Trip of the week: walking the Camino de Santiago
Think of this hike as a ‘gentle fell’ in the Lake District but with ‘glorious Spanish sunshine’

Pilgrims have trudged the Camino de Santiago in northwest Spain since the ninth century, says Jeff Prestridge in The Mail on Sunday. If you like a walk, and your knees are up to it, it could be “up your street”. Think of it as like “gentle fell walking in the Lake District – but instead of the rain, there is glorious Spanish sunshine on your back”.
There are several routes to choose from, and while some people insist that the Camino should only be tackled from one of its starting points on the French side of the Pyrenees, that takes time –and a certain comfort with heights.
The more practical option is to do the Camino’s last leg, which winds from Sarria to Santiago. At 71 miles long, it’s still a “fulfilling” walk and, most importantly, it still qualifies you for “a well-earned certificate at the end”. Besides, if you really love it, you can always come back and try the whole thing.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Many young people do the Camino by staying at hostels along the way, but if you use the travel firm Macs Adventure, it will book your accommodation for you and arrange luggage transfers, so you can walk unencumbered. Once you set off, it’s just a matter of following the yellow arrows and stamping your Camino “passport” at cafés and churches along the way.
You may get lost (I did), but it’s hard to go completely off track, as there are normally other “Camino pilgrims” doing the route too. They come from all over the world, and meeting them is what makes the journey so special. The food is pleasingly rustic (“if you like chorizo, this is the place to come”), and the scenery is “beautiful”, with eucalyptus trees that soar “to the heavens”.
To add to all those delights, you can expect to “lose a pound or three in weight” and “learn more about yourself (good and bad)”. The route ends at “the awe-inspiring” Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. When I finally made it, “I shed a tear”.
An eight-day itinerary starts at £625pp on a b&b basis. Flights and transfers extra (macsadventure.com).
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - April 16, 2025
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - Trump's medical exam, student loan debt, and more
By The Week US
-
Christian dramas are having a moment
Under The Radar Biblical stories are being retold as 'bingeable' seven-season shows
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Money dysmorphia: why people think they're poorer than they are
In The Spotlight Wealthy people and the young are more likely to have distorted perceptions
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Ione Skye's 6 favorite books about love and loss
Feature The actress recommends works by James Baldwin, Nora Ephron, and more
By The Week US
-
Book reviews: 'Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus' and 'When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines'
Feature The college dropout who ruled the magazine era and the mysteries surrounding Jesus Christ
By The Week US
-
The Canadian: taking a sleeper train across Canada
The Week Recommends Unique and unforgettable way to see this 'vast and varied' landscape
By The Week UK
-
Adjapsandali: Georgian-style ratatouille recipe
The Week Recommends Twist on the authentic recipe offers bursts of garlic and spices
By The Week UK
-
Mr Burton: an 'affecting' but flawed biopic
Talking Point Toby Jones is pitch-perfect as Richard Burton's mentor – but 'cautious' film 'never really comes to life'
By The Week UK
-
6 display-ready homes for art collectors
Feature Featuring hand-painted floors in Louisiana and 13-foot beamed ceilings in New York City
By The Week US
-
Your Friends and Neighbours: Jon Hamm stars in 'frothily fun' black comedy
The Week Recommends Crime caper about a hedge fund manager who resorts to burgling his 'obnoxious' neighbours after losing his job
By The Week UK
-
Last Swim: a 'lush, beguiling' coming-of-age adventure
The Week Recommends Exam results day drama follows a group of school leavers, one of whom has a devastating secret
By The Week UK