From a BBC war correspondent, living in Africa and interviewing stars in LA, Alastair Leithead has often been on the frontline. However, he has now embarked on a dramatic new journey by opening an eco-tourist resort in the Alentejo. Here, he embraces a life of serenity, gazing at a different type of star, where the only war is fought with a strimmer.
For twenty harrowing minutes, Alastair’s wife, Ana, feared the worst, believing he had fallen in a gun battle. Protesters were on the streets of Bangkok, and the army was sent in with a shoot-to-kill policy. “One in 10 people were shot around us. ABC Australia reported my death and Ana saw the tweet and for 20 minutes thought I’d been shot, because I was lying on the road taking cover from fire,” explains Alastair. “A friend thankfully stepped in and told Ana that it wasn’t true.”
It is no surprise that half-Portuguese Ana yearned for a move to a place of safety. And what safer haven could they find than their eco-resort in the Alentejo? As I arrive for a tour on a scorching day in July, Alastair’s instructions lead me down a dirt road flanked by postboxes, through a pine tree-lined avenue. Switching off Google Maps, I send a message to announce my arrival. We immediately transition into an analogue world; our only navigational aids are the black stars marking every junction and guiding us into the heart of the Valley of the Stars nestled within a cork and oak forest.
Off Grid and Ignorant
Upon arrival, Alastair and Ana greet me warmly, exuding a “my home is your home” hospitality honed through their expat experiences in Africa. Excited to meet Alastair after following his blog, ‘Off-grid and Ignorant’, which chronicles the challenges of establishing a tourist retreat in the Alentejo bush, I am struck by his unexpected sense of humour and irony, traits not typically associated with a war reporter, but perhaps essential when facing cameras and danger in a flak jacket.
Ana’s warmth envelops me as we settle into their Polaris clubhouse, offering a breathtaking view that captivates the soul. Savouring a cup of coffee and a slice of Ana’s delectable peach cake, I gaze out at the valley, with a shimmering lake below, native trees swaying gently, and a glimpse of Alastair and Ana’s private abode hidden below us. For Ana, who was a Swedish diplomat, this was a return to her roots, as her Portuguese father was from the Alentejo region. The rolling hills and valleys, all the way to southern Portugal’s highest mountain, feel like home for the couple now.
The lake, I soon discover, serves a practical purpose beyond its beauty. It acts as a water source in a sophisticated system that combines borehole water, rainwater and lake water in a 200,000-litre tank. Alastair’s makeshift ‘mission control’ in an old container oversees the intricate network of pipes, ensuring the water’s pH levels are safe for consumption. An LPWAN system manages irrigation, categorising water for various uses, such as showers, consumption and flushing. Alastair’s creation of this completely sustainable and off-grid system, boasting 84 solar panels, was born out of necessity, but is also a testament to his investigative and research skills.
Reflecting on the project’s success, Alastair credits individuals like Iain, the solar consultant, and Rui, the water manager, for their invaluable contributions. He likens the process to journalism, where building relationships with reliable sources and learning from them has been key to navigating the challenges of developing infrastructure in a remote area. For those seeking a digital detox, the retreat offers an escape from the digital world – visitors can choose to store their phones in a safe upon arrival – yet digital nomads can connect to Starlink should they wish.
Alastair and Ana’s commitment to rewilding and restoring indigenous flora while combating invasive species and creating firebreaks underscores their dedication to sustainability. Their guests actively participate in this ethos, with one notable BBC producer, for instance, planting 40 olive trees during his stay. They are also wine connoisseurs and enjoy discovering local wine producers, which they promote through their podcast ‘Al and Ana’s Big Portuguese Wine Adventure’. They also host wine-tasting events, inviting producers and consumers to savour local grapes while appreciating a unique location. Next spring, they will be planting a vineyard with three different types of grapes.
Touring the guest accommodations, comprising four apartments and three en-suite rooms, I am impressed by the thoughtful design elements that reflect Alastair and Ana’s personal journey and their reverence for the Alentejo’s story. The couple proudly show me the unique design features, which they have obviously given considerable thought to (almost certainly over a glass of Portuguese wine) and which reflect their own life stories.
Influences from their global experiences are evident in the decor, from bookshelves filled with their collected works to unique design pieces sourced from Kenya, Thailand and LA. Ana’s meticulous touch is evident in every corner, from eco-friendly reminders, such as egg timers in showers, to locally crafted basin stands made from a fallen cork oak tree. The fabric headboards come from a woollen mill, Fabricaal, in Reguengos de Monsaraz.
“We have influences from all over. Like this lamp, which was made in Kenya and came from a very nice recycled glass shop. The day beds and the zebra on the floor hint at Africa. I think we’ve blended the experiences of Thailand, where we met, with some of the African experiences we’ve had as well. Ana’s been the force behind the interior design and has made some lovely choices. I think it looks stunning.”
