Spend a day riding in a ring and you begin to understand a place. From Moratalla, one good loop runs north to Socovos, on to Férez, then swings east through the folded hills to Letur and returns by a different line, and La Risca lies on the Moratalla side of it, twelve kilometres out of town. This is a tour of a landscape in which the Segura and its tributaries have carved gorges through pale limestone, and between the gorges are plateaux of pine, almond and cereals.
The roads on such a loop are among the best in the south-east for a rider who likes quiet. Curves are long and flowing with the occasional tight hairpin where a road descends to a river, the tarmac is generally well kept, and the traffic is thin enough that you can ride in the middle of the lane through the corners. Be careful on descents after rain, when gravel washes out of the side gullies, and take layers in spring and autumn when the mountain air can be sharp.
Letur is the star of the loop. Its old centre, with narrow, twisting lanes and whitewashed houses, preserves the plan of an Andalusi village, a maze built for shade and for defence, and it hangs above a deep ravine with views over the surrounding hills. Férez and Socovos are quieter and have bars where you can sit with a coffee, and Moratalla has the largest range of shops and the fuel. Fill the tank before you set out, as the villages cannot be relied upon.
The shelter at La Risca belongs to the rock art of the Moratalla uplands, painted in the Levantine style, and like others it is small and protected. Ask in town about access, stay on the path and avoid touching the rock. Late afternoon, with the low sun on the cliffs and swifts overhead, is a fine time to be there.