Mallata I lies four and a half kilometres from Alquézar in the heart of the Vero valley, and to understand it you have to follow the river. The Vero rises in the Sierra de Guara and flows south-east through a deep, winding gorge, past Alquézar and Barbastro, before joining the Cinca. The gorge is lined with cliffs of sandstone and limestone, stained in orange and grey, and in places it narrows so that a footpath has been bolted to the rock face above the water. It is a hawk's-eye view of a river carving a valley.
The Sierra de Guara is also one of the places where the bearded vulture, the lammergeier, still breeds, and it is not unusual to see griffon vultures wheeling over the cliffs. The birds follow the thermals along the gorge in the afternoon, and on a still day you hear the wingbeats. Eagles and choughs are also common, so keep an eye on the sky.
Mallata I is one of the rock shelters of the valley that contain prehistoric paintings. The Vero area has one of the densest groups in Aragon, with several dozen shelters, and they are part of the Mediterranean Basin rock art that UNESCO listed in 1998. The best way to see the art is with someone who knows the valley, as the sites are fragile, some are closed to the public and the paths can be steep and slippery.
The riding around Alquézar is enjoyable but not fast. The road from Barbastro follows the river upstream, with views of the pale cliffs, and beyond the village the lanes climb through oak scrub and farmland, narrow and winding, with the odd gravel patch. Barbastro, about twenty kilometres away, is the place for fuel and supplies, a lively town of some seventeen thousand people with a fine Gothic cathedral and a good range of restaurants. Somontano is also a wine region, and you can visit some of the cellars.
Spring is the best season, with the river full and the terraces green, followed by early autumn. Midsummer is hot and busy. Bring a hat and water if you plan to walk.