Not every part of Murcia is beach and orchard. In the north-west, the Region meets the Sierra and the high steppe of Albacete and Granada, and the land becomes a country of pine, rock and sheep, with a climate of hot summers and hard winter frosts. Andragulla lies in the municipality of Moratalla, twelve kilometres from the town, and the shelters in its folds are part of the north-west's rich collection of painted rock.
A day in the area could be built around wine. Bullas, an hour to the south-west by road, is the centre of a small denomination whose reds are made from the monastrell grape, a variety that thrives in poor, dry soils, and the vineyards on the slopes around it are an attractive sight in autumn. Cehegín and Caravaca lie on the way, with old towns and churches. Caravaca, sixteen kilometres away, is the larger, with a castle sanctuary that is a centre of pilgrimage.
The riding is a pleasure. Roads between the villages twist through pine and rock, with views over valleys and up to the long ridges, and the surface is mostly good. Take it easy on the descents, where loose stones from the slopes can be a hazard, and give yourself time. April, May, October and November are best. In summer, start at dawn.
Fuel is available in Moratalla, as well as in Caravaca, which has about twenty-six thousand people and more of everything. Socovos, to the north, is smaller. Bring water, a hat and sturdy shoes if you are hiking to a shelter, and leave no trace.
It helps to hold the whole picture in mind. The shelters of Moratalla, the old castle above the town, the pilgrimage at Caravaca and the vineyards at Bullas are different centuries laid on top of each other in one high, dry corner of Spain, and a rider with a free day and a full tank can touch most of them. Leave the schedule loose; the roads here reward wandering.