The property
Formerly an old barn and woodshed, El Cocodrilo is a small cottage in the country that we have lovingly restored and converted into a comfortable, welcoming, wholesome, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly space.
You will find everything you need here to have a truly pleasant stay. The cottage comprises a bedroom with a double bed, an ensuite bathroom and a separate space with a handbasin, an open plan living space with a sofa bed, a fully equipped kitchen (microwave, washing machine, ceramic hob, pots, pans, glasses, crockery, Italian coffee maker, cutlery), a mezzanine area to gaze at the sky, play games or take a nap, as well as board games, books, a radio and music player and Wi-Fi.
The area
The cottage is located in Agés, a village in the province of Burgos. It is an ideal base to explore the countryside, archaeological heritage, culture and gastronomy of the surrounding area. To the northeast we have the Montes de Oca mountains, the Monastery of San Juan de Ortega and the spectacular Sierra de la Demanda. To the southwest, 2.5km away, the Sierra and Atapuerca, a village with archaeological sites, wetlands brimming with birds and the Centre for Experimental Archaeology. On clear days, to the northwest, the Palencia mountains are visible.
The French Way of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James) crosses through the village and we are just 21 km from Burgos, where guests will find the Museum of Human Evolution, a spectacular cathedral, a very interesting culinary scene and much more.
The philoshopy
Inspired by the architectural and social “tiny house” movement, we have converted a disused building into a fully equipped home of just 34 m2 (366 sq ft).
One of the main concerns was to minimize the environmental impact of the building, both during its construction and throughout its working life. El Cocodrilo was designed with highly efficient energy criteria in mind. Its carbon footprint is reduced with the help of renewable energy sources.
The house was built with locally-sourced and recycled materials: the stone plinth course, the timber framework of the facades, the lintels, the doors, including those of the cabinets, the outdoor pavement and some of the furniture were part of earlier constructions.
To maximize comfort indoors and energy efficiency, the entire outer envelope of the property was thermally insulated: an 80mm insulation in the walls, 120mm in the roof, 60mm in the floor, and high-efficiency windows with in-built thermal bridge controls.
The heating is powered by a high-performance pellet stove, with hot air ducts to the insulated rooms, whereas solar panels on the roof provide the hot water.
Why is it called El Cocodrilo? The name pays tribute to a children's book that tells the story of a crocodile travelling around the world on a bicycle. It was the first picture album designed by Jorge Martín, the owner of the rural cottage.