Villar del Humo is a village of a few hundred people in the Serranía de Cuenca, a high land of pine forest, limestone gorges and sparse villages that lies between the cities of Cuenca and Valencia. The Marmalo shelters nearby, of which this is the fourth, are among the most famous sites of Levantine rock art in the region, with painted figures of hunters, animals and scenes that archaeologists have studied for a century. They are part of the Mediterranean-arc group UNESCO listed in 1998, and the village has made them a point of local pride.
The Cabriel river runs close by. It is one of the cleanest rivers in Spain, with turquoise pools between pines and a long stretch without dams, and it forms the border with Valencia further downstream. In summer the water is cold and inviting. The land around is covered with pine and juniper, with a smell of resin and thyme, and the soil is red.
The riding is wonderfully empty. The roads from Cañete and Carboneras de Guadazaón wind over gentle ridges, through forest and across open plateaus, with bends of every kind and long views. Traffic is almost nil, and the main risks are wildlife, such as deer and wild boar, and loose gravel. Weather changes quickly at this height, around a thousand metres or more, and winter brings snow and hard frost. The best seasons are late spring and early autumn, when the forest is green or golden and the air is clear.
There is no pump in the villages, and no big town in the immediate area, so plan carefully. Cuenca, with its famous hanging houses on a gorge, has everything you need, but it is a good distance away, well over an hour by road. Fill the tank before you leave, and carry water and a snack. Cañete, a walled town, has a small bar and a bakery, and it is a nice place to stop.
If you want something to remember, wait for the sunset. The pines turn orange, the hills go blue, and the sound of the forest settles.