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Andalucia's Tranquil Heartland

Cork-oak woods & whitewashed villages

Rugged hills, woodland of cork oaks, chestnuts and oaks, and villages of whitewashed, red-tiled houses characterise Andalucia’s tranquil heartland. Peaceful as it is nowadays, imposing fortresses still stand proud on the ridges, reminding visitors that this was once a contested frontier land between Christian and Moorish territories. Also forming part of the backdrop is the verdant Alcornocales Natural Park - an area of majestic cork, oak and chestnut forest stretching south of the famous white town of Ronda to the shores of the Mediterranean. To the north, quintessential Andalucian villages cling to the sides of deep valleys that wind southwards towards a landscape of rolling pastures. Our walk reveals both the evolving scenery and Andalucia’s rich heritage - you pass fortified settlements built by the Moors. Add characterful, interesting hotels to the mix and you have all the ingredients for a very rewarding holiday. Choose to travel in spring or autumn and, with any luck, you will sight some of the majestic birds of prey that cross the region as they migrate.

Nights: 7
Grade: 2-3
Terrain: cork-oak woods, orange groves, valleys
Hotels: one rural inn; two 3-star hotels
Meals: breakfast & dinner each day, plus 2 picnics
Climate: this sunny southern region enjoys long, hot summers and mild winters, making for a long walking season. In March, at the beginning of the season, temperatures average 14°C, rising to 20°C in May, and 24°C in June and September. By November, average temperatures are still around 15°C.

Hotel Banu Rabbah

The Genal Valley

Rugged mountains & majestic woodland

La Herriza

La Herriza's lounge

Bar, El Anon, Jimena

Starting point: Hotel Banu Rabbah (3*), Benarrabá. This is a modern hotel with a traditional feel – bedrooms are furnished with hand-painted beds and chairs. Many have balconies overlooking either the garden or the Sierra Bermeja. Enjoy friendly service and good home cooking.

Day 1: we suggest a circular walk that descends through cork-oak woods to the River Genal before rising through more cork oaks on a mule track to fascinating Genalguacil, where the streets are decorated with sculptures left by artists who gather here once every two years. (11km, 4.5hrs)

Accommodation: Hotel Banu Rabbah, as above.

Day 2: leaving Benarrabá, you follow the Genal Valley before rising to the small, castellated town of Gaucín. It is worth pausing in this bustling little place before rising across the slopes of the rugged Sierra del Hacho to enter the neighbouring Guadiaro Valley. Throughout the day you are rewarded with good views (in clear weather you may even see the Rock of Gibraltar hovering on the horizon) and a constantly changing landscape of valleys and peaks. (16km, 5.5hrs)

Accommodation: Hacienda la Herriza (3*), near Gaucín. Perching on the slopes of the Guadiaro Valley, elegant La Herriza has been stylishly converted from a farmstead and you stay in one of several small cottages (each with its own lounge). Besides the panoramic outdoor swimming pool, the main focal point is the excellent restaurant, where arched windows give spectacular views in clear weather over the valley and the Alcornocales Natural Park.

Day 3: the comforts of La Herriza are very tempting, but we recommend that you tear yourselves away and explore the local paths. The first of our two suggested circular walks is a pretty circuit around the Cerro de las Maravillas ('Hill of Wonders'!) which follows the bank of the River Guadiaro, gently rising through mixed cork- and gall-oak woods to gain views along the river gorge. You then rise away from the river, passing a series of farms and pastures to return to your base. (16km, 5.5hrs)

Accommodation: Hacienda la Herriza, as above.

Day 4: our second suggested route southwards along an old fishermen's trail is considerably shorter, leaving most of the afternoon free to unwind at restful La Herriza. (9.5km, 3hrs)

Accommodation: Hacienda la Herriza, as above.

Day 5: you head through a gentler landscape and a huge orange farm on an ancient drovers’ trail, the Cañada Real de Gaucín o del Colmenar, which winds along the ridge, passing two superb viewpoints from which you are rewarded on clear days with views of the coast as well as of your destination, the hill-top town of Jimena de la Frontera. The last part of the walk follows the edge of the Alcornocales Natural Park, descending through orange groves as you leave behind the Guadiaro Valley and then rise towards Jimena and its castle tower through cattle pastures and rolling hills. (18km, 6.5hrs)

Accommodation: Hostal el Anon (rural inn), Jimena de la Frontera. This charming hotel comprises just twelve rooms in several adjoining village houses connected by a labyrinth of courtyards filled with flowers. The restaurant serves good home-cooked food, while the intimate but lively bar is decorated with various railway mementoes. There is a small roof-top swimming pool with views towards the sea.

Day 6: you may want to spend your last day exploring Jimena, an unspoiled, historic town with plenty of charm, cobbled streets and whitewashed houses adorned with baskets of geraniums. For more walking, we suggest a choice of two circuits through the surrounding orange groves and cork forests. The more challenging of the two is a thoroughly enjoyable route, rewarding you with great variety of scenery as well as various points of interest, such as a lime-kiln, a water-mill and an 18th-century armaments factory. The second is easier, giving you a good feel for Jimena's pretty surroundings without requiring too much exertion. (11km, 5hrs or 12km, 4hrs)

Accommodation: Hostal el Anon, as above.

Recommendations for extra nights: La Herriza (Gaucín) for relaxation and excellent food, or El Anon (Jimena de la Frontera) for the chance to enjoy both suggested walks.

Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system.

Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.

Similar holidays: The Valleys of Las Alpujarras (grade 2), Pyrenees to the Garrotxa (grade 2), Pyrenees to the Sea (grade 2), White Towns & Rugged Mountains (grade 2-3), Alps to the Mediterranean (grade 2), The Mountains of Sicily (grade 2)

Prices & travel 2008:

Recommended destination airports: Gibraltar & Malaga
Latest flight arrival time: flexible if purchasing direct taxi, otherwise call for details
Earliest flight departure time: flexible if purchasing direct taxi, otherwise call for details
*Connecting travel: return rail/taxi from Gibraltar or Malaga (out 1h20/ home 0h30 from Gibraltar, call for Malaga details) - pay locally for rail, taxis £20pp;
return taxi from Gibraltar (out 1h15/home 0h30) £83pp;
return taxi from Malaga (out 1h40/home 2h) £120pp
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Extra night prices 2008 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):

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