The Cova de la Taruga sits in the same part of the Maestrat as the Coves del Civil, six kilometres from Albocàsser and ten from Cuevas de Vinromá, in a landscape of low limestone hills, dry-stone walls and scattered almond and olive trees. The cave belongs to the painted shelters of the Valencian Maestrat, which are part of the Mediterranean rock art listed by UNESCO in 1998, and the nearby sites of Abric de la Tenalla and Cabra Feixet are on the same route.
The interest of this piece of Spain is its emptiness. Castellón's interior has lost much of its population since the nineteenth century, and the abandoned farmhouses, called masos, sit in the fields with their roofs falling in. The stone walls that divide the fields are some of the finest in Europe, built without mortar and often five or six hundred years old, and they snake over the hills in elegant patterns. Rosemary, thyme and wild lavender grow between them, and in spring the air is full of scent.
The roads are a real find. Narrow lanes with little traffic link the villages of Albocàsser, Tírig, Catí and Cuevas de Vinromá, and the main roads in the district, such as the CV-10 or the road toward Morella, have good surfaces and open bends. The ride feels remote, though the sea is only an hour away. In summer the heat is dry and intense, and in winter cold winds from the north can be fierce. Spring and autumn are comfortable.
Alcalà de Xivert, seventeen kilometres away, is the nearest town with a full set of services, including fuel. Albocàsser has a couple of bars and small shops, and Catí is known for its cheese. A plate of grilled lamb, bread with olive oil and a glass of local wine is a good lunch. Take plenty of water for the walk, because there is no shade on the slopes, and avoid the middle of the day in summer.