Beniali is another of the little hamlets of the Vall de Gallinera, tucked into the folds of the Alicante mountains between Villalonga and the head of the valley. The name looks Arabic and is, as with many place names here: the Beni- prefix means sons of, and recalls the clans who farmed these valleys during the centuries of Muslim rule. That legacy runs through the valley in the terraces cut out of the hillside, the irrigation channels, and the old way of growing fruit and almonds on thin soil.
The barranc, or ravine, gives its name to this stop. Abric V is one of several rock shelters in the gorge that contain prehistoric paintings, part of the Mediterranean Basin rock art listed by UNESCO in 1998. The tradition here, as elsewhere in eastern Spain, is of small, red figures painted under overhangs, and in some places the shelter walls have been fenced to protect the paintings from touching and weather, so read the signs and keep to the paths. A local guide or the valley's tourist office can give far better detail than I can.
The valley's cherry blossom is its best-known spectacle, normally in late February or March, when the slopes turn white for a couple of weeks and the roads fill with visitors on weekends. In summer, the heat in the barrancs can be fierce, with the smell of pine and dry thyme, and autumn brings a softer light with wood smoke from the villages. Winter is mild, but it can be damp.
The road through the valley is narrow and winding, with many tight bends and some steep gradients, and it demands attention more than speed. The surface is mostly sound, and traffic is light except at blossom time. Villalonga, about five kilometres from the shelter, is a town of nearly four thousand people with fuel and places to eat, and it is a sensible base. Adsubia and Vall d'Ebo are tiny, and services there are limited, so carry water and a little food.
The ride continues to the Abric de Gontrán and, on another day, to Pinós, so it offers a pleasant spread of small mountain roads. Try the local rice dishes baked in the oven, or a sweet orange from the valley's groves if the season is right.