El Molino de la Balsiña

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Watermill |4 bedrooms |Sleeps 8

Vila de Cruces in Galicia

from £75 / night

£520–£1000 / week

7 nights minimum stay

Changeover flexible

5 out of 5

4 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Beach or lakeside relaxation, balcony/terrace, car essential, private garden, no pets allowed

Check availability and book

About the home

El Molino de la Balsiña is an ancient watermill nestling in a valley on the banks of the Rio Arnego with terraced gardens and mile after mile of countryside. Lying at the end of its own track a few km from a country road, it is south facing and sits in a secluded wooded valley visited only by the occasional fisherman. The old Mill is on the river bank and remains unaltered with its original stones.

The accommodation consists of two stone houses, the Miller's house and the Weaver's cottage, 20 metres apart, which both have 2 bedrooms and a bathroom making the property ideal for a large family, two families holidaying together or a group of friends. Outside there is a covered barbecue area and a vine shaded terrace, ideal for dining during the day.

For sun-bathing there is a large wooden deck with a wonderful view of the river which later becomes the perfect place for an evening drink to catch the last rays of the setting sun. A small vineyard was planted on terraces on the adjacent hillside in 2012.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The large open plan living area has an oak table with benches and shares the wood burning fire with the cosy sitting room. There is exposed stone and wooden beams throughout. Upstairs is a galleried area with plenty of space for relaxing and there is an ipod docking station available.

There are 2 beamed bedrooms in the main house, one with a double bed and one with two single beds. In the separate weaver's cottage there are two large bedrooms one with a double bed and one with a single and a double. The bedrooms have plenty of storage and hanging space and are furnished with rustic wooden furniture and decorated with rugs and colourful bed drapes.

The bathroom in the main house has a shower, basin and toilet and that in the weaver's has bath/shower, basin and toilet.

The traditional kitchen is very well equipped and has a 5 ring gas stove with oven, a window table with stools, plenty of cupboard space, a fridge/freezer, microwave and a dishwasher.

There is a downstairs utility room with toilet, basin, washing machine and tumble dryer.

Further details outdoors:
There are steps into the river in front of the house for swimming and a rope swing for the more adventurous! A few minutes walk upstream you can swim in the Mill pond in which the water is more still and warmer. A 10 minute drive away is Portodemouros lake where the water is warm and there is a shingly beach. Canoes can be rented on the lake.
Vila de Cruces has two out door municipal swimming pools.
The Arnego is a good trout river and can be fished, by permit only, between March 25th and August 15th each year.

Further details

The river is not fenced so the property is not suitable for those with small children. Sorry no pets and no smoking please. The track is rough and steep but readily accessible by ordinary vehicles. Cars have to be parked about 100 metres up a grassy track as the Mill has no adjacent vehicular access which is part of its charm. Those that have mobility difficulties might struggle a little. Adjacent to the Mill is a wooden footbridge over the Arnego.
There is a barbecue and an additional raised covered area suitable for outdoor eating should it be wet.
Bedlinen, towels and swimming towels are included.

Photos

 

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El Molino de la Balsiña

 

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Terraced garden and river bank

 

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The Arnego and foot bridge

 

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Entrance Hall

The Galicia region

Galicia has a distinct heritage shaped by its climate, language and Celtic origins and is the home of superb seafood and the famous Albariño wine. Inland is green Spain at its best with rolling hills, wooded valleys, clear rivers, small stone hamlets and historic towns such as the walled city of Lugo.

The beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela, whose cathedral is the climax of the camino, is easily accessible, has superb Galician cuisine and a fabulous market. Should the attractions of the river and exploring the valley not be enough, an hour and a half away are the unspoilt beaches of the Galician coast and the Rias Baixas.

The historic centres of Pontevedra, Lugo, A Coruna and Ourense and the vineyards of the Ribeira Sacra all lie within easy reach.

The Vila de Cruces area

Vila de Cruces - this friendly typical Galician town has everything you need with butchers, artisan baker, greengrocer and fishmongers either on or just off the main high street in addition to a few small supermarkets.

There are many restaurants and bars, several of which have internet access or wifi. There is a petrol station and several ATMs. Cruces and its surrounding villages hold traditional markets with pulpo stalls, local wines, cheeses and chorizos.

Only 10 minutes drive away there is a large, unspoilt lake with shingly beaches and safe bathing in warm water. Canoe hire and fishing are available.

There is a local bar serving wine from the barrel and food by arrangement, in a hamlet 15 minutes away over the hills.

Vila de Cruces has a regular bus link to Santiago.

How to get there

El Molino de la Balsiña What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

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There are flights from Stansted (Ryanair) and Gatwick (Easyjet) to Santiago which is a 50 minute drive from the Mill. Several budget airlines fly to Porto (3 hrs away), Easyjet fly to Asturias (4 hrs away) and Vueling flies from Heathrow to A Coruna (only 90 minutes away) & Vigo (also about 90 minutes). Iberia /BA fly to Santiago via Madrid. Flights tend to be seasonal and change each year.

There are also direct flights from Santiago to several Spanish cities and a few other European ones - look at www.aena-aeropuertos.es for up to date destinations and airlines. Brittany ferries sail from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Santander (6-7 hours drive).

There are Hertz, Europcar, National, Atesa & Avis rental offices in the airport with cars on site (they vary on whether you have to pay for a full tank of fuel and return empty with no refunds for unused fuel or whether you return full and only pay for the fuel you use). The Solmar office and vehicles are off site and charge for a full tank of fuel on collection.

