The Martín river cuts a deep, winding gorge through the limestone hills of Teruel, and its walls are full of shelters where prehistoric people painted animals, hunters and abstract symbols. The Hocino de Chornas, near Estercuel and Montalbán, is one of these sites, a narrow gorge with rock art on its walls, part of the Río Martín Cultural Park, which protects dozens of painted shelters along the river between Montalbán, Obón, Alacón and Ariño. The sites are part of the Mediterranean rock art group listed by UNESCO, and the cultural park has interpretation centres and guided visits that make the art more accessible than at many other sites.
The landscape is rugged and dry, with steep gorges, rocky hills and patches of pine and holm oak, and the river, lined with poplars, cuts through it like a green ribbon. Vultures soar overhead, and the cliffs are home to eagles and other birds of prey. In spring, the hills are covered in wildflowers, and the smell of thyme and rosemary fills the air.
This was also mining country. The area around Utrillas, Escucha and Andorra, to the south and east, was a centre of coal mining for much of the twentieth century, and the mining heritage is preserved in museums and old installations, while the great power station at Andorra, now closed, once dominated the landscape. Estercuel has a former convent, the Monasterio del Olivar, set in a quiet valley of oaks and olives.
The roads in this part of Teruel are quiet and winding, following the valleys and climbing over the hills, with little traffic and plenty of bends. The surfaces are generally good, but narrow, and there are few barriers. Fuel is scarce in the small villages, so fill up in Montalbán, about nine kilometres away, or in Andorra, a town of almost eight thousand people, about twenty six kilometres away. Services in the villages are limited, with small shops and bars, but the food is hearty, with lamb, migas, a dish of fried breadcrumbs with garlic and sausage, and the excellent hams of Teruel. The weather is continental, with hot summers and cold winters, and the gorges can be very hot in the afternoon, so plan your visit for the morning.