Camino de Santiago - the Northern Way

Day 1 - Fly London to Santiago. Group transfer to hotel.

Today you fly to Santiago Airport in northwest Spain where there will be a single group transfer to your hotel in the town of Ribadeo.

Ribadeo is a pretty harbourside town set on the river that divides Galicia from Asturias. It has an attractive old town and a celebrated beach nearby where rocks form natural arches thought to resemble cathedrals.

Overnight: Hotel Casona de Lazurtegui or Similar

Day 2 - Trek from Ribadeo to Lourenza - 27.5 km, 6-7 hours.

You begin your holiday hiking away from the coast. After walking through the town of Ribadeo, you head off on a rising forest trail. Most of the way to Lourenza is off road on very quiet farm tracks. You pass through the ever present eucalyputus trees and later, native trees. You may be lucky and spot hoopoes here. The countryside is very pleasant as you pass through farmland with rolling hills in the distance. Interestingly, the Camino waymarks are read oppositely to those in Asturias (the previous district). The direction of the route is indicated by the lines of the scallop that diverge.

You pass through Vallamartin Pequeno and Villamartin Grande, Gondan and San Xusto, the latter two having albergue de peregrinos (pilgrims' hostels). Lourenza is home to a 10th century Benedictine Monasterio de San Salvador. It has an impressive Baroque façade and contains a museum of religious art. It is also famous for its 'fabas' - local beans.

You overnight in Pension Casa Gloria. As there is no restaurant in the pension, you'll dine out at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Pension Casa Gloria or Similar

Day 3 - Trek from Lourenza to Abadin - 24.5 km, 5-6 hours.

You head into the hills today with lovely views of the surrounding countryside. It is about an 8.5 km walk into Mondonedo, which was once one of the seven capitals of the Galicia kingdom. Mondonedo is a lovely town with pleasant bars and cafes around the cathedral square. The Romanesque cathedral is a national monument, and it's worth sitting in one of the cafés opposite to admire its impressive facade. You walk uphill out of Mondonedo, and weave your way upwards past the villages of Barbeitas, Maariz, Paadin, San Vicenzo and Lousada before descending into Gontan.

You continue to walk on a mixture of forest trails, farm tracks and quiet secondary roads, walking up to a pass. After the pass it's about 3 km to Abadin where you will spend the night. Abadin, the capital of the Concello, has a food store, pharmacy and some bars and restaurants.

Overnight: Pension Casa Goas or Similar

Day 4 - Trek from Abadin to Vilalba - 19 km, 4-5 hours.

After walking through the town of Abadin, you continue on quiet roads for approximately 2.5 km and cross the River Adadin. You pass through the villages of Ponterroxal and Martinan. About 14 km from Abadin you pass through Goiriz which has a hostal, bar and restaurant. You later pass As Casonvas and A Casilla. Your walk today is on a mixture of forest trails, quiet rural roads and farm tracks, passing many farms - a perfect insight into life in rural Northern Spain. It's a pretty quiet, peaceful walk, just passing the occasional villager, farmer and pilgrim. For the next two nights you'll stay in the very impressive, Parador de Vilalba Hotel - a wonderful, 4 star hotel that is an extension of the landmark Torre dos Andrade. The hotel restaurant serves excellent food, their puddings are particularly delicious, and with all that walking, you'll have earned the indulgence.

Overnight: Parador De Vilalba

Day 5 - Trek from Vilalba to Baamonde - 21 km, 4½-5½ hours.

A lovely walk today through the heart of the Terra Cha region of Galicia that is famed for its dairy produce - particularly its cheeses. Terra Cha means 'flatlands' and indeed your walk today has few undulations. It is also a good area for birdwatching and on the 2017 recce of this route, we saw hoopoe, black woodpeckers, white storks and chiffchaffs - your guide will help you spot and identify any birds or wildlife you encounter. After about 4 km of your walk you pass through the sleepy villages of Gabin and then As Turbelas. Shortly after you come to San Xoan de Alba (just over 6 km from Vilalba) where you'll find a medieval church. After the church you follow the Camino signs on a mixture of paved roads, dirt tracks and footpaths until you reach Saa which has a medieval bridge over the Labrada. Minor roads and dirt tracks take you through the villages of Penas, Contariz, Casanovas and Ferreira before you arrive at Baamonde. Baamonde contains the 14th century Church of Santiago, and also the museum (former home) of sculptor Victor Corral. From here you will be driven back to your hotel at Vilalba.

