The Lake (Pantano), looks more like a lagoon, fed from the nearby mountains and rivers (7 sources); it is approximately 24 miles in circumference with pretty inlets and is edged all way around by pine trees. Fishing is permitted for carp, barbel, trout and other course fish. Water sports such as sailing, wind-surfing, rowing, catamarans and canoes are also permitted but no motor boats unless battery driven.

Because of the conformation of the land, we usually get a most welcome breeze that comes up around 1300hrs each day. There is free storage provision on dry land for craft when not in use (a personal key can be provided by the management). Swimming in the lake from mid-April onwards is a must, and certainly warms up fairly quickly! The water is crystal clear, containing 40 different minerals, making it very buoyant with wonderful reflections throughout the day starting with aquamarine and working through the whole spectrum of blues to azure ending ultimately with pinks/purples with the setting sun.

On the lake beach there is a ‘Chiringuito’ (small open-air bar) selling snacks/drinks, franchised by the restaurant during the summer months. At ‘our’ end of the lake is a dam on which the main road to Alhama-de-Granada passes over. The lake has a protective ‘over-flow’ system (Aliviadero), whereby, in the event, but rarely needed, runs into a deep gorge to take away any excess water, which in simple terms means, there will never be fear of flooding - a feat of engineering built parallel to the dam.

The lake is named after the village of Bermejales which is less than 1km from the site; in the village are 2 restaurants, one of which has a small B&B and a privately owned ‘studio’ for rent. There is a small shop and GP Surgery.

For the bird-watchers, there are numerous opportunities to see many varied breeds (not forgetting the ‘garden’ birds), eg eagles (there is a resident pair), hawks, other raptors, herons, swifts, 3 types of swallows, house-martins, cormorants, black-winged stilts, hoopoes (both of which are resident), bee-eaters (resident), owls (barn, brown & scops), night-jar, breeding grebes on the lake. For the walkers and photographers it’s a paradise with fantastic views from every angle! Wild flowers of every kind are in abundance during springtime, the orchids, poppies and thistles are also amazingly beautiful! Wildlife can be heard more often than seen, (tracks visible to the discerning ‘eye’ though), eg fox, wolf, boar, goat, badger, pine martin, iguana, salamanders, even a local colony of bats ‘display’ at 1800hrs! Praying mantis, stick insects, carpenter bees, mud wasps, a variety of exquisite butterflies, the ‘whirr’ of the cicades and many chit-chats basking on the rocks. And, the good news is, ‘the whole area is mosquito free, due to a specific natural mineral in the lake!’ A huge bonus!

This exclusive private, Park Home site is limited to 35 plots varying in size from 100sq m to 180sq m. At this moment in time, occupiers are British, 2 Spanish, 1 Dutch couple,  half of residents are permanent, others who are still ‘committed’ coming out 2 or 3 times a year. For security, the site is completely fenced with vehicle entry via an electronically operated gate by a personal ‘zapper/key,’ this gate can also be ‘manual opening’ in the event of power failure. Incorporated, there is a pedestrian gate. A staff member from the camp-site is in residence and acts in a caretaker role. All park homes are ‘fenced-in’ by their own balustrade and gates. All homes have water, sewage disposal and metered electricity (water, sewage and rubbish disposal is included in the ground rent rates which work out approximately €16 per sq m per year). The site has metalled roads providing ample parking, therefore diverting the need to park vehicles within individual plot areas. Most, if not all, of the park homes have views across the lake onto the hills and mountains in the distance.

Across the access road is the small camp-site with a few permanent caravans and small brick-built chalets that can be hired throughout the year but in the main, during the month of August. The ‘Club-House’ has a bar with a huge log fire in winter months, here you can expect ‘Tapas,’ and buy snacks. There is a Restaurant (upstairs) open at weekends and daily throughout the high season. There is also a shop selling essentials. A swimming pool with sun-beds/shade, grassed and concrete surrounds plus facilities; is open from June to September; it is freely available for use by residents, their families or friends alike, all with stunning views!

