The Hoya de Huesca, the plain below the city, is a land of cereal fields and almond trees, and it is guarded to the north by one of the finest Romanesque castles in Spain, the fortress of Loarre, perched on a rocky crest with the Pyrenees behind. A little farther west, the Mallos de Riglos, towers of red conglomerate rock rising hundreds of metres from the valley, are a magnet for climbers and a startling sight from the road. They make a spectacular day out, and a good companion to the quieter shelters of the Sierra de Guara to the east.
Chaves III lies about thirteen kilometres from Angüés, in the hills of the southern Guara, and carries painting in the Levantine tradition, protected by UNESCO as part of the rock art of the Mediterranean basin in Spain. The ride links it with Mascún I, in the canyon farther north. It is a modest, remote site in a landscape of low hills, scrub and small villages, many half-empty.
The country here is quiet and rural. Fields of barley and wheat, almond trees, and patches of holm oak and pine cover the slopes. A reservoir in the Guara, Vadiello, lies beneath a spectacular cliff, and its turquoise water is a popular spot in summer. Birds of prey are common, and in the evening, the sound of swifts fills the villages.
Roads are narrow and winding, with plenty of bends, and a mix of good and rough surfaces. Traffic is light, and the main hazards are livestock and loose gravel. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with clear air and mild temperatures. Summer can be very hot.
Huesca, about twenty-four kilometres away, with over fifty thousand people, is the place for fuel and a proper meal. Angüés, Siétamo and Alquézar are small, with a bar or two. Bring water and sun protection, and expect a walk to the shelter.