The Vía de la Plata was originally a Roman Road linking Asturias in the north of Spain with the port of Cadiz in the south. Its name, which means The Silver Route, dates from the Roman period when it was used to transport silver from the mines of Asturias to the Mediterranean port of Cadiz and onward by ship to Rome. Beginning in about the 9th century, as Santiago de Compostela was becoming known as a Christian pilgrimage site, it also began to be used by pilgrims travelling to and from the tomb of St James the Apostle.In the 1980s the revival of the Camino Francés as a walking route renewed interested in the Vía de la Plata. Numbers of pilgrims increased slowly over the years peaking at 14,197 in Holy Year 2010, and since then constant at about 9,000 a year. In contrast to the Camino Francés, the busiest times on the Vía de la Plata are spring and autumn. The extreme summer heat in southern Spain makes June, July and August the preserve of a small number of hardy souls.Today the Vía de la Plata has become a popular alternative to the Camino Francés for people looking for solitude and a more authentic Camino experience (with its accompanying difficulties).This guide covers the Vía de la Plata from Seville to Astorga, and the Camino Sanabrés, which branches from the Vía de la Plata and arrives in Santiago through southern Galicia. People often use the term Vía de la Plata to refer to the combination of these two routes. This new edition, updated in January 2015, includes the following information:- Updated and improved maps- Notes on the towns and villages you'll pass through- Route descriptions and distances- Pilgrim accommodation- Services: shops, restaurants, banks, etc.It also covers the Caminos de Finisterre and Muxía, which finish at the Atlantic coast in North Western Galicia.I started writing this guide after I can back from walking the Vía de la Plata from Seville to Santiago via Astorga in the winter of 2009, and finished it after returning to walk the Camino Sanabrés in 2012. Preparing for my walk I had been unable to find any reliable information in English about the routes and accommodation along them. This didn't deter me and I managed fine with a print out of accommodation from a Spanish website and some Google maps of the towns with the route roughly sketched on them. However, if I hadn't known Spanish I would have been lost and I probably wouldn't have even attempted this walk. Based on my experience I decided to try to make information more widely available in English. I started by making the guide available as a free download from my website. Thanks to the positive feedback and encouragement I received from other pilgrims who used it, I decided to try publishing it on Amazon (with the addition of maps). This has enabled me to bring the information to a far wider audience - not free, but for a fair price.From the beginning I appealed to pilgrims to send me updates and corrections to help me keep the information up-to-date. Many people responded to my call, and this, together with online resources, allowed me to keep track of new hostels and route changes. This system isn't perfect and I would prefer (in fact I would love!) if I had the time and money to walk the Vía every year and do the updates as I go along. But I don't, and given the small number of English-speaking pilgrims walking this Camino, it's unlikely this, or any other guide, will every make enough money to cover a full, yearly update (such as the German guides manage).I set out to create a source of the essential information someone will need to walk the Vía de la Plata, and this book is still that, the essential information: distances, pilgrim hostels, places to buy food, places to eat, and notes about those few places where the yellow arrows may not be sufficient for you to find your way.

2018 edition now available. The Vía de la Plata was originally a Roman Road linking Asturias in the north of Spain with the port of Cadiz in the south. Its name, which means The Silver Route, dates from Roman times when it was used to transport silver from the mines of Asturias to the Mediterranean port of Cadiz and onward by ship to Rome. Beginning in the 9th century, as Santiago de Compostela was becoming known as a Christian pilgrimage site, it also began to be used by pilgrims travelling to and from the tomb of St James the Apostle. In the 1980s the revival of the Camino Francés as a walking route renewed interested in the Vía de la Plata. Numbers of pilgrims increased slowly over the years peaking at 14,197 in Holy Year 2010, and since then constant at about 9,000 a year. In contrast to the Camino Francés, the busiest times on the Vía de la Plata are spring and autumn. The extreme summer heat in southern Spain makes June, July and August the preserve of a small number of hardy souls. Today the Vía de la Plata has become a popular alternative to the Camino Francés for people looking for solitude and a more authentic Camino experience (with its accompanying difficulties). This guide covers the Vía de la Plata from Seville to Astorga, and the Camino Sanabrés, which branches from the Vía de la Plata and arrives in Santiago through southern Galicia. People often use the term Vía de la Plata to refer to the combination of these two routes. This 2018 edition includes the following: - Updated and improved maps - Notes on the towns and villages you'll pass through - Route descriptions and distances - Altitude profiles - Pilgrim accommodation - Services: shops, restaurants, banks, etc. - Notes on some of the important historical sites you can visit It also covers the Caminos de Finisterre and Muxía, west of Santiago. I started writing this guide after I can back from walking the Vía de la Plata from Seville to Santiago via Astorga in the winter of 2009, and finished the first edition after returning to walk the Camino Sanabrés in 2012. Preparing for my walk I had been unable to find any reliable information in English about the routes and accommodation along them. This didn't deter me and I managed fine with a print out of accommodation from a Spanish website and some Google maps of the towns with the route sketched on them. However, if I hadn't known Spanish I would have been lost and I probably wouldn't have even attempted this walk. Based on my experience I decided to try to make information more widely available in English. I started by making the guide available as a free download from my website. Thanks to the positive feedback and encouragement I received from other pilgrims who used it, I decided to try publishing it on Amazon (with the addition of maps). This has enabled me to bring the information to a far wider audience - not free, but for a fair price. From the beginning I appealed to pilgrims to send me updates and corrections to help me keep the information up-to-date. Many people responded, and this, together with online resources, allowed me to keep track of new hostels and route changes. In spring 2016 I had the opportunity to walk the Vía again. Allowing me to produce an extensively rewritten second edition of the guide with improved maps and the addition of altitude profiles. I set out to create a source of the essential information someone will need to walk the Vía de la Plata, and this book is still that, the essential information: distances, pilgrim hostels, places to buy food, places to eat, and notes about those few places where the yellow arrows may not be sufficient for you to find your way.

