Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela 475 miles
In March 2011 I ‘cycled the Camino de Santiago’. That is, I rode the Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela across northern Spain.
The Camino Frances (often what people mean by ‘the Camino’) is the most popular section of of a web of traditional pilgrim routes from all over Europe which all finish in the cathedral town, where the relics of St James are said to reside.
I hired a hardtail mountain bike inexpensively from tournride.com. It was delivered to my hostel in Pamplona, and picked up from my destination hostel in Santiago.
Day 1: Pamplona to Los Arcos
Day 2: Los Arcos to Santa Domingo de la Calzada
Day 3: Santa Domingo de la Calzada to Burgos
Day 4: Burgos to Sahagún
Day 5: Sahagún to Hospital de Orbega
Day 6: Hospital de Orbega to Ponferrada
Day 7: Ponferrada to Triacastela
Day 8: Triacastela to Ligonde
Day 9: Ligonde to Monte de Gozo
Day 10: Monte de Gozo to Santiago de Compostela
Cycling UK article
I wrote up the trip in an article for Cycling UK magazine. You can download the PDF.
Podcast
There’s also a podcast, based on my recordings during the trip, with advice and tips on cycling the route. Listen to Cycle the Camino (MP3, 21 min) here.
Related rides
I have also ridden the Spain End to End, from Cádiz to Gijón, which is detailed in the End to Ends section of this website.