Along the road through the Vall de Gallinera there are small signs for barrancs, ravines, and names such as Beniali, which most riders pass without a second glance. The Barranc de Beniali, a deep cleft in the limestone that runs down toward the Gallinera river, holds a number of shelters, and Abric II is one of them. About five kilometres from Villalonga, it lies in dry country of scrub and old terraced fields, where carob and almond trees grow wild among the rocks.
The shelters are part of the Mediterranean Basin rock art that UNESCO listed in 1998, one of the densest concentrations of its kind in eastern Spain. What I can say is that such places were chosen by people who knew the land intimately, and the views from the overhang, across the gorge and down toward the plain, suggest why. The sites are fragile and some are fenced, so follow signs and local advice.
Villalonga, with nearly four thousand people, sits on the edge of the plain, not far from the town of Gandia, and it is a good base for the hills: it has fuel, a few shops and places to eat. From there the road climbs into the valley in a series of tight bends and narrow stretches, so take it slowly. Surfaces are generally fair but loose gravel is common, especially after storms. The ride continues on to Pinós over quiet roads.
The valley's terraces are one of its marvels, built by generations of farmers and still partly worked. The cherry blossom in late winter is the best-known sight, but in autumn the carob pods and the first rains bring a deeper, richer smell to the air. Local food centres on rice baked in the oven or cooked with beans and turnip, and the oranges of the Safor plain are famously sweet.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, and the light is best in the late afternoon, when the cliffs glow orange. Carry water and avoid the barrancs after heavy rain, when streams can rise very quickly.