From the sea to the plateau is a climb of several hundred metres in less than fifty kilometres, and a rider who starts at Alcalà de Xivert, on the Castellón coast, can feel the world change on the way. Alcalà itself is a market town with a ruined Templar castle nearby at Xivert, orange groves and a long beach down the road at Alcossebre, and behind it the wild Serra d'Irta, a natural park of unspoilt cliffs and scrub. Inland, the land rises through olive and almond terraces to the Maestrat plateau, and by the time you reach Catí and Albocàsser, twenty-three kilometres from the coast as the crow flies, the air has changed.
The roads that make the climb are some of the finest in the province. They wind up through the foothills, cross the ridges and join the quiet roads of the plateau, and the bends tighten and relax as the terrain demands. The surface is mostly good, traffic is light, and the views behind you get larger with every bend. Looking back on a clear morning you can follow the line of the coast for miles, though in summer there is often a haze.
Centelles, in the district between Catí and Albocàsser, is the end of the climb, and the shelter is a modest place, one of several that bear the name. It holds a few red figures of the Levantine tradition, and it makes a good excuse for a walk. The village of Catí is known for its goat cheese, and Albocàsser, with its square, is a pleasant stop.
Fuel is at Alcalà de Xivert, so fill the tank before you leave the coast. Take water, wear good shoes, and treat the paintings with care. In winter, check the forecast, since snow and ice can appear on the plateau when the coast is mild.