The Tíscar valley lies on the eastern side of the Sierra de Quesada, in the province of Jaén, where the olive groves of the plain give way to limestone ridges and pine. Arroyo Tíscar, the stream that gives this stop its name, runs through a narrow gorge, and the valley is known for a half-abandoned hamlet of the same name, with a ruined castle and a sanctuary, where springs gush from the cliff. It is a dramatic, slightly eerie place, a long way from the busy roads of Andalusia.
The area is rich in rock shelters with prehistoric paintings, part of the group of Mediterranean Basin rock art that UNESCO listed in 1998. The painted figures are small and delicate, in red or brown, and the shelters are fragile, so access is controlled in many places. What you can do easily is look at the landscape the painters knew: steep rock, water, scrubby forest and the open valley below.
The riding in the area is a joy. The roads leave the olive sea and climb into the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas natural park, the largest protected area in Spain, with long curves, hairpins and views over ridges. The surface is mostly fair, with some patched sections, and traffic is very light away from the main towns, so you can go at your own pace. In summer the heat is fierce, and in winter frost and even snow are possible on the higher roads, so the best seasons are spring and autumn.
Huesa, five kilometres away, is a small town of nearly three thousand people and should have fuel and a bar or two. Quesada, a little farther, is larger, and it is the home of the painter Rafael Zabaleta, whose museum is worth a visit. The food of the region is based on olive oil, bread, wild game and the rich stews of the mountains, and a plate of migas, fried breadcrumbs with chorizo, is a good way to start the day.
Take water and a map, because mobile signal can fade in the gorges.