WE had pushed as much as the excessive level of Jose’s 340 hectare farm that straddles among the wildest countryside in all of Andalucia.
For so far as the attention may see was greenery – a wondrous mixture of pines, chestnuts and oaks – and some white dots that had been the close by villages of Farajan and Juzcar.
We had come to go to his black Iberian pigs who had been predictably, nowhere to be seen.
And then out got here a horn with a deep guttural sound that reverberated miles across the valley.
At first nothing, then slowly a distant rustle became a heavy rumble and out of the blue out of the undergrowth trooped maybe three dozen black Iberian pigs.
Delighted to see him they came to visit to say whats up after which jumped into a giant muddy pond proper beside us.
“They like it to de-stress and funky down,” he tells me, including they had been simply the ‘happiest, most contented’ pigs on this planet. And who was I to argue.
It seems Jose’s enterprise LanGenal solely has round 155 of those fantastic free vary pigs… and so as to have the ability to produce the highest quality ‘Jamon Iberico de Bellota’ he can not have many extra.
“There are solely sufficient acorns and chestnuts to go round and the principles are strict,” he explains. “Luckily we additionally produce other delicacies for them equivalent to wild olives which might be out in abundance this yr. They are spoiled for selection”
It definitely appeared so and the top end result again at base was simply among the nicest jamon I’ve eaten this yr.
And no marvel, with Jose sending his pigs all the way in which to Guijuelo, close to Salamanca, to be able to dry them for an unbelievable three to years, earlier than they’re despatched again to him to promote.
It’s a horribly lengthy wait to get a return on his funding and he wants to purchase as much as 200 piglets every year to fatten up.
Now in his household for practically a century, Jose is the third technology to work as a pig farmer and tells me he must now do excursions of the property with wine and tapas on the finish to be able to hold issues going.
“I had 12 Dutchmen from Torremolinos this morning,” he provides. “They completely cherished it and couldn’t consider that there’s someplace so wild simply an hour inland from the coast.”
As autumn units in and temperatures drop, the Genal Valley, between the Costa del Sol and Ronda, turns into a vibrant patchwork of reds, oranges and yellows.
Nowhere is that this extra true than the ‘Copper Forest’ as golden leaves fall to the bottom and blanket forest flooring.
You start to see it if you find yourself three quarters of the way in which up the unbelievable mountain street (A397) from Marbella.
It comes as among the best mountain views in Spain, two rows of beautiful peaks meandering off into the space over 50km away.
Below you is the Genal Valley and you may flip off early at Puerto El Madrono, however not solely will it’s a couple of minutes slower, however you’ll miss the drama of seeing the large sea of chestnut woods showing as a backdrop.
Better to take the flip off simply earlier than the Mirador de la Rueda and head down in the direction of the previously Moorish villages of Igualeja and Pujerra.
As you not far away to Pujerra, an explosion of saffron, ochre and terracotta actually leaps out of the evergreen mass.
This is a part of the so-called Bosque de Cobre which begins only a brief stroll out of the village and stretches so far as most of the close by cities, together with Cartajima and Parauta.
Stroll out from any of those villages and you’ll quickly end up in corridors of amber timber rippled by way of with daylight on sunny days.
The forest twists like layers of gold ribbon across the small hill, so that you’re certain to work up a sweat as you wander, enchanted by the leaves dropping slowly to the bottom from mid November to early December.
Some of the perfect walks head out of the previous Smurf city of Juzcar, a blue village, and even so far as the whitewashed Jubrique.
But if you’re searching for the perfect place to remain ensure you e book at Los Castanos in Cartajima, run by the award-winning hoteliers Frank and Antje.
This German pair arrived right here a couple of years again with a couple of many years of political expertise below their belts again at dwelling and in Brussels and with two children in tow.
They are the masters of taking care of their friends with an excellent breakfast and a ‘shock dinner’ upfront and there’s a nice choice of native wines.
“The lodge as a complete ought to really feel like dwelling as quickly as you stroll in,” explains Frank, who educated as a lawyer within the UK earlier than going into politics in Brussels. “Not fancy, however particular and we provide our friends a 3-course shock dinner each night with influences from Israel, Greece, Italy, Morocco and particularly Andalucia.”.
Into the valley
The Genal Valley includes 12 superb villages, every with their very own distinct variations.
But in every you will see a restaurant and some locations to remain, whereas all of them are happy with their chestnut merchandise in addition to loads of native cheeses and chilly cuts.
Keep your eyes peeled for the artisan markets, whereas the church in Alpandeire is globally well-known the place the saint Frey Leopoldo comes from.
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