The Turia river runs from the Teruel highlands down to Valencia, and between Chulilla and Gestalgar it passes through a country of cliffs, pines and small orchards that feels a world away from the city at its mouth. The Barranco de las Colochas is a side ravine on this stretch, about three kilometres from Gestalgar, and the shelter listed as Abrigo II is one of the painted rocks in the series along it. They belong to the Levantine art listed by UNESCO in 1998, and the Turia valley is among the areas where it was first noticed.
The gorge at Chulilla, a little way upstream, is the place most visitors come for. Its sheer walls of limestone, the clear green pools called the Charco Azul and the suspension bridge across the canyon draw climbers from across Europe, and in winter, when the Valencian plain is damp and grey, the cliffs sit in sunshine. Chulilla is a few kilometres from here, topped by a ruined castle. The valley has a mild climate, with orange and olive groves on the lower slopes and pine woods above, and spring brings a delicate smell of orange blossom.
For a motorcyclist the valley is a short escape from Valencia. The CV-35 from the city runs up along the Turia through Riba-roja, Benaguasil and Casinos, with fast, easy bends at first and then, past Gestalgar, increasingly narrow and twisting stretches. Cyclists and weekend riders from the city use it heavily on Sundays, so the best moments are weekdays and early mornings. Take care in the shaded bends in winter, when damp and a little frost can combine on the road surface.
Gestalgar itself has about seven hundred people, a bar or two and a handful of places to eat, and for fuel the nearest large town is Chiva, eighteen kilometres off. Chiva is near the Ricardo Tormo circuit at Cheste, where the MotoGP season traditionally ends, and its pumps are well used to motorcyclists. Bring water for any walk, because the slopes are stony and shade is rare.