El Camino Inglés: a journey through history

How was the Camino Inglés of the Camino de Santiago started? And so many centuries later, what does it look like today? The Camino Inglés of the Camino de Santiago is a journey through history, forged by its first travelers: English, Scottish and Irish, especially. In this article we tell how the Camino Inglés of the Camino de Santiago was created and which were its first pilgrims. It also discusses why today is an essential route to know the history of Galicia.

How was the Camino Inglés of the Camino de Santiago created?

Travellers from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland and, above all, English, Scottish, Irish and Flemish helped create what is now known as the English Road of Santiago. These travellers arrived in Galicia by sea from their ports, landing in Ferrol and A Coruña. The reason? The strategic location of the ports of these two important Galician cities clearly enhanced the route.

The history of these pilgrimages is part of the 12th century. In 1147 a cross squad of English, German and Flemish visited the tomb of Santiago. However, the traces of historical pilgrimages along the English Way are several and relevant. From the Icelandic monk Nicolás Bergsson his writings of the walking trip from Iceland to Santiago, a feat that would take him about five years.

What is the Camino Inglés of Santiago?

But what is the Camino Inglés of the Camino de Santiago now? In Galicia, the English Way has two alternative routes.

The first is the itinerary from A Coruña, which is shorter: about 74 kilometers in total. The second option is to do it from Ferrol, a longer alternative, with about 118 kilometers of travel. Both routes, however, are full of attractions and history and, in addition, converge halfway, in the town of Bruma, where together they continue the last 40 kilometers of journey, to Santiago de Compostela.

Some of the attractions of the English Way? The attractions range from Ferrol to A Coruña, not to mention the towns of Pontedeume and Betanzos, two essential enclaves to understand the English history of the Camino.

Learn more about the Camino Inglés of the Camino de Santiago.