Overnight: Parador De Vilalba

Day 6 - Trek from Baamonde to A Roxica - 25km, 4½-5½ hours. Drive to Sobrado dos Monxes to see the monastery and on to Arzua.

You return to Baamonde to start the next stage of the Camino. After crossing the River Parga, you pass the 14th century Chapel of San Alberte. This is a very pleasant stretch for 5 km or so with gorse bushes, scrubland and a wide track with stone walls, before emerging onto paved roads through farmland countryside. The walk to Miraz from Baamonde is about 14 km long. Miraz has a bar and a couple of pilgrims' hostels. En route you pass through the villages of San Alberte, Toar, Bandoncel, Diga, Raposeira, Aldar and Seixon which has a bar and 12th century church.

From Miraz you continue for approximately 6 km, with a pleasant uphill, off-road section. As the route from A Roxica to Sobrado dos Monxes is all on tarmac, a vehicle transfer will take you to the monastery (25 km drive) and then onto Arzua where you'll stop for the night. The Santa Maria de Sobrado Cistercian Monastery, with its splendid Baroque frontage, has its origins in the 10th century as a twin family monastery and convent belonging to the family of Count Hermenegildo. It became a Cistercian Monastery in 1142. The way of life of the Cistercian monk is simple and austere, lived in an atmosphere of silence and separation from the world.

Arzua is a market town and houses a church containing a 19th century medallion depicting Santiago's intervention in Clavijo. It's also famous for its delicious cheese!

Tonight you'll stay at the Pazo Santa Maria, a renovated nobleman's house, oozing character and charm.

Overnight: Pazo Santa Maria Or Pazo De Sedor, Arzua

Day 7 - Trek from Arzua to O Pedrouzo - 19 km, 4-5 hours.

Today, the Camino del Norte joins the other great pilgrimage route to Santiago - the Camino de Frances. This is a far busier trail so you will now be walking with more pilgrims; heightening the sense of expectation and giving a feeling of companionship as you trek together towards your final destination.

The walk to O Pedrouzo takes you through small hamlets and forests, passing A Calzada, A Calle and Salceda. If you're feeling thirsty, A Brea, about 13 km from Arzua, has some bars. You proceed on paved roads, following the Camino signs through Santa Irene, which has a couple of pilgrims' hostels, and Rua, before reaching O Pedrouzo. O Pedrouzo is a pleasant town with quite a few bars and restaurants. You'll dine out in one of the restaurants this evening.

Overnight: Pension Lo, O Pedrouzo or Similar

Day 8 - Trek from O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela - 20 km, 4½-5½ hours.

Well this it is - the finale to your pilgrimage on the Camino del Norte. After just over a kilometre of walking outside of the town of O Pedrouzo, you can enjoy the last stretch of off-road hiking, on a footpath through forest with stone bridges and streams. It's mainly flat today, so not too taxing. You will doubtless feel a great sense of anticipation as you head towards your final goal alongside other pilgrims following their own quest. After about 8 km of walking you reach Labacolla, where pilgrims used to wash themselves in the river before arriving in Santiago. A further 8 km brings you to famed Monte de Gozo where you may get your first distant glimpse of the towers of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

It takes a while from the busy streets leading into Santiago to reach the Cathedral. It is well worth the wait though as you approach it on quaint, narrow, cobbled lanes with lovely boutique shops, and plenty of restaurants and cafes. Following in the footsteps of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims through the ages, you make your way to Plaza del Obradoiro which is dominated by the Gothic façade of the Romanesque cathedral that houses the remains of St James the Great. Here, at the Cathedral's steps, you reach the culmination of your journey.

Having successfully completed your pilgrimage, you can now claim your Compostela Certificate from the Pilgrim’s Office which your guide will help you with.

Overnight: Hotel Rua Villar Or Capitol Hotel, Santiago

Day 9 - Transfer to Santiago airport. Fly back to London.

After breakfast there will be a single group transfer back to Santiago Airport.