The Surrounding Area
The province of Jaén lies within Spain's most southerly region, Andalucia.
Perhaps the greatest attraction is Europe's second largest Natural Park, the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas. Reaching to above 2000 metres in altitude, the range itself provides a refreshing change to the typical Mediterranean landscape of the region.
Its appeal includes the cultural delights of the city of Úbeda and the towns of Cazorla and Baeza. The stunning mountain town of Cazorla is the gateway to the mountains and natural park.
Travellers come here looking for rural retreats, local culture, walking, mountain biking and mountain adventure activities.
Cortijo Los Abedules offers a unique opportunity to enjoy these.
With randomly winding, steep, narrow, cobbled streets, the town of Cazorla is a great start to getting the feel of the area. Here you will find welcoming people, abundant examples of times gone by in the "Casco Antiguo" and plenty of shops within the newer, more commercial zone. The pace of life is very "laid back and chilled out", even by Andalucian standards!
The attractive historic town of Cazorla.
Cazorla provides ample interest to the inland traveller. The approach to the town is, in itself, worthwhile, backed by the sheer, jagged peaks, coated in pine forests, their roots gripping onto precarious ledges.
Overlooking the town are the famous remains of the "Five Cornered Castle". Tracks lead from some of the upper streets into the mountains backing the town, making for some very pleasant, easy walks, with no need even to drive anywhere!
Near to the town of Cazorla lies the pretty village of La Iruela with its impressive castle and amphitheatre perched on a rock above in true Andaluz fashion, giving access to one of the most popular Natural Park sites, El Chorro, a huge rock circle with plummeting walls of over 100 metres' drop.
Here the traveller can see the nest settlement of the Leonardo (Griffon) Vultures and enjoy the most spectacular sunsets.
The Natural Park
The main access to the Natural Park is located some 8 kilometres on from Cazorla at the village of Burunchel. From here the road winds up to 1260 metres above sea level, to the mountain pass of Puerto de las Palomas. From this point on, a new world can be explored.
The Natural Park is the source of one of Spain's more famous principal rivers, the Guadalquivir. Winding down through the gorges and valleys of the range, the river extends all the way across Andalucia to Seville and from there southwards, opening out to the Atlantic at Sanlucar de Barrameda. It is a primary source of water for many southern provinces.
You will need a few days just to scratch the surface. The Park is riddled with forest tracks and trails suitable for both walking and mountain biking. Dense pine forests cover the mountainside, whilst rivers and waterfalls have carved precipitous canyons and gorges, filtering out to the Alpine-style "Tranco" dam for all to wonder at and enjoy. Ordnance Survey Maps can be purchased in Cazorla for more detailed routes.
Despite of their southerly location, the mountains of Cazorla have a special micro-climate, resulting in cool mornings and evenings - a pleasant contrast to the midday heat in the summer months. Cazorla itself lies at an altitude of around 900 metres above sea level. During the winter, it is not uncommon to find snow covering the peaks and sometimes the town of Cazorla itself.
Rural Tourism: mountain activities and spiritual retreats are the prime alternative pursuits here, whilst the traveller will be stunned by the endless rolling hillside olive groves.
Spain wouldn't be Spain without its assets and traditions - bull-fighting, the Costas, sherry and brandy production, Flamenco, fiestas and olive growing, to name but a few.
The province of Jaén is Spain's main olive growing territory.
Whether on the vast plains, over the deep rolling hills or stretching up the steep slopes of the mountains, the region is a green latticework quilt. The earth colour is predominantly a distinctive lime white, giving everything a surreal brightness.
Many olive farms resemble the mansions of ancient nobility. Olive growing is the biggest industry next to tourism. It can be an extremely cutthroat business, where owning just one extra tree is like gold dust and can make all the difference!
Whatever the terrain, you will be impressed by the perfect lines of trees stretching to the horizon, the spaces between carefully measured for maximum efficient growth.
Notice too the ground around the trees - finely ploughed earth, smoothed over like butter on bread, leaving little sign of undergrowth or weeds. The purpose is not to look pretty, but to prevent large cracks opening up during the hot days. These would let the sun penetrate and damage the tree roots, affecting production.
Annual pruning each year is fundamental. The trees must be cleared of branches and encouraged to grow as much outwards as upwards. A single young tree may provide 8-10kgs of olives in an average year. A mature, well-cared-for tree can produce 80-100kgs.
There are many varieties of olives, some grown for eating, others for oil. The oil-making process can be compared with the subtleties of wine making, with many grades of quality, the acidity and flavour reflecting a particular year's climatic conditions. As with wine, olives have their good and bad years! A cold, wet winter means minimal production. Superstition, (and perhaps fact), says the land requires rest from time to time, so that subsequent years may reap the benefits.
Harvesting takes place in December/January. The traditional method of collecting the olives, by beating the trees with sticks, has mainly been superseded by a petrol machine looking like an over-extended hedge trimmer. Using a large hook on the end of a metal shaft, it rigorously vibrates the branches, causing the olives to drop into nets around the base of the trees.
They are then loaded into trailers and taken to the local co-operative, which weighs them and processes them for oil or prepares them for eating.
If you find yourself eating olives or using olive oil, the chances are that these will come from this province, or even from Cazorla itself!