A barranc is a ravine in Valencian, and the country behind Alicante is full of them, deep cuts in the pale limestone where the winter rains drain toward the sea. This one lies in the foothills of the Aitana range, near the villages of Benilloba and Sella, and hides a rock shelter with prehistoric paintings, protected under the same World Heritage banner as the painted caves of the whole Spanish Levant. The interior of Alicante province is quite different from the coast, with almond and olive terraces, pine forest and little white villages tucked into the folds, and the air smells of pine resin and thyme.
The riding is pure pleasure. The roads climb out of the coastal plain in tight curves and then run along ridges with big views toward the sea, and Aitana itself rises to over fifteen hundred metres, the highest point in the province. Weekends are busy with cyclists, especially on the road that links Alcoy and the coast, so keep your speed measured and look well ahead. Autumn and spring are the best seasons, with clear light and mild temperatures. Summer is hot and dry, though the higher roads are cooler, and fog can drift in from the sea.
Cocentaina, about thirteen kilometres away, is a town of over eleven thousand people with fuel, food and an old quarter dominated by a fine palace of the counts. Its autumn fair, around All Saints, is a long-standing tradition that draws visitors from all over. Benilloba and Sella are tiny, so opening hours are a gamble. Alcoy, not far off, is known for its Moors and Christians festival in April, a riot of costumes and gunpowder, and for its marzipan and almond sweets.
If you plan to visit the shelter, check access locally, as some are closed or require permission. The most valuable thing you can bring is care. Stay on the path, leave no trace, and let the quiet of the ravine do its work, with a distant dog barking and the swallows swooping overhead.