Monte Arabí rises from the high plain north of Yecla like a ship run aground, a lonely mass of sandstone with flat top and fluted sides, and locals have told stories about it for centuries: Moorish treasure, enchanted caves, a hidden city. The real treasure is painted. The Cantos de la Visera shelters on its slopes hold prehistoric rock art, including Levantine figures of animals and schematic signs, and they belong to the great series of Mediterranean rock art sites listed by UNESCO. There are also strange carved holes and basins in the rock, whose purpose is still debated.
The country around is the altiplano of north-eastern Murcia, a high, open land of vineyards, almond orchards and cereal fields around six hundred metres up and more. Yecla is the town, some thirty-five thousand people, known across Spain for two things: furniture factories and wine. The Yecla appellation grows mostly Monastrell, a dark, sun-loving grape that makes rich reds, and the bodegas are scattered across the plain. Montealegre del Castillo and Fuente-Álamo, small towns over the border in Albacete, add castles and quiet squares.
For riding, this is wide country. The roads run straight for long stretches between vineyards, then kink over low ridges or swing around the base of a sierra. They are generally well surfaced and very lightly used, which makes them relaxing rather than technical, with big skies and the kind of light that photographers love at the end of the day. The wind across the plateau can be strong, and summer temperatures are high, though nights are cooler than on the coast. In winter, mornings can be frosty. The tracks around Monte Arabí itself are dirt and gravel, so leave a heavy road bike at the end of the tarmac.
Yecla is the place for fuel, a mechanic if needed, and food. Local dishes lean toward the hearty: gazpacho manchego, a game and flatbread stew that has nothing in common with the cold soup, plus rice, lamb and local sweets. Access to the shelters is regulated and sometimes guided, so check before you go and carry water, as there is little shade on the mountain. Afterwards, ride back across the plain in the evening, when Monte Arabí glows red behind you and the vineyards turn to long blue shadows.