The green tones of chestnut leaves are giving way to ochre and copper hues in the genal valley in the Serranía de Ronda. The time has come for these trees to become the focal point of
autumn in Málaga province.
The Bosque de Cobre (Copper forest) gains its name from the distinctive colour of the deciduous leaves of the chestnut trees.
Little by little, with the help of the wind and some rain, the branches shake and shed their leaves. it leaves behind a spectacular ochre carpet.
The heart of this copper forest is located between the borders of the villages of Parauta, Pujerra and Igualeja, the three municipalities that currently have the most hectares of chestnut trees.
If you want to truly experience the Bosque de Cobre then why not follow some of the trails that link Pujerra, Parauta and Igualeja? These villages are linked by tracks that go up and down hills between chestnut groves and riverbanks.The riverbanks also have their own copper forest thanks to the deciduous leaves of their poplar trees.
If you prefer a shorter and less energetic way to enjoy these beautiful trees then you can take the more simple routes. One such route is our local route n°VI “La Umbría”; which passes
through the area known as “Asalto del Cura”. Here you can enjoy a beautiful walk among chestnut trees and get a taste of the splendour of the Bosque de Cobre that is so abundant
further towards the interior of the middle and upper Genal Valley.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/gaucin-ruta-vi-town-hall-walk-vi-la-umbria-38745009
https://www.visitgaucin.com/en/walking/
From Igualeja, there are two beautiful trails. One is circular and is called the las Caleras trail. It starts at the area known as the Nacimiento del Genal (source of the Genal river), which has
been declared a natural monument of Andalucía and a unique spot in Málaga province. At the moment, it is looking at its best thanks to the recent rains and the deciduous autumn leaves.
This route does not have steep slopes and allows you to enter the chestnut grove without too many challenges.
Slightly more demanding is the Igualeja Charco de La Cal Sendero SL-173 path, which you can start in the village of igualeja itself, but also from the road to pujerra (ma-7300). just at the sharp bend that crosses the seco river, you can see the signpost for this path, which is most beautiful in its final stretch. This leads to the pool that gives its name to the route, located on a steep bank.
For the more adventurous and experienced walkers you can look for some of the most ancient landmarks of the alto genal, such as the rebeco chestnut tree, also known as the Rebeco de la Sierra.
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