At the Cingle de la Mola Remigia the limestone does something theatrical. A cingle is a long band of cliff that runs along the flank of a hill, and this one forms a pale wall above the Gasulla ravine, with shelters scooped out of its face like rooms with no fourth wall. Benassal lies a little over five kilometres to the east and the village of Ares del Maestrat perches on its own rock crest not far away, so the whole area has a feeling of scale that is rare in this part of Spain.
The significance of the Gasulla ravine is hard to overstate. In the early twentieth century local people began to talk of painted caves in the barranc, and by the 1930s scholars had realised that it held a remarkable concentration of Levantine art, with scenes of archers, running figures and animals that seemed to move across the stone. The paintings were not made as a single work, but over a long span of time, and there is still debate on which are older. Today the whole zone is protected as a cultural park and is part of the UNESCO listing.
Riding here means high plateau country. Roads around Ares and Benassal climb through terraced slopes of almond and olive, then cross open land with oak and pine, and the corners are generally smooth and easy. The N-232 between Vinaròs and Morella, a short ride to the north, is a favourite with riders for its long runs of bends. In winter the high ground can be cold and icy, so go in spring, when the air is fresh, or autumn, when the colours deepen.
On practical matters, Benassal is the nearest village with food and a few rooms, and the springs of the area are well regarded. Fuel is further away, with Alcalà de Xivert at thirty-three kilometres the nearest town of any real size, though Vilafranca is nearer and larger. You will probably have to pre-book to visit the painted shelters, so ask at the information office in the village or at the museum in Tírig. Carry water, wear boots and expect a modest walk.