PW_2_2023

Article

Living the Cave Life Tom Whitmore, Devon Branch Tom Whitmore is a Devon Branch member, who now lives in Spain. Tom attended a Branch lunch in August 2022 whilst visiting the UK, and there was lots of interest in the Cave House where he lives.

I love meeting up with people that I haven’t been in touch with for a long time, largely for the look on their faces when I tell them that I now live in a cave. They react in different ways, but mostly they think I’m joking. Once, someone called me Fred Flintstone and sang the first line of the song from that famous cartoon. But no matter how they react, I am always pleased when they want to know more about my home — and I am always happy to answer their questions. I had already lived in Spain for 16 years before making the decision to exchange the golden sands and blue sea of the Costa Blanca for life in a cave. My home was carved into a mountain in the northern end of Granada Province in 1950. It is two kilometres from the main square of Huéscar, a town of 7,800 people, which nestles in the crook of a mountain almost 1,000 metres above sea level. The pictures accompanying this article can only hint at how wonderful the views are and how unpolluted the air is.

Cave House

What are the joys of cave-dwelling? I have already mentioned the views and air quality, the attractions of which are obvious. But there are practical benefits, too: Huéscar’s climate, being high above sea level, means that hot summer days and cold winter nights are the norm. However, temperatures inside my rock-insulated cave neither rise above 25° nor, with my log-burner lit during winter, do they fall below 20°. Add the fact that the humidity up here is, generally, much lower than on the coast, one ends up with comfortable conditions all year round — without expensive air-conditioning! Another benefit is that, thanks again to the insulating rock, one cannot hear next door’s plumbing, loud music or day-to-day noisemaking. And they cannot hear yours. Also, due to the nature of the way that caves are carved out of the rockface, no two caves are the same. And I love that individuality. My own cave has 10 rooms and a tunnel alongside it. These spaces give me great flexibility of usage, which is why I have a modern kitchen, two bathrooms, a main bedroom, a dressing room, a walk-in wardrobe, a dining room, a lounge, a relax-with-a-book-or-music room and an office. I use the tunnel as a workshop and for storage, but I could just as easily keep three cars in it.

At this point, I am conscious that I have not said anything negative about living in my Spanish cave-house, this is because I cannot think of anything negative about it. Nevertheless, for the sake of balance, I will pass on something about Spain that does frustrate many people: Not everyone understands “mañana” to mean tomorrow, which is how most Brits and other immigrants translate it. But if a Spanish tradesman, or any Spaniard with whom you need an appointment, or with whom you are discussing a delivery for example, says “Mañana,” it seldom means “tomorrow” — but it regularly means, “not today!” Five years ago, when I bought my cave, the Estate Agent (who himself lives in a cave) told me that I would never consider moving back to a conventional house again. He was right. And if I had to sum up, in a single word, how I feel about cave-dwelling, I would say, “Yabadabadoo!” Any members who would like to get in touch

Of course, the cave itself is not only very different from what it was in 1950, but it is also different from when I first moved in. I guess it was originally built for animals. I deduce this from the fact that my neighbours to the right are sheep and to my left are a couple of horses. There are perhaps thirty other caves within a 300 metre radius of mine, almost all of them occupied by humans. Spanish, English, Belgian, Dutch and German people contribute to our friendly, cosmopolitan community. We are like-minded individuals who have discovered the joys of living in a cave — and we have found those joys within easy distance of a town with plenty of amenities, including a Medical Centre and a warm-water lake.

with Tom, can email him at: tom.whitmore@outlook.es

Sitting room

POLICE WORLD Vol 68 No.2, 2023

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