Four shelters called Benizar, numbered one to four, do not make four attractions. The numbers come from a survey, in which an archaeologist walked along a cliff and gave each painted overhang a label in the order in which it was reached, and the result is a list like a row of rooms on a corridor. Benizar III is one of them, in the hills of Moratalla about twelve kilometres from the town, and it is best treated as a piece of a larger site, a stretch of wall that was used repeatedly, not a gallery you can tick off.
What the numbers mean in practice is that you can cover several in one walk. The overhangs lie within a short distance of one another, and the paintings are small, in the Levantine style, with red figures of archers and animals. Bring patience, because the paint is faded, and good light makes a great difference. In the morning the sun lights the cliff at a low angle and the figures appear more clearly. By noon the same wall can look blank, which is a lesson in why people who study rock art are so often seen sitting quietly with a flask.
The road to Benizar crosses pine and juniper country, with long, easy bends and almost no traffic. It is a good road for a relaxed rider on a bike that is happy at a steady pace, and a poor one for anyone in a hurry, because tractors, sheep and the occasional dog appear at the corners. April, May, October and November are the best months. In July, start before the heat has built, and in winter check for ice in the shady cuttings.
Socovos, seven kilometres away in Albacete, has a bar where you can get a coffee and a sandwich, and Férez is smaller still. Moratalla has the fuel, the shops and the castle, and you should fill the tank there before heading out. Do not touch the rock, take your rubbish with you, and leave the place as you found it.