There is a network of hiking trails across Europe, ending in Santiago de Compostella in Spain. The Camino is a pilgrimage route that is centuries old. The pilgrimage route in Spain and the part that runs through France are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The pilgrimage route is also called the Way of James, the path on the way to the grave of the Apostle James. From the Netherlands, the Camino is a few thousand kilometers, which can be followed on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, with a donkey or in the company of a dog.
Pilgrimage or Camino de Santiago de Compostela
The pilgrimage route across Europe that leads to Santiago de Compostella in northwest Spain is called the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James. According to tradition, the apostle Jacob is buried there. Tens of thousands of pilgrims travel along the pilgrimage route every year; by bike, on horseback or on foot. It is usually a journey in search of meaning in existence.
The tomb of the apostle James can be found in the city. That place became a special place of pilgrimage, partly because of the miraculous stories about James. From the Netherlands the journey is between 2000 and 3000 kilometers long, depending on the starting point and which route is taken through France.
Centuries-old routes
The routes through European countries towards Spain and Santiago de Compostela are centuries old. From the year 814 onwards, hikers have been known to travel along the paths. There are several rest stops along the way. The final destination is the resting place of the apostle.
Pilgrims
The tradition of pilgrimage grew in Europe since the ninth century. The route from north to south takes you along historic paths and past historic towns. Pilgrims can be done solo, with a companion and in groups. There are organizations that organize the walks down to the last detail and there are soloists and couples who improvise : they see how many kilometers they travel per day and where they spend the night.
Source: Manfred Zentgraf, Volkach, Germany, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0) France and Grandes Randonnées
A network of routes runs through France, which largely converge in the Pyrenees and then continue as a route to Santiago de Compstella. There are four major routes through France: the Grandes Randonnées, indicated as GR. The routes are marked with route posts. France is still working on the walking network. The GR network includes long-distance hiking trails. In the summer season, hundreds of hikers pélerins and randonneurs pass through the various rest points: the pilgrimage and hikes along the GR.
Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, pilgrimage became commonplace. There were routes to Rome, Rocamodour and Jerusalem. The Route Saint-Jacques to Santiago de Compostella was also popular at that time. Today, there are still many chapels and churches along those routes that date from that time. The paths are dirt paths, paved with cobblestones or paved. Pilgrims walk on many different types of paths through many different landscapes.
scallop
The symbol that appears again and again during the route is that of the Saint James shell or Jacob’s mantle . The shell is the Christian symbol for Saint James. The shell is used by pilgrims as a recognizable symbol of the pilgrim: they pin it on their jacket. The symbol can be found on all buildings along the route.
World Heritage
The Spanish part of the pilgrimage route has been a World Heritage Site since 1993. The French part of the route has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998.
Casa Holandesa
A Santiago association can be found in various countries. In the Netherlands this is the Dutch Society of Sint-Jacob. That society has set up a Casa Holandesa in Santiago de Compostella for Dutch-speaking pilgrims. It is a living room where walkers can get information about the city and the route to Finisterre, an extended stage of the route, and information about the various options for traveling back to Belgium or the Netherlands. It is not an overnight facility, because the city has sufficient provision for this. The society opened the Casa Holandesa in the spring of 2013.
Finisterre
Finisterre is located on a headland in the Atlantic Ocean and is called the End of the World . Seeing the sunset in Finisterre is a reward for the walk and an experience in itself. Finisterrre is still 87 kilometers from Santiago de Compostella.
Pilgrims from Ameland
With Amelander flags on their backpacks, Albert de Hoop, mayor of Ameland, and Ingrid Magré, wife of the mayor, walked the last part of the Camino in 2012. After Santiago de Compostella they walked on to Finisterre on the coast. During the weeks-long walk of about 30 kilometers per day along the route marked by the scallops, they slept in monasteries and inns and met dozens of people who enriched their lives.
De Hoop and Magré had a Jacobspas, in which they collected stamps from the stopping places along the route. The last stamp was scored in Santiago de Compostella. There they received a certificate, the Compostela, as proof that they had completed the pilgrimage and attended a mass for the pilgrims. In the autumn of 2018, Albert de Hoop walked to Santiago de Compostella again and reached the cathedral, the end of the journey.
Finisterre
Legend
A . The End of the World
B . Santiago de Compostela
read more
- Former mayor of Ameland: Albert de Hoop
- Tour of Ameland – a walk around the island
- Sint Jacobiparochie – Santiago on the mudflats