Cold water is a rare luxury in southern Spain, and a stream called Río Frío promises exactly that. It is a land of pine forests, limestone crags, deep river gorges and tiny villages, and the painted rock shelters scattered through these hills are part of the UNESCO listing of rock art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula.
Not far away, near Pontones, the River Segura itself rises from a spring before starting its long journey to the Mediterranean, and the Guadalquivir is born a little further south in the Sierra de Cazorla. The forests of black pine, some of them centuries old, are home to Spanish ibex, deer, wild boar and griffon vultures that circle over the cliffs. In spring the meadows are full of wild flowers, in autumn the smell of resin and damp earth fills the air.
Segura de la Sierra, about twenty-five kilometres away, is one of the most spectacular villages in the region, perched on a hilltop below a restored Moorish and Christian castle, with views over the valley of olive trees below. The poet Jorge Manrique is traditionally said to have been born there. Orcera, at the foot of the hill, is a small town with basic services.
The roads in the Sierra de Segura are a rider's dream: twisting, narrow, steep, with endless curves through forest and along gorges, and very little traffic. Surfaces vary from good to rough, and gravel, fallen rocks and animals are common hazards. Distances on the map look short, but the time needed is long, so plan for a slow pace and plenty of stops.
Fuel is scarce. Fill up in Orcera, Huéscar or one of the larger towns before heading into the mountains, and carry water and some food. Village bars serve simple meals, often with game, lamb or trout from the mountain rivers. Avoid midsummer if you can, when heat and fire risk are high, and winter, when snow can close the higher roads. In spring and autumn, a day in these mountains feels like a week anywhere else.