The Tinença de Benifassà is one of the emptiest corners of the Valencian Community, a group of tiny stone villages scattered across rugged limestone mountains in the far north of Castellón, right where Valencia, Catalonia and Aragón meet. The Cova dels Rossegadors, also called the Cova del Polvorí, lies on the edge of this country near Rossell, with Mas de Barberans and Canet lo Roig the other nearby villages.
The cave holds painted figures in the Levantine style, part of the network of shelters protected by UNESCO along the eastern side of Spain. Its alternative name, the gunpowder cave, suggests later use, perhaps for storing explosives or as a refuge. As with most such sites, it is fragile and protected, and access to the paintings themselves is limited. The reward is understanding how these mountains were used by people over thousands of years, as hunting grounds, pastures and hiding places.
The Tinença is wonderful riding country. The road from La Sénia and Rossell climbs into the mountains toward the Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria de Benifassà, founded in the thirteenth century after the Christian conquest and still home to a community of nuns. From there, narrow roads wind between the villages of El Ballestar, La Pobla de Benifassà, Fredes and Coratxà, on twisting tarmac with dramatic views over gorges and forested slopes. Fredes, high in the mountains, is one of the remotest villages in the region, close to the point where the three regions meet. The roads are narrow and sometimes in poor condition, with loose gravel, and you are as likely to meet a herd of goats as another vehicle.
There is little in the way of services in the mountains. Rossell is a small town with a bar or two, and fuel can be found in La Sénia or in Ulldecona, about twenty-one kilometres away. Fill up before heading in and plan a loop. The area is known for its forests of black pine and beech, unusual this far south, and in autumn the colours are superb. Winter can bring snow to the higher villages, so check conditions before setting out.