Each accommodation is named after a star. “On the first night in our new home, we lay outside and looked up. The sky was alight with stars as the Milky Way stretched a glowing path across the heavens overhead. Instantly, this was the Valley of the Stars and the name stuck.” In the calçada terrace out front, they have included the pattern of Cassiopeia, which is the constellation that you see just above the clubhouse.
The infinity swimming pool is a welcome oasis from the Alentejo heat and a bar is about to be constructed below. This creation will also serve as a testament to the couple’s love of upcycling. A massive slab of wood, it is a former wine press that was gifted to the couple from Porto.
From war to wine
Alastair’s career journey, from BBC war correspondent to owner of an eco-retreat in the Alentejo region of Portugal, is a remarkable tale of transformation and determination. After attending the University of Manchester, Alastair’s career began in Newcastle, where he honed his journalism skills on the local newspaper before transitioning to BBC Radio Newcastle and eventually becoming a foreign correspondent.
Faced with the challenge of securing a job due to a lack of experience, Alastair took matters into his own hands and embarked on a bold trip to Madagascar to cover the eclipse for radio. This leap of faith not only caught the editor’s attention but also paved the way for his foray into journalism.
Alastair’s career path then led him to the vibrant landscapes of Africa, with Cape Town becoming his first official posting in 2001. Over the course of four and a half years in South Africa, he delved into the heart of conflict, covering wars in Liberia and Iraq, and showcasing his fearless dedication to reporting from the frontlines. A subsequent posting to Thailand solidified Alastair’s reputation as a versatile and resilient journalist and led to him meeting Ana in Bangkok, where she worked in the Swedish embassy. A two-and-a-half-year stint living in Kabul allowed Alastair to cover the war in Afghanistan, where he often followed the British troops into conflict zones.
The unpredictable nature of his career resulted in a posting in Miami, where he found himself amidst the chaos of Hurricane Katrina, capturing the storm’s fury on camera. His daring decision to fly ahead to New Orleans, braving the hurricane’s wrath, exemplified his commitment to delivering impactful stories even in the face of adversity.
Proof of his ability to tell a good story is evident in his hysterical recounting of his experiences as a red-carpet reporter. “Well, George Clooney liked my bow tie, which I was very pleased with. I managed to offend Hugh Jackman by criticising his singing in Les Mis. But I think the worst was probably when Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne were both up for Best Actor, but Eddie Redmayne won for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking. I was doing live reporting for BBC Breakfast News while the stars were arriving for the Vanity Fair party. They crossed live to me as Benedict Cumberbatch was approaching and the presenter announced, “We go live now to Alastair, who is on the red carpet with Benedict Cumberbatch.” But Benedict was ignoring me. I’m shouting, ‘Benedict! Benedict! Benedict!’ And I am becoming desperate, so I shouted in his direction, ‘Benedict! So you lost?’ And he swung around furious, and he stormed over to me, announcing, ‘There are no losers at the Academy Award’. And then I got another question in. It was the most clicked thing from that event.”
Despite the allure of celebrity interviews in LA, Alastair’s true passion lay in the raw authenticity of conflict zones, where he thrived on the challenges of war reporting. Here he feels more comfortable than on the red carpet. Coincidentally, Ana’s father was also not averse to conflict, which is another engaging narrative. He was a student leader during the Portuguese revolution. He left Portugal for Sweden for political asylum because his uncle had been sent to a torture prison in Peniche for six years. He met Ana’s mum, who was a doctor, in Sweden. Eventually, they went their separate ways and Ana’s father returned to Portugal, so Ana has two Portuguese sisters living in Lisbon and two Swedish brothers living on the west coast of Sweden. Ana and Alastair discovered Portugal when they went to Lisbon for Ana’s sister’s wedding and subsequently bought an apartment in the capital.
Alastair’s ability to navigate diverse cultures and environments with tenacity underscored his commitment to shedding light on the world’s most pressing issues, but after years of reporting from around the world, Alastair took a pivotal step by taking a year off from the BBC to pursue a journalism fellowship at Stanford University. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his plans for a return to journalism and to pioneer new media technology, leading him to reevaluate his career path.
I ask Alastair if he thinks working in a war zone might stand him in good stead when he gets his first difficult guest!? “I think perhaps they’ll be easier to deal with than teenage, drug-addled, cross-dressing soldiers in Sierra Leone, who weren’t terribly friendly, especially when they were wielding their AK-47s around the place. I’ve met some interesting characters over the years and interviewed presidents [and] rebel leaders, so this is a bit of a change of direction to say the least.” Reflecting on her husband’s career and the impact of his reporting, Ana explains to me the toll it can take on mental health, particularly the prevalence of PTSD among journalists.
