It started with a phone call in January...and a site visit two days later. We left behind London’s cold winter and stood on sun-warmed earth, and something clicked. By February, a vision had begun to form.. By spring, the plan was in motion. And soon after, a million-pound raise was underway.
This is how El Saltador found us and the story so far…
Meet Claudia
Claudia Scholler - the previous owner - took over the site in 2001, installing solar panels across the site, and approached the development with sustainability and re-use at the forefront.We wanted to share this wonderful video from Oru El Saltador’s current owner, Claudia. She has designed and rebuilt the site and run it for 27 years! Rooted in nature and simplicity, this space was built with the help of volunteers and a dream: to live lightly, joyfully, and in deep connection with the land. From discovering Oru El Saltador as a ruin in 1999, Claudia’s story is a reminder that the bare necessities are more than enough.
Time Stood Still for a While…
When Vib arrived for the first time at Oru El Saltador, he was blown away by the care of the site and the condition that it was in. Upon meeting Claudia, someone who is filled with integrity, the magical trip began. Claudia noted a few hours after Vib arrived that his watch had stopped working, and it wasn’t until Vib arrived back in England that it began to work again, as if nothing had happened. After this visit, Vib knew how special El Saltador was and that he had to make it a reality.
Oru El Saltador started to form
Vib was keen to bring the team along to see the magic of Oru El Saltador for themselves. It was an opportunity to bring two investors along as well. This trip really cemented the vision to the rest of the collaborators, and it was then that the vision started to form and we knew we had to make it a reality. An initial investment round opened only to the Oru Community and members has raised an incredible £600,000 so far.
June 2025
Meet Peluche
Peluche was once a wild dog, roaming freely throughout the hills surrounding El Saltador. She first came to Saltador while pregnant, drawn to the calm of the land and to Claudia, who gently welcomed her and her partner. They stayed just long enough to have their puppies, then disappeared into the wild once more. Some time later, Peluche returned, this time alone.
We believe the father, the love of her life, had passed away. Since then, Saltador has become her home.
It’s hard to believe she was ever wild. Peluche is calm, affectionate, and wise beyond words. She moves through the space with quiet grace, often found sunbathing, padding alongside Claudia, or gently watching over the land.
She belongs here now, and we’re so lucky to have her.