The Sierra de Albarracín is a high, cold, empty land of pine forests, red sandstone and limestone, at well over a thousand metres, and it hides some of the most interesting prehistoric rock art in Spain. The Pinares de Rodeno, a protected landscape of pine forests and red sandstone outcrops near Albarracín, has shelters with paintings of bulls, deer and human figures, included in UNESCO's inscription of the rock art of the Mediterranean Basin. The Cueva de la Peña de la Morería is one of the sites in this region, near the villages of Bronchales and Orihuela del Tremedal, at the foot of the mountains.
Albarracín, about seventeen kilometres away, is one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, a medieval town of pink and ochre houses perched on a rock above a bend in the Guadalaviar river, surrounded by walls that climb the hill behind. Its streets are narrow and steep, with wooden balconies and overhanging upper floors. The surrounding mountains, the Montes Universales, are the source of several rivers, including the Tagus, which rises at a spring near Frías de Albarracín and flows across Spain and Portugal to Lisbon.
The riding in the Sierra de Albarracín is a joy. The roads climb through pine forests, over passes and across high plateaus, with curves, views and almost no traffic. Grip is usually reliable, but there are livestock on the roads, and wildlife, including deer and wild boar. The road from Albarracín to Bronchales and Orihuela del Tremedal is particularly enjoyable, with long sweeps and forests. Altitude is high, and the weather is extreme: hot days in summer, freezing nights, and snow and ice in winter. Fog can be dense.
The villages around are small, with shops and bars; Albarracín has restaurants and hotels, and for fuel, Teruel is the safe choice, though there are a few stations in the sierra. Food here is mountain cuisine: migas, lamb, game, and the excellent cured ham of Teruel, as well as local cheeses. Visit the rock art shelters, then ride to Albarracín for a walk through its streets; the combination of prehistoric art and medieval architecture in one of the emptiest regions of Europe is something special.