Faraján - Río Genal - Real Fábrica de Hojalata - Júzcar (Valle del Genal)

It is possible to walk directly from Faraján to Júzcar vía the PR-A 227, but the longer walk via the river shown in this track is well worth choosing instead since in addition to enjoying views of the upper Genal Valley, you can also visit the first tin-plating factory in Spain. The river valley itself is narrow with a few lovely farms, and you can look directly along the line of the river in either direction from the ford where the road from Júzcar to Pujerra crosses the river.

The Real Fábrica de Hojalata (Royal Tin Factory) has an unusual history involving not only buildings and machinery, but also camels and Germans in barrels. The story starts with two Swiss men who wanted to put their steelmaking knowledge to the test. In 1725 they asked for authorization to set up a factory in Spain with the idea of ​​making tinplate. At that time, King Philip V was courting foreign manufacturing investors, and he granted a monopoly for the manufacture of tinplate in Spain for fifteen years.

By 1731, the blast furnace was in operation, and the tinning process began. The factory needed specialist workers not available in Spain, so twenty skilled Germans were hired. Supposedly, they had to arrive in the country hidden in barrels, since hiring foreigners was prohibited. As it turned out, the factory operated for only a short period of time. Disagreements erupted over the use of resources, and during the 1780’s, production stopped.

Given the steep grade of the trail that approaches the extensive remains of the factory, you may wonder why anyone would choose to establish a major business in such a remote, inaccessible location. It seems that the transport and communication problems were outweighed by three benefits: an inexhaustible water supply from the Igualeja and Júzcar springs; vast forests which guaranteed charcoal and wood to feed the blast furnace; and accessible raw materials from the numerous surrounding iron mines. In order to make transport cheaper, camels were used to move the ore; they could carry larger loads than donkeys.

Ruins of many of the buildings that made up the complex can be seen by taking a short detour (through private property with a 3 euro entrance fee) along the river. It is a bit confusing to try to identify the remains you are seeing across the river, but the resource links below and the site map included in the photos will help. The buildings marked 4 and 5 on the site map are where the tinning process was carried out. Sheets of iron were covered with a thin layer of tin to prevent oxidation. You can also see the remains of the warehouses, some houses of the workers, and the chapel.

From the river, it is a steady climb up to Júzcar, the blue “Smurf” village where you can base yourself for more explorations of this beautiful area.

Notes
The short walk along the river that provides views of the ruins of the tin factory crosses private property. There is an entrance fee of three euros. Another alternative is to continue across the river for a short distance and, with permission, enter the winery that is restoring the buildings. See the link in the resources below.

Walk 15 of a long-distance walk through the Serranía de Ronda
From our journal:
When leaving Faraján, the trail was briefly so full of chestnut leaves that we were sinking in up to our knees. In addition to the chestnut trees, the red trunks of the cork oaks add color to the forest and piles of cork are waiting to be transported. The tree is not harmed by the process of harvesting the cork and continues to be healthy and productive.

Possibilities for eating/sleeping
Hotel Bandolero is a great choice for a place to stay in Júzcar. The rooms are warm in February and have access to a deck with a view. The delicious meals in the restaurant are just what a walker needs to complete the day.
Ultramarinos Sonia is the grocery shop in the village.

Resources
La Fábrica de Hojalata winery tours allow direct access to the restored buildings
https://www.facebook.com/fabricadehojalata/

History of La Fábrica de Hojalata de San Miguel
http://mavip777.blogspot.com/2011/04/la-fabrica-de-hojalata-de-san-miguel.html

Previous day’s walk: Faraján - Circular
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/farajan-circular-pr-a-227-pr-a-228-valle-del-genal-73505803

Next day’s walk: Júzcar - Los Riscos
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/juzcar-sl-a-176-los-riscos-arroyo-majales-valle-del-genal-73774719

Link to journal
http://hiking.topicwise.com/doc/GenalValley