Most guide books to Andalucía list Trevélez as a tacky tourist town, but I prefer to make my own judgement (writes Simon Newsham), which is why we chose it as our base for a few days of walking in the Alpujarras mountains south of the Spanish city of Granada.

Trevélez sits below Spain’s highest peak Mulhacén, and is popular with walkers. Getting there involves a fairly simple and occasionally spectacular drive from Malaga, however what isn’t so simple is locating the hire car offices. First stop was the car hire desk in the airport, which sent us to the multi-level car park, from whence we were then sent over a busy road onto an industrial estate, where we eventually found the place. The Citroen C2 we were given had plenty of damage on it, and it was easy to see why so many lights were smashed and so many panels dented: just getting out of the garage onto the main road was going to be a challenge, and the first roundabout was busier than the Arc de Triomph when France won the World Cup.

There was only one thing for it - eyes closed, foot down and go for it. The sound of blaring horns and no thump of metal against metal meant we’d made it, and now with a basic road map we tried to find the N340 towards Motril, where the road meets the N323. The busy coast road was scenic, with the mountains on the horizon to the left and the glistening Mediterranean Sea on the right, but just about everywhere in between sit thousands of giant plastic greenhouses.

I was looking forward to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the outstanding views I’d read so much about, but for the moment I enjoyed my first sight of the Costa Del Sol and made notes to visit some towns on the coast: Nerja looked very pleasant and was chosen for a spot of loafing on a beach. About 70 km along the coast we turned inland and almost immediately began to climb, with the hire car taking it in its stride. Once we left the motorway the drive became fantastically scenic, and we left Lanjaron behind to join the narrow G421.

Now I’m not the best car passenger in the world, and this road was getting decidedly steep very quickly, with mile after mile of hairpin bends and each one revealing a truck coming the other way. One of the early hairpins revealed an amazing sight - rounding the bend a giant propeller blade seemed as if it would flick us off the road, so close was the illusion, although it was probably forty metres away. But what a fabulous spectacle the wind turbines made, stretching as far as the eye could see. I tried to concentrate on the view but then I saw the sheer drop inches from the edge of the road. Hair-raising stuff, and I would have got out and walked if I could.

The village of Pampaneira offers a beautiful view of many of the Alpujarras villages, with clusters of white buildings clinging to the mountainsides, giving a good opportunity to get out and look around. Pampaneira has a bustling craft industry, with rugs weaved from local wool, as well as plenty of places to eat. Once back in the car, we passed through narrow compact villages until the road veered left following the gorge which led to our destination. The road is a tight and very testing drive that occasionally gives up an incredible view of the steep-sided Trevélez Valley through the trees. This drive is quite breathtaking, and finally rounding the last bend the town hit us... right in the nostrils.      

Trevélez is famed for its cured hams, the reason for which is noticeable on arrival as the clean mountain air was no longer clean and fresh - in fact the whole place smells of jamón. Set on three terraced levels, the lower tier is where most of the ham curing is done, and where the bars and tourist shops compete for trade. Our hotel the La Fragua sat atop the third tier of the village, with incredible views down the valley.

The welcome was wonderful - we arrived late on a Sunday afternoon, and the staff and family were about to enjoy their lunch, but they still showed us to our room, before sitting us down at a window table in the restaurant overlooking the village and beyond, whereupon a huge jug of Rosado appeared, followed by steaming bowls of delicious lamb stew... perfect.