A guidebook to walking La Via de la Plata and Camino Sanabres pilgrimage route through Spain. The 995km route between Seville and Santiago de Compostela is detailed along with an extension to Astorga for those wishing to join the Camino Frances as well as alternative routes options via Laza or Verin. Designed for reasonably fit walkers, the guidebook offers a six-week itinerary best suited for walking in Spring or Autumn. Detailed descriptions of each stage, accompanied by 1:100,000 maps, ensure easy navigation and a seamless experience along the route. In addition to route guidance, the guidebook offers valuable information on pilgrim lodging, facilities, and preparation equipping you for a comfortable and well-supported journey. The route itself takes you through notable towns and cities such as Zafra, Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora, and Ourense, allowing you to immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Spain. Prepare yourself for an extraordinary pilgramage, where history, spirituality, and natural beauty converge.

The route of St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela represents one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages in the world. Walked by millions over the millennia it represents a force for spiritual transformation. This title offers a guide to the pilgrimage, including a fold out map and route planner, 33 daily stage maps with contour guides, 10 town maps including Santiago, a Sun Compass, to orientate your direction and information on all pilgrim hostels along the way together with details of alternative accommodation.

This guidebook describes the Way of St Francis a 550km month-long pilgrimage trail from Florence through Assisi to Rome. Split into 28 day stages, the walk begins in Florence and finishes in the Vatican City. Stages range from 8km to 30km with plenty to see, including ancient ruins, picturesque towns, national treasures, and stunning churches. This comprehensive guidebook fits in a jacket pocket or rucksack, and contains information on everything from accommodation and transport in Italy, to securing your credential (pilgrim identity card), budgeting, what to take, and where to do laundry. Stories of Francis of Assisi's life are also included. Although the route includes climbs and descents of up to 1200m, no special equipment is required - although your hiking boots and socks definitely need to get along. Following the steps of heroes, conquerors and saints on this pilgrim trail is manageable all year round, but is best done from April to June and mid-August to October. Route maps are given for every stage, and basic Italian phrases are included in the guidebook.

This guidebook to cycling the Ruta Via de la Plata through western Spain describes the 930km route from Seville to the coastal city of Gijón in around 2 weeks (14 stages). A pilgrimage variant, the Camino Sanabrés, to Santiago de Compostela is also described (16 stages in total). Empty roads and gentle climbs make the route accessible to a wide range of bikes and cyclists. Both road and off-road versions are presented, and the guide shows how they can be combined to create a perfect touring, hybrid or gravel cycling trip. The guide includes leg-by-leg route descriptions, 1:150,0000 colour mapping, elevation profiles and helpful ride planners to show where riders can swop from the off-road to the road route. There is advice on equipment, travel and transporting your bike, alongside a list of accommodation contacts and a useful Spanish glossary. The Ruta Via de la Plata is one of Spain's most important pilgrim routes. The 2-week journey takes in 7 UNESCO world heritage sites (Seville, Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Leon, Zamora, and Oviedo) with the famous pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela if the Camino Sanabrés is taken. There is lots of good-value accommodation available, from hostels to palaces, and plenty of chances to sample Spanish gastronomy.