Originally, Ana and Alastair wanted a little ruin or a piece of land that they could use as they continued their international work in different countries. “Ana’s dad is from Alentejo, so because of that connection, it was an obvious place for us to look. So we drew a line around Alentejo. And then I plotted the map based on nice places to stay and vineyards. And Ana did all the hard work of finding the estate agent websites, searching for areas we could afford. We looked around the Évora region before turning our attention to the coast.”
In 2018, they made a bold decision to purchase the plot on which we are standing from a German lady. At that time, it only had the property in which they now live. Influenced by their experiences in South Africa and California, they were drawn to the coastal beauty and climate of the Alentejo region. The idea of creating an eco-retreat only came later when they discovered that they would not be able to expand the property unless they reclassified it as a ‘tourismo’ establishment. They also found that government loans were available for this kind of tourist operation, which the government supports as a way of drawing tourism away from crowded coastal areas and encouraging sustainable management of the interior.
The sound of silence
Another testament to their life journey is their four-legged family. “Our LA rescue mutt, Simon, came with us from California,” Alastair explains. He has an LA swagger! Garfunkel, the giant, gentle white Rafeiro Alentejano, was adopted from the Algarve and loves accompanying the couple as they discover the region’s secret beaches. He likes to sit facing the cliff, guarding them and barking at any would-be visitors looking to invade their privacy. Albie (the Little Black Dog) found them one day and decided to stay. The cats, led by mum Val Kilmer and kids Mark Twain and Iceman, patrol the grounds hoping to trick guests into treats (strictly forbidden!).
Ana and Alastair hope their valley will provide guests with the opportunity to discover the Alentejo’s scenic beauty and rich wine culture through guided hikes through rolling hills and vineyards, while sampling some of the finest local wines. They are keen to avoid the ‘retreat’ tag, which they feel is now overused, but they want their experiences to offer an active yet indulgent escape. The Rota Vincentina is close by and Christina Lamb just wrote a piece on it in The Sunday Times. “She’s a friend from Kabul, so she dropped in a few weeks ago. We think there are a lot of people who want to spend one day in each place and not have to carry everything with them, then just come back to the pool in the afternoon and have a glass of wine.” The couple have future-proofed the property with drought resilience. This was put to the test during a rainy Easter, when they were able to provide power and hot water for 17 guests without a hitch. They are, however, very open to letting their business evolve depending on who arrives in their hidden spot and what they are looking for. They have their first painting retreat this autumn and are planning to build a yoga deck and offer tours, whether on foot, bike or horseback.
The sound of silence
So if this place had a soundtrack, what would it be? Alastair muses a while before saying, “It would have some Simon and Garfunkel in there.” I should have guessed this with a dog named Garfunkel! “I suppose ‘The Sound of Silence’. Well, apart from the frogs at night and the birds in the morning, a nightingale and occasionally the call of an eagle.”
Ana reminds Alastair that they do in fact, have a soundtrack. Their daughter, who stayed in LA, tour-manages rock bands and her boyfriend is a rock musician, who has opened stadium tours for Motley Crue and Def Leppard. He wrote the intro music for their podcast. “He actually created a tune that he thought reflected us. It’s quite fun. It evokes the idea of a journey.”
But for now, Ana and Alastair are enjoying putting down roots in an area where they feel at peace. Alastair’s blogs, which recount hilarious anecdotes from kamikaze beetles to visits to the ‘holy trinity’ of Ikea, Leroy Merlin and Macro, with Bricomarché occasionally thrown in for fun. The blog scratches Alastair’s writing itch, and he is still doing the odd BBC piece (he reported on the Iberian power outage). He is also working on a project to counter Russian disinformation. But on the whole, an average day is spent preparing breakfasts, fixing pumps, trying to work out how to master social media to market the property and maybe dashing off to buy an interesting piece of furniture Ana has spotted on Facebook.
However, once things have calmed down a bit, Ana, who studied ancient history, and Alastair, a history enthusiast, plan to discover more about the area to relay to their guests. “There’s so much history here that is being lost, or certainly isn’t in English. There are a few people who know a little more about some of the ancient portal tombs and dolmens in this area. It’d be really interesting to learn more about that. And the geology of the incredible coastline and the hidden beaches, and how they formed.”
As I conclude my tour of Alastair and Ana’s secret retreat, I am struck by the harmonious blend of nature, sustainability and personal storytelling that defines this tranquil haven. It is a testament to Alastair and Ana’s vision, hospitality, and unwavering commitment to creating a sanctuary where guests can immerse themselves in the beauty of the Alentejo while treading lightly on the earth and gazing up at the stars.
