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Ask your mates and chances are at least one of them has hiked the Camino. The network of ancient pilgrim routes, which snake their way through Europe, are seriously popular with tourists and holidaymakers looking to up their step count.
Trodden for more than a thousand years, the Camino trails converge on the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, which is said to hold the remains of the Apostle St. James. The hike is no longer just a Catholic pilgrimage, and is getting more popular by the year. More than 530,000 people walked the route in 2025, an increase of 6% from the year before. That’s a seriously well-trodden path.
Most people choose from a handful of the most famous routes, including the Camino Francés, which begins in the French Pyrenees, the Camino Portugués, which sets off from Lisbon, or the Camino de Madrid (you guessed it, this one starts in the Spanish capital).
But did you know one of the trails originates right here on British soil? Yep, Reading is the official start point of the Camino de Santiago’s lesser-known English leg.
As it turns out, the Berkshire town shares some ancient links with northern Spain, going back all the way to medieval times, when Reading Abbey was an important pilgrimage site.
The English starting post was officially recognised last year when a granite marker was shipped from Spain and mounted in Reading. From there, people can walk the 68.5-mile section, known as St James’ Way, to Southampton, where pilgrims would historically have hopped on boats and sailed to the Bay of Biscay before finishing the walk – racking up a whopping 690 miles on foot.
Now, with the sun finally peaking out from behind the clouds, Reading is gearing up to celebrate the walking route’s official recognition. Preparations are underway for ‘Walk the Spanish Way / Primavera no Camino’ fair, which will bring the experience of walking the Spanish stretch closer to home. Visitors taking part in the celebration on April 25 can expect traditional Spanish music, audiovisual screenings and Galician food to feature in the festivities, which will be taking over Reading’s Broad Street.
According to the BBC, Alex Brannen from Reading’s Economy & Destination Agency, which has helped organise the fair, said: ‘With an ever-growing interest in outdoor and walking tourism, Reading is indeed fortunate to be linked to the most famous pilgrimage route in the world.’
‘This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in walking one of the famous Spanish Caminos, visiting Galicia or walking the St James’ Way here in the UK, to find out more and get inspired for their next holiday.’
The Camino de Santiago also featured on Time Out's list of the world's best hikes for 2025. Pop your walking shoes on and we’ll race you to Galicia.
Want to make a weekend of it? Here are the 13 best things to do in Reading.
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