Spring comes early to the Vall de Castells. By late January the almond trees on the terraces turn pink and white, and the whole valley is brushed with blossom while the peaks above still hold the cold. The Racó de Gorgorí, a ravine corner in the hills above Castell de Castells, is worth seeing in that season, when the air is crisp and the rock paintings seem to belong to a landscape waking up.
The road is the pleasure. It climbs out of the coastal plain among citrus and loquat trees, then through almond and olive terraces, and the corners get tighter as the valley narrows. Surface quality is good in most places, but be watchful in the bends where goats and farm vehicles use the road. Behind you the sea appears and disappears between the ridges, and ahead the long wall of the Serrella lies against the sky. January mornings can be sharp at this height, so carry a warm layer even when Alicante itself is in shirt sleeves.
Walkers will find a classic Mediterranean mountain flora: rosemary, thyme, kermes oak, the dwarf fan palm known as palmito, and the aromatic scrub that gives the hills their smell on a warm afternoon. The shelter belongs to the cluster of Levantine sites in this corner of the Marina, and the paintings are small, so patience and good raking light matter more than a good camera. A morning visit tends to be kindest.
For the practical side, Pego, thirteen kilometres away, is the sensible place for fuel and a meal, with Callosa d'en Sarrià an option on the way up. Vall d'Ebo and Benimantell are the nearest villages, both tiny, with a bar and a church each and little more. If the weather turns, the valley road stays rideable, but the barrancos can run suddenly after heavy rain, so do not cross any dry riverbed that looks questionable.