The Abric de la Cocina, the kitchen shelter, is a rock overhang in the gorges of the Valencian hinterland near Dos Aguas, and on its walls prehistoric painters left scenes of archers, animals and geometric signs. It is one of the sites of the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula, inscribed by UNESCO in 1998, which covers hundreds of shelters along the eastern side of Spain with paintings showing hunting, gathering, dancing and warfare, with lively human figures in red and black. Excavations at the shelter also revealed tools and pottery, showing that people lived here over thousands of years.
Not far away, at Bicorp, the Cuevas de la Araña hold one of the most famous images of Levantine art: a figure climbing ropes or vines to collect honey from a wild bees' nest, surrounded by bees, one of the earliest depictions of honey gathering in the world. The landscape here is rugged and dry, with deep gorges cut by the Júcar river and its tributaries, pine forests, scrub and cliffs, and the villages of Millares and Dos Aguas perch on the slopes.
The roads through this part of Valencia are wonderful for riders: narrow, winding and mostly empty, climbing over ridges and dropping into gorges, with spectacular views. Expect broken edges and the odd pothole, and in July and August the gorges cook like ovens. The road from Dos Aguas to Millares and on to Bicorp is a favourite, with endless curves and little traffic. Come in March, when the almond blossom has gone and the hillsides smell of rosemary, or in crisp, clear November.
Turís, fourteen kilometres towards Valencia, is the nearest dependable filling station, and the villages have bars serving tapas and local dishes. Try the Valencian specialities: paella, of course, made the proper way with rabbit, chicken and beans, but also gazpacho manchego, a hearty stew of game and flatbread that has nothing to do with the cold soup. The rock shelters can usually be visited with a guide, so check in advance with the local tourist offices. Carry plenty of water in summer, when the gorges trap the heat and temperatures soar.