The Genal Valley by motorcycle: Ronda to Gaucín through the chestnut villages

The Genal Valley is the part of the Serranía de Ronda that changes colour in autumn: its chestnut woods gave their name to the Bosque de Cobre, the "copper forest" brand under which the Diputación de Málaga promoted these villages. The route leaves Ronda on the A-369 and strings together small villages, each with its own town hall: Atajate, the least populated municipality in the province of Málaga; Benadalid, whose cemetery lies inside its castle walls; and Algatocín.

From the Castillo del Águila, Gaucín looks out over the Campo de Gibraltar and, on clear days, to North Africa. From there the route heads back into the valley via Benarrabá and down to Genalguacil, the "museum village": since 1994 its Encuentros de Arte have left works in its streets, squares and façades, and since 2004 it has had a museum of contemporary art.

Jubrique marks the start of the most technical section. The MA-8301 climbs north up the valley, narrow and with one bend after another, to Pujerra, deep in the chestnut woods. The last stop is Júzcar, the village painted blue in 2011 for the world premiere of the Smurfs film, which voted that same year not to go back to white. The A-397 takes you back to Ronda.

It is about 124 kilometres, but they count for many more: the valley's country roads are narrow, with a patchy surface in places, and are ridden slowly. November is the month of ochre chestnuts; December and January are possible on clear days, setting off mid-morning.