The Camino de Santiago (sometimes referred to in English as ‘The Way of St. James) is, historically, a religious pilgrimage to the city of Santiago de Compostela in the northwest of Spain; the putative final resting-place of St. James the Apostle. Routes converge at Santiago’s enormous cathedral from all across Europe and this summer I walked a section, the camino frances, before continuing on to the town of Finisterre, situated on the Westernmost tip of Europe.

The camino frances is exceptionally well-marked with yellow arrows, piles of stones and signs bearing the scallop-shell, the traditional symbol of the pilgrimage, scattered liberally along the route. Pilgrims (or peregrinos) also mark themselves out: visibly, by attaching a shell to their pack; officially, by carrying a credencial issued to them at the start of their journey. Nights are customarily spent in volunteer-run albergues; pilgrim hostels offering dormitory beds, showers and, occasionally, hot meals in exchange for a few Euros. Bars and restaurants in the majority of towns along the route cater for pilgrims, usually serving hearty, three-course ‘pilgrim menus’ for absurdly low prices. All of this serves to make the camino accessible to, and affordable for, anyone with the inclination to seek out a very different Spanish experience.