St James' Way starts in Reading

The St James' Way is a newly waymarked long-distance walking trail that retraces the steps of medieval pilgrims from Reading to Southampton as part of the Camino Ingles (English Way) one of the routes of the world-famous Camino de Santiago in north-west Spain.  

Over 500 of the iconic 'camino' scallop shell waymarking signs have been installed along the whole of its route, from the departure point at Reading's St James' Church to the final destination at God's House Tower in Southampton. 

Reading Museum acts as the official Pilgrims’ Office for the St James’ Way.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Reading and Caversham were recognised as centres of pilgrimage. The focus in Reading was Reading Abbey, which possessed over 200 relics including the Hand of St James.  

Reading has lots of things to see and do while you are here linked to this heritage, including a number of important pilgrim sites and religious landmarks as well as history and heritage activities, so take a day or two to explore Reading's medieval history and get your Pilgrim Passport stamped before you set off on the St James’ Way. 

NEW

Just published - a new 32 page map guide to the St James' Way, published by A-Z Maps /Harper Collins and available through the Confraternity of St James online shop. The map guide has detailed mapping of the whole 68.5 mile route from Reading to Southampton at 1:25000 scale. 

The new guidebook to the St James' Way. Available from the  Confraternity of St James shop (priced £12). This 5th edition incorporates developments to the route since the 4th edition (2022), and includes: refreshed images, comprehensive starting advice and information, additional points of interest, helpful advice following feedback from pilgrims who have walked this Camino, a pilgrim stamp symbol to easily spot locations that offer a stamp for your pilgrim passport, distances and transport links. It is lightweight (100g), pocket-sized (165 x 120mm) making it ideal to carry and reference whilst walking.  

Local walking holiday company Walking.Holiday offer four to seven day self-guided walking itineraries along the St James' Way. Your first night will be spent in Reading and, depending on how many walking days you choose, overnight stays will be in, or close to Mortimer, Basingstoke, New Alresford, Winchester and Eastleigh, with the final night in Southampton.  Their packages include B&B accommodation, daily baggage transfers, transport to and from accommodation (when not close to the route), and a Pilgrims' Pack that includes a map, guide book, pilgrims' passport and a detailed itinerary. Walkers will also have unlimited access to their local team in the event of difficulties.

Make sure you see the fantastic new mural "Las Estrellas del Camino" on Friar Street, close to Reading Museum. Painted by David Speed, it features the singer Heather Small who walked the Camino de Santiago in 2018 for a BBC TV Series.

Read the new article in The Ramblers Magazine, The Walk, St James' Way, The English Camino (August 2024).

Read the recent BBC Travel article on the St James' Way

Walking the St James' Way

The St James’s Way is a long-distance walk of 68 miles running from Reading Abbey south to Southampton, and part of the Camino Ingles/English Way, the network of pilgrimage trails that run as far north in England as Durham to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where St James is buried.

Reading for Modern Pilgrims 

Our map guide will show you where all the places of historic or pilgrim interest can be found in Reading. Don't miss Reading Abbey Ruins, the Abbey Gate and Forbury Gardens, St James Church and the modern Shrine at St Anne's Church in Caversham, as well as Reading Museum, which acts as the official Pilgrims’ Office for the St James’ Way, where you can get your pilgrim passport stamped. 

Make sure you travel to Reading the day before you plan to set off on the St James' Way to give you time to explore Medieval and Modern Reading. There is lots of great accommodation a short walk from both Reading Station and the departure point of the St James' Way, including the Roseate Reading, Malmaison, Novotel Reading and Penta Hotel. See our Where to Stay section for more ideas.  

There are 3 places to get your passport stamped at the start of the St James' Way in Reading:-

• St James Church (call ahead if possible, 0118 957 4171)
• Reading Museum (open Tues – Fri, 10am – 4pm; Sat, 10am – 5pm; closed Sun & Mon)
• Carluccio’s, The Forbury, RG1 (open Mon – Fri from 8am; Sat & Sun from 10am, earliest close is 9pm on Sun.)

Stamps all count towards your Compostela. There are also more than a dozen pubs and other places along the route that will stamp your passport. Buen Camino! 

Useful information and links

• More information on the St James’ Way - Confraternity of St James (CSJ). The CSJ published the guide to the St James' Way, which you can purchase from them or Reading Museum. They also sell St James' Way passports and have lolts of information and advice about continuing your walk/pilgrimage in Spain. 

• Accommodation list for pilgrims walking the St James Way (from Confraternity of St James)

• Sanctuary accommodation on the St James Way (British Pilgrims Trust)

• Walk the Camino Ingles (English Way) in Galicia. The Camino Ingles would have been the route that pilgrims from the British Isles took, starting at the Galician ports of A Coruna and Ferrol. This is the shortest camino in Spain to reach Santiagio. Association of Councils of the Camino Ingles (English Way)

• How to get your pilgrim passport in the UK

• Reading Maps and guides for Modern Pilgrims & walkers

• Places to stay in Reading on the St James' Way

• The St James' Way through Hampshire

• St James' Way in Southampton

• St James's Way in Winchester

• The Guardian Travel's "I did the English Leg of the Camino de Santiago - starting in Reading" 

• BBC Travel - St James Way: The return of the UK's medieval highway