La Matea: Nature, Tradition and Regional Products

Culture

The historic “Grandes Encierros Tradicionales” were held in La Matea. On 29 and 30 June, the programme began at 1:00 p.m. on each of these days; at 6:00 p.m. each day, fighting bulls were released.

A transhumance route led from La Matea in the municipality of Santiago-Pontones to El Porrosillo in Arquillos and is connected with the extensive livestock farming that is important for the Santiago-Pontones area and the Sierra de Segura. Thus, the route described extends from La Matea through the municipality of Santiago-Pontones to El Porrosillo in Arquillos and connects different local references within this agriculturally shaped context.

Cuisine

In the village of La Matea, La Despensa del Berral is a shop and tasting venue for gourmet products. The La Despensa del Berral experience includes a visit to the ham and loin-curing and drying facility, where visitors learn about the traditional curing process.

La Despensa del Berral offers products from the mountain ranges, including ham, loin, oils, wines, cheese, pâtés, various cured meats, liqueurs, honey and jams. The shop, tasting venue and curing and drying facility are all part of the described offering at the same place in La Matea. The product range combines preserved meat products with cheese, oils and wines, as well as sweet products such as honey and jams.

Nature

The El Muso recreation area can be reached via the J-9005; after passing La Matea, it is on the left. The Río Muso runs through the recreation area.

The Fuente del Berral spring rises in the El Berral recreation area. Thus, in addition to its location on the J-9005, El Muso is associated with the Río Muso running through it, while El Berral is associated with the Fuente del Berral spring.

Hiking Trails

The “La Matea – Castellón de La Nogueras – Fuente del Berral” hiking route begins in La Matea and crosses the La Matea hill through a holm oak forest via Castellón de La Nogueras to the Fuente del Berral. The route therefore names both the starting point and the hill, holm oak forest, Castellón de La Nogueras and the spring as successive components of the route.

In the wider regional surroundings of La Matea, the route to Pino Galapán continues through La Matea to Don Domingo; there, a signposted forest path leads to the attraction. The sequence of places begins in La Matea, continues via Don Domingo and ends with the signposted forest path to Pino Galapán.

In the wider regional surroundings of La Matea, Pino Galapán is over 400 years old, 39 metres high and considered one of the giants of Spain’s forests.

You can discover more places here: Huesa, Castillo De Locubín, Cárcheles, Torre Del Campo, Rus, Baños De La Encina, Sabariego and La Carrasca.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Jaen.