It was in 2002 that I took the plunge and bought a house in Cyprus in Pano Pachna. I had spent a number of wonderful and peaceful holidays in the country in recent years with my family, staying in villas, apartments and Agrotourism traditional houses. I wanted to live there, and I had also begun selling my pictures through a wonderful gallery in Limassol. 

The house I found is a beautiful old winery built traditionally in village stone and which used to process the locally picked grapes. 

It lies on the edge of the old part of the village with easy and direct access from the main road. Together with its more developed partner, Kato Pachna it remains a typically Cypriot community, a by-pass isolates the village from through traffic and it has been little touched by tourism. Even so, placed as it is, centrally within the Troodos - Limassol - Paphos triangle, it provides a perfect base, for those with a car, to explore the island.

From here the surrounding countryside, particularly as seen from the secondary roads, is both beautiful and inspiring.

The previous owner had carried out the modernisation, converting the accommodation to European expectations. Now that the grapes go to the co-operative there is no need for the huge stone jars on the floor of the lounge!  

My little dream for when we retire out there is to develop The Old Winery as an art gallery and studio and to maybe set up other holiday accommodation facilities close by.