There’s more to Spain than rows of beach pads in busy coastal resorts. Meet one British owner who headed into the countryside and opted for a rustic bolt-hole with vineyard views

Noisy crowds, nosy neighbours and traffic jams aren’t things Emma Drake [pictured above] has ever had to worry about at her finca in the Catalan countryside.

Emma, who has a six-year-old daughter, Dulcie, and lives in Folkestone, has owned her Spanish house near Gandesa, south-west of Tarragona, since 2006. She bought it with her ex-husband as a holiday home and base for when she visited her mum, who at the time was living in the nearby town of Móra d’Ebre.

Fifty minutes inland from the beaches of the Costa Dorada, the way of life at Emma’s two-bedroom finca couldn’t be more different to the busy tourist resorts that typify much of Spain’s coastline. For nature lovers and walkers, and anyone looking for a complete switch-off in unspoilt rural surroundings, it’s heaven.

“The property is a traditional farm house with six acres of land, including its own vineyard and almond grove,” said Emma. “It’s real Spain, where the locals hardly speak English. Gandesa is just five minutes’ drive and has all the amenities you need, including a communal pool. We used to come almost every weekend, when we would book cheap flights to Reus Airport, 50 minutes away, or Barcelona Airport, two-and-a-half hours away. We’ve had some great parties there with friends and family and never had to worry about making too much noise!”

Emma’s property is also near the River Ebro, which offers excellent fishing and is ideal for water-based activities, such as kayaking, as it winds its way through picturesque countryside. Scenic medieval towns such as Miravet and Móra d’Ebre cling to the riverbanks and are perfect places to visit or enjoy a lazy lunch.

“Another highlight is the natural spring at Fontcalda, reached via a thrilling 25-minute drive along a winding mountain road,” added Emma. “There are pools amongst the rocks where you can bathe in springwater. It’s a really magical setting and great for a day out. Meanwhile, if you do fancy the beach, Miami Platja is one of the closest, but for shopping and a bit more life, I like Cambrils.”

Emma used to let her stone finca to holidaymakers and had no trouble finding guests between February and October. “We used to get repeat business,” she said. “We had a lot of Dutch people, who liked the natural, private setting, and it also attracted naturists, walkers and bird-watchers. I used to turn people away over the Christmas period – it gets really cold there, colder than most people would expect. One of the reasons Mum moved to the area was because you get a proper winter in northern Spain, which she wanted having lived in Australia before that!”

Emma’s mum is now moving to France and Emma is looking to sell her finca. It’s on the market for just €39,950, which is significantly less than she paid for it 11 years ago. The property is structurally sound and just needs a bit of work doing to it – a local builder has quoted €10,000.

“Electricity came from a solar power system, with a generator back-up, but I ended up selling them,” said Emma. “The cooker runs off Calor gas and water is from a huge cisterna under the house, which can be topped up. With a bit of attention you could almost be self-sufficient there. It would make a great project for someone who was looking to create their own idyllic bolt-hole, either as a permanent or holiday home.”