The village of Chaves lies in the foothills of the Sierra de Guara, in the north of the province of Huesca, in a country of sandstone, scrub oak and long views towards the Pyrenees. The shelter here, listed as Chaves II, belongs to the same family of painted sites that is spread across eastern Spain, with Levantine figures in red among the rocks. The setting is quiet and a little austere, a rocky ravine that glows in the evening light. The nearest towns are tiny: Angüés has fewer than five hundred people, and Alquézar about three hundred, so for fuel you need Huesca, which is a good half hour away at the end of a winding road.
Alquézar is worth the detour on its own. It sits on a rock spur above the Vero river, with a collegiate church and a tangle of medieval alleys, and it has become a base for canyoning in the nearby gorges. The Vero river itself is known for rock art in its valley, and a cultural park has been set up to tell the story.
Riding through this country is enjoyable and a bit demanding. The roads between Huesca, Angüés and Alquézar climb over low passes, drop into river valleys and cross a lot of dry upland where there is hardly a village for kilometres. Corners are plentiful, sometimes tight, and the surface varies from fresh tarmac to patched and worn. Griffon vultures often circle overhead, and the bearded vulture, with its huge wingspan, is sometimes seen in the Guara. Traffic is light apart from weekends when canyoning groups arrive in vans.
Come in spring, when the oak and box are green and the Pyrenees still carry snow on the horizon, or in autumn, when the light is sharper and the air clear. July is hot and the canyons are crowded.
The shelter is reached on foot, and as ever access should be checked before you set off. Take water, sun protection and a map.