If you ride north from Barbastro toward Graus, the Ésera river eventually forces its way through a ridge of limestone, and the result is the Congosto de Olvena, a short, deep gorge with the road squeezed between rock and water. Up on the cliffs around here are rock shelters with prehistoric paintings, and El Remosillo is one of the best known in this corner of Aragón, between Estadilla, Graus and Fonz.
The paintings at El Remosillo are of the schematic type, red figures reduced to their essentials, and the site has been studied for a long time because it shows layers of occupation. Archaeologists have also worked in the caves of the gorge on evidence of people living here over a very long span of prehistory. Like the other sites that make up the Mediterranean rock art inscription, it is small, protected and best appreciated with a bit of patience and context. The local interpretation of these sites is often organised through the nearby villages, so if you want to see the panels properly, check ahead.
The road through the gorge itself is a treat: short, rocky and dramatic, with overhanging walls and the river running green below. The old road still exists alongside newer sections, and the area is popular with climbers and cyclists, so keep your eyes open on the bends. North of the gorge you reach Graus, a lovely small town with an arcaded main square and painted façades, which works well as a lunch stop. From there the roads branch toward Benabarre, Campo and the Pyrenean valleys, with tight bends and steady climbs. South and west, the gentler roads through the Somontano wine country around Barbastro roll past vineyards and almond groves.
Graus, under ten kilometres away, has fuel, cafés and shops; Barbastro, about sixteen kilometres south, is the bigger town for anything more serious. The Somontano wines are well worth a bottle in the pannier for the evening, and Graus is known in Aragón for its sausages and for its old fairs. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; summer is hot, and the reservoir country around Barasona can be dazzling in the midday glare.