An area of outstanding natural beauty where one finds little difficulty in ‘chilling-out!’ Surrounded by 6 national parks which are all protected; the site is situated in an elevated position alongside a lake and surrounded by mountains and hills covered in pine, eucalyptus, olive, almond and cherry trees; on the routes to the coast and towns, fields of barley, other cereals and vegetables abound, it is a complete ‘growing area’. The location is second-to-none with magnificent contrasting scenery, all very tranquil and within easy access by excellent roads and motorways. It is not until one approaches the coast or larger towns/cities, does a high-rise building and plastic green-housing come into view.

Temperatures range from 40c+ to minus 3-4c. The climate being seasonable and the summer heat is ‘dry.’ Winter is generally November to March when the nights are cold but the days are warm. Springtime from March to May with temperatures rising both by night and day. Summer, June to October, produces a range of temperatures from 25c to 40c plus. Rarely does it rain between April and November, the ‘intermittent rainy season’ is usually between December and February.

Alhama de Granada, Sierra Nevada and Granada City

On the outskirts of Granada City, is the Sierra Nevada range of mountains which comes into their own during winter by way of a ski village; a massive underground car parking facility, accommodation, restaurants, shops, amenities including indoor swimming pools, saunas, gym, cable-cars, chair-lifts, snow-mobiles, teams of husky-dog sleighs and, of course, all kinds of winter sports, particularly skiing/snow-boarding, tobogganing and ice-skating with tuition if required (there is a nursery slope for learners/inexperienced). In the summer, an excellent drive up to escape the heat, to see the flora and fauna, raptors, ibex and lynx (if you are really lucky!) who are thriving up there! The coastal beaches and resorts are just over an hour away but unless one thrives on touristy noise and high-rises, best avoided during the months of July and August – to be fair, nice to visit at other times for ‘bargain’ breaks. Numerous golf courses are within 1 to 1½ hours either direction, all in excellent condition. 

Villages/Towns/Cities and Shopping. Surrounding local villages frequently support good eating houses, varying in prices, generally very reasonable, and at least one well-stocked (small) supermarket and a qualified chemist. ‘Doing-the-rounds,’ sounding their claxons, are also mobile shops selling fresh foods and fish of all kinds, bread, melons and vegetables, also, 2 freezer vans selling all kinds of frozen foods. In nearby, Alhama-de-Granada, (12kms), there is an Arab/Roman thermal baths (Balnerio) with natural rock pools and a swimming pool heated constantly and naturally to 47c (running for past 2000 years – truly amazing!), treatment rooms if desired. We are endowed with 3 local hot springs/pools and a fairly recent development, close to us, is the excavation of another beautiful ‘hot springs’ actually built right inside caves with hot/cold plunges, swimming pool, sauna, massage – blissful with soft lighting and harmonious piped music! Virtually every surrounding village has its public outdoor swimming pool during the hot summer months – some restaurants also have pools whereby one can even take one’s own picnic!

 In the nearby town (Alhama de Granada), there are many restaurants and bars, 3 supermarkets and numerous family-run shops ‘here, there and everywhere’ in the maze of narrow balconied streets. Garages, ironmongers (Ferreteria), vets, tobacs/newsagents, butchers, fresh fish, bakers, banks, doctors/hospitals(²⁴/₇), dentists, opticians, podiatrists, hairdressers/barbers, physios, cyber cafés and a very friendly, lively, open-air market held each Friday morning. There is CofE worship at St Barnabas (AdeG) which is ecumenical, with a ‘sister’ church, also St Barnabas, down at Lux Mundi, in Torre-del-Mar, plus other CofE churches on the coast alongside RC churches.

For the ‘big shops’ and commercial areas, (if in need of retail market therapy!), there is Granada City (approx. 40 mins drive), where you will find Hypermarkets galore(!) to name a few, Carrefour, El Campo, Lidl, Danis and El Corte Inglis. Restaurants serving Burgers to those serving Michelin standard are in abundance alongside Chinese, Indian, Thai and Italian. From a cultural aspect, the famous, beautiful, Moorish architecture of the ‘Alhambra Palace’ steeped in its rich historic past the Generalife Gardens, the ‘old quarter’ of Granada City, the Albayzin, the Cathedral/precincts are a ‘must’ to visit, in fact more than once, as so much of interest to see.