A guidebook to trekking the southern section of the GR5 trail between Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) and either Nice or Menton. Covering 674km (420 miles), this long-distance trek through the French Alps can be walked in 1 month and is suitable for moderately experienced hikers. The route is described from north to south in 32 stages, each between 11 and 31km (7–19 miles) in length. Variant routes such as the GR55 through the Vanoise National Park and the GR52 through the Mercantour National Park finishing at Menton are also detailed. 1:100,000 maps included for each stage Detailed information about accommodation, facilities and public transport along the route A south–north route summary table is also provided for those wanting to walk in the opposite direction Part of a 3-volume set, accompanying Cicerone guidebooks The GR5 Trail - Vosges and Jura and The GR5 Trail - Benelux and Lorraine are also available

The first one-volume walking guide to the most popular long-distance route walked by British tourists in Europe. With the advent of low-cost airlines it is as cheap for the British tourist to go to mainland Europe as to the extremities of the UK -- which is why in recent years continental long-distance routes have become increasingly popular with the British walker. Most popular by far is El Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the ancient Christian pilgrimage route that has been travelled for over a thousand years to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where, legend has it, the bones of St James are buried. This guide follows the most popular route, starting at St Jean-Pied-de-Port in south-west France and heading all the way westwards across northern Spain for 800km to finish at Cape Finisterre on the Atlantic coast. Now, extending its series of Trail Guides beyond the UK for the first time, Aurum publishes the first compact one-volume guide to the path, fully illustrated with photography, it offers comprehensive route directions, sectional route maps, gradient profiles, a history of the route and details of sights to see and separate chapter guides to the main cities along the way like Pamplona, and a list of accommodation en route.

Guidebook to Japan's Kumano Kodo, a series of UNESCO-listed pilgrimage routes that crisscross the mountainous Kii peninsula, south of Osaka. Centred on three Shinto-Buddhist shrines known as the Kumano Sanzan, the ancient trails blend great hiking and exceptional natural beauty with a unique insight into Japan's rich history, culture and spirituality. The guide covers the 64km Nakahechi and 63km Kohechi trails in full, as well as the Choishimichi route to Koyasan (20km), the Hongu loop (17km) and highlights of the Iseji trail. It can be used to plan and undertake an independent trek or to enrich an organised tour. Clear route description and mapping is accompanied by comprehensive details of accommodation and facilities, as well as notes on local points of interest and inspirational colour photography. You'll find a wealth of practical information to help with planning, covering transport, climate, accommodation, budgeting, equipment and safety, as well as fascinating background information on history, religion and wildlife. There is also a Japanese glossary and helpful advice on Japanese customs and etiquette. The Kumano Kodo offers a different view of Japan: far removed from the modern cities, this is a world of forested slopes, hidden valleys, waterfalls, traditional villages, moss-covered stone deities and tranquil oji shrines. There are opportunities to experience hot-spring bathing and to sample local cuisine as you follow in the footsteps of emperors, samurai, priests and ascetics traversing traditional flagstone paths and forest trails.

Are you curious about the Camino? What is it; what secrets does it hold; where does it start and end; what to take; where to sleep; how difficult it’s to walk; and what preparation and equipment are needed to succeed? You may have done day or multi-day walks in the past and have now heard what is often referred to as “the call of the Camino.” I’ve done the research, walked the walk, and can help you successfully prepare for the Camino Frances and similar long-distance ancient pilgrims’ pathways. From the dozens of things to know I have chosen nine key topics based on my own experience: 1. Boots vs. blisters. Or no blisters. Choosing the right footwear (boots) for long-distance walking. 2. Walking as a ”system.” It’s not just putting one foot in front of the other. 3. Clothes for sun, rain, and cold. Choosing the right clothes and outerwear. 4. A get fit program. To be physically and mentally prepared. 5. Are you a greaser or a strapper? Protecting your feet each day; avoiding blisters; choosing socks. 6. Weight creep-a killjoy. Your backpack and contents. 7. Water: why, where, and when. It isn’t just about sipping. 8. Trekking or walking poles. Why, what, and how. 9. Sundry useful tips. SIM cards, keeping valuables safe, rain gear, free Wi-Fi, offline maps, overcoming fear, companies providing services, Camino forums in many countries. In addition to these subjects, the appendices contain two articles by fellow pilgrims who commented on an early draft and suggested other topics to help people with their first Camino. The first is on albergues, “What to expect and how to manage”; the second is all about bed bugs with a focus on avoiding them and, if you can’t avoid them, how to treat the bites and avoid carrying them home! The most important thing: Just love the “time out” from the daily routine along with the many challenges along the way. It’s therapeutic walking through fields and forests, over hills and mountains, breathing fresh air. I didn’t know what “eco therapy” was until I experienced it: a sense of peace through being away from cities and immersed in nature. It’s as though our genetic roots are being reawakened and we are reinvigorated. The information in Camino Ready. Backpacks, Boots, and (no) Blisters will get you Camino ready so you can be prepared not only physically but also mentally for an amazing journey. It will be a journey where you’ll likely experience exhilaration, exhaustion, self-doubt, joy, fear, tears, pain, and a great sense of achievement (maybe all on the same day!) together with companionship and new friendships. It can change your life.