Here the wide plains of La Mancha begin to tilt towards the coast, and the country turns into a patchwork of vineyards, cereal fields and low, pine-covered ridges. Alpera, Carcelén and Alatoz are small villages in the east of Albacete province, close to the border with Valencia, and the landscape has a high, windy character with big skies and few trees on the open ground. The Júcar river runs through a deeper, more broken country to the south, with canyons and reservoirs that give the otherwise dry terrain a green edge.
Alpera is the name that matters in the history of rock art. The painted shelter called the Cueva de la Vieja, near the village, is one of the great sites of the Levantine tradition, with dense scenes of people, deer, goats and bulls in red and black, and it is among the places that made this region central to the UNESCO listing of the rock art of the Mediterranean Basin in 1998. The paintings there are protected by gates and visits are controlled, so ask in Alpera before setting out. Other shelters in the area are small, hard to find and fragile.
The riding is relaxed and open, on roads that run across the plateau between fields, with gentle bends and the odd climb into pine woods. Wind is the main factor, and wind turbines on the ridges show how reliable it is. Summers are hot and winters can be bitterly cold, with frost and the occasional dusting of snow. Spring, with green fields, and early autumn, when the grape harvest begins, are the best seasons. The town of Almansa, with its castle on a rock above the plain, lies a short way north-east and was the scene of a famous battle in 1707 in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Ayora, about 17 km away, is the nearest town of 5,000 people, with fuel stations, shops and cafés, while Alpera and the other villages have little in the way of services. This is wine country, part of the La Manchuela area, where Bobal and other grapes are grown, and the local cuisine is hearty, with dishes such as gazpacho manchego, a rich stew served with flat bread, and local cheeses. Take cash, as small bars may not accept cards.