North-west of Cieza, the Segura river cuts through a dry landscape of limestone ridges, almond and fruit orchards, and rice fields that look out of place in arid Murcia. The Cueva de los Pucheros, a rock shelter in these hills between Cieza and Calasparra, is one of the many sites in the region holding prehistoric paintings, part of the UNESCO-listed Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula. Like most of these shelters, it is fragile and often protected by a fence, and access may require a guided visit arranged through the local authorities.
The Segura valley around here is an oasis. The river supports a narrow green strip of orchards, palm trees and reed beds, and Calasparra is famous for its rice, grown since the fourteenth century in paddies watered by the cold mountain river and protected by its own designation of origin. It is the rice to use for a proper paella or arroz con conejo. In late February and early March, the peach and nectarine orchards around Cieza burst into pink blossom, and the floración draws visitors from all over Spain.
The riding is excellent and underrated. The roads between Cieza, Calasparra and Moratalla wind through gorges and over dry hills with long sightlines, very little traffic, and good surfaces. Head north toward the Sierra del Segura for more serious mountain roads. Summer heat is fierce, so carry water and ride early, and watch for loose gravel on bends after storms.
Calasparra, around eleven kilometres away, has fuel, bars and restaurants, and the Santuario de la Virgen de la Esperanza, built into a rock cave above the river, is an atmospheric stop. Cieza, a larger town, has more choice. The river gorge between Calasparra and Cieza, known as the Cañón de Almadenes, is also popular for rafting, and its caves contain more rock paintings, a reminder that people have been living along this river for many thousands of years.