A molí is a mill, and the one that lends its name to this shelter was presumably a water mill on one of the small streams that trickle through the hills around Benassal, in the high interior of Castellón province. Molí Darrer, the Last Mill, was probably the last one before the water ran out or the valley ended, and the shelter here, Abric II, lies about nine kilometres from the town. It carries paintings of the Levantine tradition, protected by UNESCO as part of the rock art of the Mediterranean basin in Spain, and is linked to a neighbouring shelter at Mas d'en Badenes and to the Centelles site, which are on the same ride.
Water is the story of this country. At seven hundred metres or more, Benassal and its neighbours sit above the dry coastal plain and catch more rain, and springs and streams are the reason for villages, mills and farms. The water of Benassal is bottled and sold across the region, and the town has been a spa and summer retreat for generations. Walkers will find old irrigation channels, stone washing places and the ruins of mills hidden in the pine woods.
Riding here is a delight. The roads are twisting, empty and well worth taking slowly, with bends that follow the valleys and big views from the crests. The surface varies, from smooth new tarmac to rough, gravelly stretches, and farm vehicles can appear around any corner. A stretch of the main road to Morella is among the better-known motorcycle roads in the region, with long, flowing curves through a high, empty landscape. Winter can be cold and foggy, and snow is occasionally seen on the higher roads, so check conditions.
Benassal has about thirteen hundred people, so do not count on fuel, and Villafranca del Cid, a bit larger, with around twenty-six hundred, is a better bet. Catí, to the east, is smaller. Take water, since there is little between the villages, and linger over a lunch in Benassal, where local restaurants serve hearty stews, lamb and cured meats.