Hoz is the old Spanish word for a gorge, and the Garganta de la Hoz, repeated in the name for good measure, is a cleft in the hills behind the Alicante coast, a dozen kilometres or so inland from El Campello and Villajoyosa. The rock here is a pale limestone, worn into ledges and overhangs by wind and water, and wherever there is an overhang there is a chance that people have used it, as they have since the Stone Age. A few shelters in the district carry Levantine paintings, small red figures that UNESCO protects as part of the Mediterranean rock art of Spain.
The country is bone dry for most of the year, with carob, almond and wild olive, pine woods on the higher slopes and, in the gullies, oleander and reeds in the few places where water lingers. It is a good area for walkers and for birdwatchers. The shape of the hills hides the sea, so it comes as a pleasant surprise to reach a crest and see it glittering behind you.
For riding, the interest is variety. The coastal strip is crowded and slow, with roundabouts and apartment blocks, but the road into the hills quickly turns twisty and quiet, with climbs, hairpins and long views over scrub and rock. Surfaces vary, with patches of new tarmac next to stretches of broken surface, and in autumn, storms may leave mud and rocks on the road. Go early, as the midday sun is relentless, and expect the hills to be busy with cyclists at weekends.
Fuel is easy in El Campello, with over twenty-six thousand people, and Villajoyosa, with nearly thirty-four thousand. The latter is worth a stop, with its seafront of brightly coloured houses and a long tradition of chocolate-making. San Juan de Alicante is also close. Do not expect services inland.