth. One side of the house is fitted with a storage cupboard, work surface, and shelves. Double glazed oak framed windows and French doors that open onto the veranda.

The exterior walls are rendered with lime putty, leaving the smooth flowing curves of the straw bales. The house is in the shade of one of the many cork oaks and surrounded by terraced garden beds planted with various fruit trees and flowers. The interior of the house is 20m².

A caravan of 14.4m² operates as a kitchen with a 6-ring cooker and oven, work surface, sink, dining area, and plenty of storage. Fully insulated shower room of 3.8m² and a shed of 5.5m² consisting of a hot shower, wash basin, and compost toilet. The shed is fitted out with shelves, work surface, water filters, gas boiler, freezer, and houses the solar equipment.

The land is mainly terraced, though has a nice big flat section at the bottom. The top of the land overlooks the hills, whereas the lower terraces have lovely views over the property and to the forest next to the land and hills to the side.

The land has plenty of water through one well, and a large lagoon. There are two ponds (winter only). To the side and bottom of the land, there is a water line that flows for most of the year. The river stops to flow in the first week of August after that it pools, depending on the rains usually flowing again by the end of September/ beginning of October.. The land is very fertile with lots of exciting areas to explore. The main water source throughout the year is from one well of 3.5m situated in the garden below the house.

There are also two watermines on the terraces higher up the land. A water storage tank of 8.9m3 in reinforced concrete gravity feeds various taps for irrigation and the bathroom and shed. Dip tank of 3.3m3 in the garden for a summer cool-off drains into a swale to irrigate the garden.

A fenced paddock for the donkey and sheep with a winter pond and bordered by the river. Solar system installed with 4x 560W = 2.24KW panels shading the well water, charge controller, and 800W inverter recently installed. Battery bank of 160AH.

The land is situated in the foothills of Monsanto and is accessed via a paved road meandering through the country lanes and ends with 300m of good dirt road to get to the house. As you arrive on your left, the lower part of the land is bordered by 120m of river frontage lined with willow, ash, and alder.

A natural pool in the river offers a great opportunity to refresh in the summer. With flat and gently sloping pastures on the lower parts of the land planted with cork oaks, oaks, ash, almonds, olives, and various established fruit trees. The upper part of the land consists of large cleared terraces and wooded areas for firewood, including a small area of eucalyptus. The lower parts of the land are oriented in E, SE, S, and NE directions. The upper part is predominantly E facing. The elevation difference from the river to the highest part of the land is 410m-440m.

The 4.6ha of land consist of 5 independent parcels bordering each other; there is the opportunity for buying all or fewer parcels.

A secluded piece of nature that offers many possibilities for family living and agricultural business opportunities.

Monsanto offers an enchanting place to live amongst history and natural beauty with a medieval village and granite boulders perched around the mountain. Monsanto and Penha Garcia (10 minutes drive) are both UNESCO sites. Monsanto has many local restaurants, cafes, kindergarten, primary school, local shops, pharmacy, health centre, 2x monthly markets, and building supplies. Penha Garcia has a lake and natural pool; some of the oldest fossils in the world are found in the ravine behind the village where there are rock climbing routes. The closest supermarket is in the town of Idanha a Nova, 25 minutes drive away. The district towns of Castelo Branco and Fundao are both 50 minutes away. 25km from Monsanto, you can cross the border to Spain. The closest airports are Lisbon, 3 hours; Porto, 3.5 hours, with trains connecting to Castelo Branco, 50 minutes from Monsanto by car. Madrid is 3.5 hours by car.