Mas is the Catalan and Valencian word for a farmhouse, and the Rocas del Mas de Molero take their name from one such farm, which sits among the limestone outcrops of the Maestrat five kilometres from Benassal. The shelters here form part of the painted rocks of Castellón, a northern extension of the Levantine art listed by UNESCO in 1998, and the neighbouring sites of Abric de la Tenalla and Abric del Mas dels Ous are on the same route. The scatter of farm names is a map of the old rural economy, when every household worked its own few hectares.
The high Maestrat is one of the coldest corners of the Valencian region, and it shows. Benassal lies at about 700 metres, and nearby Penyagolosa, the highest summit in Castellón at 1,813 metres, is often snow-capped in winter. The villages are built of stone, with narrow, steep streets and arcades, and many have a medieval bridge or tower. The Templars and then the knights of Montesa held the district, and a string of castles marks their reign, with Culla, ten kilometres from here, among the best.
Riding is a delight in the hills, as long as you like quiet. The roads between Benassal, Culla and Villafranca del Cid are narrow, with good surfaces and gentle gradients, and they wind between terraces, pine woods and rocky outcrops. The weather is changeable. Spring and early summer are the best times, with warm days and cool nights, and autumn brings a clear, crisp light. Winter can be harsh, with fog, ice and snow, so check before you set out.
Fuel is the problem, since Alcalà de Xivert, thirty-two kilometres away, is the nearest large town. Villafranca del Cid, with about twenty-five hundred people, is closer and may have a pump. Benassal has a couple of bars and a shop. A walk to the shelter requires water and boots, and a respect for the rules that protect the paintings.