8 sections

	Northern Way Section 1 Walk From San Sebastian to Bilbao - 133km 8 Days/7 Nights, Half Board, hotels en-suite, year round		Northern Way Section 2 Walk From Bilbao to Santander - 108km 7 Days/6 Nights, Half Board, hotels en-suite, year round
	Northern Way Section 3 From Santander to Ribadesella - 145km 8 Days/7 Nights, Half Board, hotels en-suite, year round		Northern Way Section 4 Walk From Ribadesella to Oviedo - 99km 6 Days/5 Nights, Half Board, hotels en-suite, year round

Information

The origins of the pilgrimage way to Santiago, which runs along the northern coasts of Galicia and Asturias date back to the period immediately following the discovery of the tomb of Saint James the Apostle around 820 AD. The routes from the old Kingdom of Asturias were the first to take the pilgrims to Santiago. The coastal route was as busy as other, older ways, long before the Spanish monarchs proclaimed the French Way to be the ideal route, and provided a link for the Christian kingdoms in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. This endorsement of the French Way did not, however, bring about the decline of the Asturian and Galician pilgrimage routes, indeed the stretch from Leon to Oviedo enjoyed even greater popularity from the late 11th century onwards.

The Northern Way was not only used by the Asturians living along the shoreline. This medieval route also gave pilgrims access to the sanctuaries of Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela. Although perhaps not as well-travelled as the French Way, the Northern Way was certainly bustling with activity until the 18th century. These pilgrims came by land from France or by sea from Northern Europe to the ports of the Basque Country and Cantabria, before setting out on their journey towards the sanctuary of San Salvador of Oviedo and the cathedral of Santiago.

Once they reached Castropol, the pilgrims either had to cross the "ria" (inlet) of Ribadeo by boat, or travel along the right bank of the estuary to the bridge of Santiago de Abres, where they would enter Galicia. Contemporary pilgrims have had their journey simplified by the construction of a bridge linking Asturias and Ribadeo.

From the entry point in Galicia, the pilgrimage route is well-documented; it started out from the town of Ribadeo, which also had a port used by pilgrims, before continuing inland through the valleys of Vilanova de Lourenza and Mondoriedo, and thereafter crossing the high flatlands of Vilalba and Guitiriz. At the Monastery of Sobrado dos Monxes, just before the route joined with the French Way in Arzua, the pilgrims received the hospitality of the monks. Just a few days' travelling would finally bring them to Santiago and the tomb of the Apostle.

Among the thousands of pilgrims who travelled to Santiago via the Northern Way, one figure who stands out is Saint Francis of Assisi. Reports suggest that he made the pilgrimage to San Salvador in Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela in 1214. In the late 15th century, the Armenian Bishop Martyr of Azerbaijan made a pilgrimage to Rome and Santiago using the Northern Way, which passed through the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. There are two chronicles dating from the 16th century recorded by pilgrims who travelled a similar route – Antonio Lalaing, Lord of Montigny (1502), and the Italian pilgrim, Bartolommeo Fontana (1539).

During the Baroque period, the Northern Way was used by many pilgrims who opted to chronicle their experiences and itineraries. Jakub Sobieski (1611), the father of King John III Sobieski of Poland, made the pilgrimage via the French Way to Leon. He took a detour to Oviedo and proceeded along the coastal route to Ribadeo before continuing onto Santiago along the Northern Way. Another Italian pilgrim, Sebastian Gatti reached Ribadeo by sea in 1698 and continued his journey on foot arriving in Santiago via the same route. In 1726 the French pilgrim, Guillermo Manier and his fellow pilgrims chose the Northern Way to make the journey back to France. In 1790 the Frenchman, Jean Pierre Racq wrote a detailed account of his pilgrimage to San Salvador in Oviedo and to Santiago de Compostela via the Northern Way.

The Galician stretch of this Way covers 170 kilometres between Ribadeo and Santiago and is clearly signposted with stones decorated with a ceramic scallop shell and a vital piece of information for pilgrims – their exact location on the Way. In addition to the famous yellow arrow of the Associations of the Friends of the Way, these milestones make it easy for the pilgrims to find their direction, as they appear in strategic locations such as at crossroads and turn-offs.

Stages of the camino Norte

This is the list of the sections and stages of our Walking holidays on the Camino Norte (Nortern Way). Click on the Camino section to go directly to the walking holiday.