WE had driven up to the high point of Jose’s 340 hectare farm that straddles some of the wildest countryside in all of Andalucia.
For as far as the eye could see was greenery – a wondrous mix of pines, chestnuts and oaks – and a few white dots that were the nearby villages of Farajan and Juzcar.
We had come to visit his black Iberian pigs who were predictably, nowhere to be seen.
And then out came a horn with a deep guttural sound that reverberated miles around the valley.
At first nothing, then slowly a distant rustle turned into a heavy rumble and suddenly out of the undergrowth trooped perhaps three dozen black Iberian pigs.
Delighted to see him they came over to say hello and then jumped into a big muddy pond right beside us.
“They love it to de-stress and cool down,” he tells me, adding they were easily the ‘happiest, most contented’ pigs in the world. And who was I to argue.
It turns out Jose’s business LanGenal only has around 155 of these wonderful free range pigs… and in order to be able to produce the best quality ‘Jamon Iberico de Bellota’ he cannot have many more.
“There are only enough acorns and chestnuts to go around and the rules are strict,” he explains. “Luckily we also have other delicacies for them such as wild olives that are out in abundance this year. They are spoiled for choice”
It certainly seemed so and the end result back at base was easily some of the nicest jamon I’ve eaten this year.
And no wonder, with Jose sending his pigs all the way to Guijuelo, near Salamanca, in order to dry them for an incredible three to years, before they are sent back to him to sell.
It’s a horribly long wait to get a return on his investment and he needs to buy up to 200 piglets each year to fatten up.
Now in his family for nearly a century, Jose is the third generation to work as a pig farmer and tells me he needs to now do tours of the estate with wine and tapas at the end in order to keep things going.
“I had 12 Dutchmen from Torremolinos this morning,” he adds. “They absolutely loved it and couldn’t believe that there is somewhere so wild just an hour inland from the coast.”
As autumn sets in and temperatures drop, the Genal Valley, between the Costa del Sol and Ronda, becomes a vibrant patchwork of reds, oranges and yellows.
Nowhere is this more true than the ‘Copper Forest’ as golden leaves fall to the ground and blanket forest floors.
You begin to see it when you are three quarters of the way up the incredible mountain road (A397) from Marbella.
It comes as one of the best mountain views in Spain, two rows of stunning peaks meandering off into the distance over 50km away.
Below you is the Genal Valley and you could turn off early at Puerto El Madrono, but not only will it be a few minutes slower, but you’ll miss the drama of seeing the huge sea of chestnut woods appearing as a backdrop.
Better to take the turn off just before the Mirador de la Rueda and head down towards the formerly Moorish villages of Igualeja and Pujerra.
As you round the corner to Pujerra, an explosion of saffron, ochre and terracotta literally leaps out of the evergreen mass.
This is part of the so-called Bosque de Cobre which begins just a short walk out of the village and stretches as far as many of the nearby towns, including Cartajima and Parauta.
Stroll out from any of these villages and you will soon find yourself in corridors of amber trees rippled through with sunlight on sunny days.
The forest twists like layers of gold ribbon around the small hill, so you’re sure to work up a sweat as you wander, enchanted by the leaves dropping slowly to the ground from mid November to early December.
Some of the best walks head out of the former Smurf town of Juzcar, a blue village, or even as far as the whitewashed Jubrique.
But if you are looking for the best place to stay make sure you book at Los Castanos in Cartajima, run by the award-winning hoteliers Frank and Antje.
This German pair arrived here a few years back with a few decades of political experience under their belts back at home and in Brussels and with two kids in tow.
They are the masters of looking after their guests with a superb breakfast and a ‘surprise dinner’ in advance and there is a great selection of local wines.
“The hotel as a whole should feel like home as soon as you walk in,” explains Frank, who trained as a lawyer in the UK before going into politics in Brussels. “Not fancy, but special and we offer our guests a 3-course surprise dinner every evening with influences from Israel, Greece, Italy, Morocco and especially Andalucia.”.
Into the valley
The Genal Valley comprises 12 amazing villages, each with their own distinct differences.
But in each you will find a restaurant and a few places to stay, while all of them are proud of their chestnut products as well as plenty of local cheeses and cold cuts.
Keep your eyes peeled for the artisan markets, while the church in Alpandeire is globally famous where the saint Frey Leopoldo comes from.
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