2008 Forester X.
The drivers side valve cover, in fact, can be removed without jacking up the engine. The bottom rear bolt is a pain to get at: since I didn't have a 1/4 drive universal joint, I tied a string to the box end of the wrench because i kept dropping it. One flat at a time, it came undone.
After removing the heavy steel cover, the fuel rail comes unclipped by pushing the 2 blue vertical slots on the connector through.
Then the valve cover can then be rotated up and inward to be freed.
Removing the battery helps get at everything.
Now if I could find those plug wire clips that came off and fell somewhere, and not on the floor. One went on top of the squirt reservoir, but blast if I can find it.