Kasbah Angour – a Moroccan paradise in the Atlas foothills

JANE SLADE discovers a hilltop oasis 30 minutes from Marrakech offering walks in the Atlas foothills

Winston Churchill once said that Marrakech was the nicest place on earth to spend an afternoon. He loved watching the sunset over the mountains.

In the 1930s when he first discovered Morocco on a painting holiday the road out of the city into the russet hinterland did not exist. Neither did Kasbah Angour, a stunning Berber chateau that stands 1,000m high surveying the snowy peaks of the Atlas mountains.

Just 30 minutes from the mayhem of motorbikes, souks and searing heat up a dusty track you arrive at Kasbah Angour, a haven of stillness, and lushness built by an Englishman from Surrey.

The expression ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle,’ could not apply better to Paul Foulsham. Paul gave up a career in the oil industry to build Kasbah Angour on 10 acres of hillside, and has cultivated a verdant paradise of olive, cypress and fig trees, as well as palms and a vegetable garden.

The boutique hotel which opened in 2011 oozes Moroccan charm inside and out. The terrace is peppered with wrought iron tables decorated in colourful mosaic tiles from Fez, and the woven fabrics, bedspreads and rugs in the rooms come from the local Berber villages, which speckle the rolling hillsides around the Kasbah.

Kasbah Angour is a secret jewel built in sandstone which looks as though it has been there for centuries. The moment my husband and I arrived in the airy lobby we were greeted with warm, friendly smiles. I immediately thought ‘this is going to be my kind of place’.

Our spacious, simply-decorated, suite had breathtaking views of lush lawns, outdoor swimming pool and the mountains in the distance. We had everything we needed.

There was no TV and Wi-fi only in the public areas. What joy! Our entertainment would be walking in the Atlas foothills, reading books, lounging by the pool and watching sunsets to the music of the cicadas and calls to prayer from the local mosque.

View from the village

This is a place for yogis, artists and hikers. So do bring your yoga mat, paint brushes, easel and walking boots.

My husband and I were on a training mission. We had booked a trek to Everest Base camp a few months after our visit and thought this would be an ideal opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with our walking boots and explore a different mountainous landscape.

Jbel Toubkal (4,167 m) is the highest mountain in North Africa – about half the height of Everest and some thousand metres lower than Everest base camp. Kasbah Angour is an ideal starting point to make the two-day climb which is really a trek. The hotel can organise an experienced mountain guide and overnight stay in a mountain refuge the night before the final ascent to the summit.

As tempted as we were we decided instead to do two guided walks in the foothills, directly from the hotel. Paul has trekked extensively in the area so ideally placed for advice. There are all sorts of walks, half day and full day, no matter your fitness or age, ranging from gentle ambles to testing hikes. We opted for a moderate wander through olive groves, eucalyptus and pine woods. We discovered man-made caves where locals keep their cereals and in times of war women and children. We passed through traditional Berber villages meeting friendly local farmers, chickens and donkeys.

Swimming pool in the morning

Other excursions the hotel offers include a visit to the local souk on Tuesdays, an outing to the village of Imlil with mule trek and picnic; four-by-four adventures in the mountains; camel rides, and trips to Marrakech.

 

Even though it was winter we had blue skies and sunshine throughout our four-day stay. The unheated pool was a bit chilly for me, but the dry, warm climate was perfect for al fresco lounging.

Winter, spring and autumn are the best times to visit if you are seeking a dry heat with a gentle breeze. And for winter sports enthusiasts a double-peak mountain nearby has a ski area.

If you prefer to stay put the Kasbah has plenty to offer – a table-tennis table, areas for practising yoga including a roof terrace, a hammam and massage room.

There are benches in the garden and comfy chairs in shady alcoves for quiet meditation or uninterrupted snoozing. There is so much space that I can’t imagine the hotel feeling crowded even if all 25 rooms are occupied.

The food is delicious too. We dined in the smaller cosy bistro; there is a larger dining room for when the hotel is busy. Don’t expect haute cuisine – this is the chance to try tasty tagines mixed with seasonal vegetables picked from the garden. The lamb comes from sheep which have grazed on wild herbs in the surrounding fields, and the olive oil is pressed from Kasbah’s own trees. Even the water comes from two wells in the grounds.

View from the restaurant terrace

The Kasbah is in a remote, unspoilt spot. There are no restaurants or shops or light pollution – or any pollution come to think of it. This is the perfect spot for star gazing – and recovering from a few days in Marrakech’s medina. One couple we met was doing just that and amazed that such an oasis was so close to the big city.

Kasbah Angour is for those seeking a peaceful sanctuary and a good walk and families looking to engage with nature and local Berber culture. As for my husband and I we are looking forward to return to tackle Toubkal – it should be a doddle now we have completed our trek to Everest Base Camp.