Artica is the kind of small place name that appears on only the most detailed maps, and Artica de Campo, one and a half kilometres from Alquézar, is a field or small farm on the slope above the village. Its shelter is the closest after Cueva Palomera to the centre of Alquézar, and it belongs to the rock art of the Vero listed by UNESCO in 1998. The ride that features it also links to Navarra's beech forests at Aztaparreta, a long way to the west in the Pyrenees, which are a lovely place in October.
What makes the neighbourhood of Alquézar unique is how close the main sights are. In a single morning you can walk the footbridges over the gorge, climb to the collegiate church, look at a painted shelter and have a coffee in the square, without a car or a bike. It is a village built for walking, and the surrounding paths link it to the hamlets and ravines around it. A guidebook from the tourist office in the village gives route descriptions and tells you where the shelters are, and some paths are waymarked.
The ride from Barbastro is best taken slowly, and in early morning when the light picks out the folds in the hills. The road climbs through almond and olive country, with views to the Sierra de Guara, and enters the village with a final steep ramp. There is a car park at the entrance, and the village streets are too steep and narrow to ride. Cobbles can be slippery, especially when wet, so walk with care in riding boots.
Fuel and shops are in Barbastro, nineteen kilometres away, and you should arrive with a full tank. In Alquézar there are several places to eat, and on a weekday in spring or autumn you can usually find a table with a view. Water is available from the fountains in the village, and you should carry a bottle for walks. The nights are cool, and a jacket is useful after sunset.