Activities near Vila de Cruces

Reviews

Review: 1 to 3 of 4

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22 Oct 2012

“Relax and Unwind at the Mill” I recently stayed at the mill with a group of friends. We were there for a week and didn't have a single boring moment! The mill is one of the rare places where you can enjoy your holiday in... more

22 Aug 2011

“Wonderful place to stay for a family with children who can swim” I almost don't want to write this review: El Molino de la Balsina should be kept a secret so that we can book again! Both properties here are impeccably presented and well furnished throughout. The kitchen is better equipped than our own at home so it was a delight to provide meals for the family (I don't say that lightly). We are family of 5 and we went with the parents in-law who had the Weaver's Cottage. Both properties sit on a slow flowing river. The water is cold but still swimmable. A rope swing is provided by the owners and we had great fun with that. The river is rocky so footwear is advised if you want to clamber up the river and then float back down. As the owners' advise, this property is not for people with very young children. They need to be able to swim. All the mod cons are provided included flushing toilets, dishwasher and washing machine and dryer. The owners have not missed a thing: a full info guide awaits you on the local area as well as an extensive recipe collection if you want to go Spanish and cook lots of fish and chorizo dishes. There's also a small library of books on modern Spanish history, language and culture which is very thoughtful of the owners and suggests they wish to aid your immersion in Spanish life whilst you're there. Such things are not essential to any holiday of course but it's these 'little' touches that show how much care and attention has been given to the properties by the owners and the welcome they want to give to holiday visitors. Be warned, the track from the road to the properties is a bumpy one but if you go slow enough you shouldn't have any problems. For the adults, the beds were on the short side but we are extra tall so a minor quibble. The nearest town, Villa de Cruces, has wifi available in several cafes. The best one being A Rotunda. Best supermarket for groceries was Eroski - friendly staff even though they don't speak any English. The Eroski at Lalin, 16kms away, is enormous, like a warehouse and sells clothes if you need to make an emergency purchase. We made a few day trips - Santiago de Compostela, A Coruna, and Lugo. All 3 well worth visiting. We went to Sunday midday mass in Santiago - it was packed out so go early if you want a seat. Don't expect good food there though. It's tourist-ville and prices reflect this. Best meal was in Lugo - outstanding tortilla and octopus dish.

29 Jul 2011

“Amazing getaway in beautiful Galician countryside” We recently stayed in the mill for a week and had a wonderful rest. The location is absolutely stunning, being on the edge of a secluded river and with nothing but the local wildlife for company... more

Review: 1 to 3 of 4

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Review: 4 to 4 of 4

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04 Jul 2011

“It was beautiful!” It was beautiful vacation! We did not even imagine how much we fall in love with this beautiful place. It is feels that every detail in planning the decor inside or outside the houses is made with... more

Review: 4 to 4 of 4

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Rental prices

Prices for group size 4
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Late summer	19 Sep 12	28 Sep 12	600£ 600	-	-	1 Week
Autumn	28 Sep 12	4 Nov 12	520£ 520	-	-	1 Week
Spring	22 Mar 13	24 May 13	520£ 520	-	-	1 Week
Early summer	24 May 13	28 Jun 13	600£ 600	-	-	1 Week
High summer	28 Jun 13	30 Aug 13	1000£ 1000	-	-	1 Week
Late summer	30 Aug 13	27 Sep 13	750£ 750	-	-	1 Week
Autumn	27 Sep 13	4 Nov 13	520£ 520	-	-	1 Week

Prices for group size 8
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Late summer	31 Aug 12	28 Sep 12	750£ 750	-	-	1 Week
Autumn	28 Sep 12	4 Nov 12	650£ 650	-	-	1 Week
Spring	22 Mar 13	24 May 13	650£ 650	-	-	1 Week
Early summer	24 May 13	28 Jun 13	750£ 750	-	-	1 Week
High summer	28 Jun 13	30 Aug 13	1000£ 1000	-	-	1 Week
Late summer	30 Aug 13	27 Sep 13	750£ 750	-	-	1 Week
Autumn	27 Sep 13	4 Nov 13	650£ 650	-	-	1 Week

The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

•Changeover day may be flexible - Friday/Saturday/Sunday to suit, check in 4pm check out 11am, The minimum rental period is 7 nights.

•A non-refundable 25% deposit is required at the time of booking with the remaining 75% payable 8 weeks in advance. Payment is by cheque or bank transfer. A £100 damages deposit is also required, refundable upon satisfactory check-out, paid back to you by bank transfer or cheque.

•The property is available for rental as a single property (with sole occupancy) as the bedrooms in the weaver's cottage make up the total of four bedrooms and cannot be rented separately.

•The property sleeps a maximum of 8 people – there are two bedrooms in the main house (miller's house) and two in the weaver's cottage.

•Rental for up to 4 people, with use of the miller's house only, is available in April, May, June and October at a 20% reduction on the rental price (see above - 'Rental rates for 4 people').

•The property is not available for rental between November and March.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Availability notes:

The property is not available for rental from November to March.

Contact the owner

* Required fields Please check the following errors: First name * Last name * Email *   Did you mean ""? Yes / No Phone number Arrival date Departure date   Ignore calendar - enquire anyway No. of adults No. of children Message * Send me ideas on where to stay

2 years listed You are contacting Kate Turnbull Landline n/a Mobile n/a Languages spoken The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2011. This watermill has received 4 reviews from previous guests.

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