The Río Martín runs through the dry hills of Teruel province in northern Spain, and the villages along its banks, Alacón, Oliete and Muniesa among them, are tiny places that seem to belong to a calmer century. The Abrigo de los Trepadores is one of the rock shelters of the area, part of a cultural park that protects the paintings found in the cliffs and gorges of the valley. Many belong to the Levantine tradition, small red figures of hunters and animals, and others are schematic, simple signs and stick-like human forms, painted by later peoples. The paintings can be hard to find without a guide, and access is regulated, so plan ahead.
The land is hard and beautiful. Low limestone hills covered with scrub, juniper and a few pines rise from a plain of almond and olive terraces, and in the evenings the cliffs turn orange. The Río Martín cuts gorges that are green at the bottom and bare above. This is the Bajo Aragón, a region of few people and long distances. The smell, especially in spring, is of thyme and rosemary, and the silence is real. Griffon vultures circle the cliffs, and in summer the heat is dry and extreme.
The riding is spare but pleasing. Narrow roads wind among the hills, crossing the river on old bridges, with long straights and a few good bends where they climb out of the gorge. Traffic is almost nonexistent, which means you can enjoy the road without anxiety but should also remember that help can be a long way off. The surface can be rough in places, with loose gravel on the edges and the occasional farm vehicle.
Facilities are scarce. Alacón, Oliete and Muniesa have a few hundred inhabitants each, and while you may find a bar for a coffee, fuel is not guaranteed, so fill up in a larger town such as Alcañiz or Andorra before you head into the hills. Carry water and food, and tell someone where you are going. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, because summer can be fiercely hot, and winter nights are cold with frost on the higher ground.