Between the Turia and the Palancia rivers, northwest of Valencia, the land rises into a maze of limestone mountains, pine forest and small villages that rarely see foreign visitors. The Abric del Mas de los Pérez is a rock shelter in the hills near Andilla, Viver and Alcublas, one of hundreds of painted sites in eastern Spain listed by UNESCO as part of the rock art of the Mediterranean Basin. These shelters were decorated by hunter-gatherers and early farmers thousands of years ago, and while some feature vivid hunting scenes, many are faint and hard to see without a trained eye. Respect any fences and signs, and never wet or touch the rock.
Andilla is a quiet village with a surprisingly large Renaissance church, sometimes called the cathedral of the mountains, and a few streets of stone houses. Viver, in the Palancia valley, is known for its springs and fountains, which supply water to the region, and for its almond and olive orchards. Alcublas, to the south, is a small agricultural village surrounded by vineyards.
The roads around here suit riders who like twisty, empty mountain roads. The route from Viver to Andilla climbs through forested hills with tight bends and steep gradients, and the road from Andilla to Alcublas crosses a high plateau with views over the surrounding sierras. Surfaces are mostly decent, but expect potholes, gravel and the occasional landslide. Weather is generally mild, though winter nights can be frosty and summer days hot. Late spring and early autumn are especially pleasant, with green hills and fewer cyclists than near the coast.
For fuel and services, Segorbe, about twenty kilometres away in the Palancia valley, is the nearest larger town. It is an old episcopal city with a cathedral, a medieval aqueduct and a famous bull-running festival in September, where horses guide the bulls through the streets. Viver has a few restaurants, and a fountain-side bench to rest on. Local specialities include olla de pueblo, a hearty stew of beans, pork and vegetables, and embutidos, cured meats from the mountains. The A-23 motorway runs through the Palancia valley, linking Valencia with Teruel and Zaragoza, if you need to cover distance quickly.