Camino Primitivo

The Original Way is the oldest route to Santiago de Compostela, the path taken by King Alfonso II from Oviedo in the 9th century, running about 320 km through the mountains of Asturias into Galicia. Most walkers take twelve to fourteen days, and many rate it the most beautiful — and most demanding — of the Caminos.

It is a mountain pilgrimage. The trail climbs through the Asturian cordillera on ancient stone tracks, crossing high moorland like the Hospitales route, a bare and exposed stage past the ruins of medieval pilgrim hospices. Green valleys, hórreo grain stores and remote hamlets fill the gaps between the climbs before the route joins the Camino Francés at Melide.

Difficulty is the highest among the popular Caminos, with sustained ascents and descents and a few sections that are best avoided in bad weather. Albergues and casas rurales provide beds, though services are sparser than on busier routes, so pilgrims plan stages carefully. No permit is required beyond the stamped credential that secures hostel beds and the Compostela.

Its historical weight is considerable, being the very first recorded pilgrimage to the newly discovered tomb of Saint James, and it forms part of the UNESCO-listed network. The reliable season is May to September; the high stages can be cold, wet or misty even in summer, so navigation care and warm layers matter on the exposed Hospitales traverse.