Villar del Humo is a tiny village in the Serranía of Cuenca, the high, forested mountain country east of the city of Cuenca. Around it, sandstone outcrops rise from pine forests, and on their faces prehistoric painters left images of animals and people. The Peña del Escrito and La Peña del Castellar are among the most important shelters here, and they are part of the World Heritage Site of Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin. The paintings include deer, horses and human figures, some in the dynamic Levantine style and others more schematic.
The landscape is remote and quiet, with pine forests, red sandstone rocks, fields of cereals and scattered villages. The Serranía is one of the least populated areas of Spain, and you can ride for long stretches without seeing another vehicle. The air is clean, the nights are dark and the stars are bright.
Cuenca, about an hour's ride away, is famous for its hanging houses, built on the edge of a cliff above the Huécar gorge, and its old town is a World Heritage Site. The rides that pass here link it with the walled town, and the city makes a good base for exploring the region. Cardenete, nearby, has a castle and a Renaissance church.
The riding here is wonderful, with winding roads through forests and over hills, very little traffic and good views. The roads from Cuenca to Villar del Humo and beyond are quiet and scenic, and the Serranía offers endless options for exploration. Surfaces are generally fine, but watch for gravel, animals and occasional potholes. Winter can be cold and snowy, and summer hot during the day but cool at night.
Do not count on services. Villar del Humo is a hamlet of a few hundred people, so fill up in Cuenca or Motilla del Palancar, forty kilometres away. Cuenca's kitchen is shepherd and hunter food: morteruelo, a rich pâté of game and liver, and ajoarriero, a cod and garlic spread. Sleep in Cuenca and walk the gorge at dusk, when the hanging houses light up above the drop.