The Ebro river cuts through Aragon in a wide, dry valley, and where it meets its tributaries the Segre and Cinca around Mequinenza it was dammed in the twentieth century to make long, narrow lakes among bare hills. Val de Mamet is a dry side valley in this country, with a shelter that holds prehistoric paintings. The surroundings are arid and open, with low limestone cliffs, thyme and rosemary scrub, and scattered pines and almonds, and the silence is broken mostly by the wind and the occasional hawk.
Mequinenza has an unusual story. The old town stood by the river for centuries, a coal-mining place whose lignite fuelled boats and industry, and in the 1960s the building of the Mequinenza dam flooded the lower town, forcing the population to move to a new town on higher ground. Remains of the old town lie beneath the lake, and a popular claim is that the reservoir's huge catfish, introduced decades ago, grow to the size of a man. Nearby Caspe is famous in Spanish history for the Compromise of Caspe in 1412, when delegates met to decide the succession to the throne of Aragon.
Fabara, close by, has a beautiful Roman mausoleum, a small tower-tomb from the second century AD, standing in a field beside a road. The landscape draws bird-watchers, and the paths along the water attract anglers from across Europe. The silence of the countryside, the smell of herbs and the broad horizons make it a good place for a rider who likes space.
Roads are quiet and wide, with long straights, a few bends and occasional gravel patches, and surfaces are mostly good, though minor tracks to shelters are rough. The wind can be fierce, and the summer sun is merciless, so ride early and carry water. Fuel stations are found at Caspe, about seventeen kilometres away, and Mequinenza has a few. Eat local lamb, or a plate of freshly fried river fish, with peaches from Aragon in summer, and plan your fuel carefully, since the villages are small and far apart.