The map shows all the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela. The longest of the Spanish routes is the Via de La Plata, which goes from Seville to Santiago de Compostela and which follows the route of an old Roman road. An extension to this has been opened in the last few years linking Cadiz to Seville and this new route is now well travelled.
Very few people have ever attempted to walk from Gibraltar to Santiago or further afield. We can find only one example: In 2004 Christabel Watson, aged 65, walked from Gibraltar to La Coruña
The route
As a rough outline we will walk from Gibraltar to Algeciras and then on to Tarifa and Cadiz (about 8 days) following coastal paths where possible. From Cadiz we go on to Seville (7 days). There we take the "Via de La Plata" which finishes in Santiago de Compostela (49 days). From Santiago to Finisterre (The end of the World) and Muxia should take us another week or so before returning to Santiago. We estimate that we will walk approximately 1500 kms or just over 900 miles and that it will take some 70 days to complete the walk. As we have never walked this far before all our timings are very approximate. If you wish to join us for any part of the walk please contact us by email at
The most punishing bit of the path comes as we venture into Galicia where on two consecutive days we will need to go through two mountain passes, at Padornelo (1329m) and at A Canda (1262m). When you consider that the UK's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, is 1344m these two days are going to put a strain on our legs, to say the least!
Once we complete the walk we will be returning to Gibraltar via some form of public transport for a well earned rest!
Follow our progress via our blog: http://www.walkforwilliam2010.blogspot.com/
Robert and Ana Maria
