The Sierra de Guara is cut by gorges so deep that sunlight reaches the bottom only at midday, and the Cueva Peña Miel lies on the edge of that wild country, in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Huesca. It is part of the Río Vero Cultural Park, an area where painted shelters, some in the Levantine tradition and others in a later, more abstract schematic style, are scattered through the canyons and cliffs. The park is a UNESCO site, and Peña Miel, which translates as Honey Rock, is one of the smaller ones, a fact that keeps it quiet.
The nearest village is Alquézar, which should be on every rider's list. It stands on a rocky hill above the Vero gorge, with a Moorish castle that became a collegiate church and a village of narrow stone streets descending the slope. Walkways bolted to the cliff, called the passerelles, take walkers above the river, and the canyon below is a draw for canyoneers from across Europe. Vultures wheel overhead, including the rare bearded vulture that has been reintroduced to the Pyrenees.
The ride here is wonderful. From Barbastro the road winds up through the vineyards of the Somontano, whose wines are among the best in Aragon, and then into a dry, rocky landscape of oak and boxwood. Corners are medium to tight, sometimes with gravel at the edge, and traffic is light except on summer weekends. Spring and autumn are ideal, with soft light on the cliffs and cool temperatures, while mid-summer afternoons are hot and the canyons draw crowds.
Think ahead about fuel. Alquézar is a village of a few hundred and not a place to rely on for petrol, and the nearest large town is Barbastro, nearly thirty kilometres away. Fill up there. Bring water, because the paths to any shelter are dry, and watch the weather, since flash floods in the gorges are real and can come with little warning.
The cave is delicate and best seen only with permission or a guide.