St James' Way Camino Pilgrimage (Starter)
Reading Walks Festival 2025
A Camino de Santiago introductory walk - the Camino sites of Reading and a short walk along the first 4 miles of the St James' Way.
Type of walk
Learn something new on a guided tour - less walking/more talking
More detail
Take your first steps on the St James' Way and learn about this modern-day long-distance pilgrimage along a Camino Ingles (English Way) route to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The morning starts at Our Lady & St Anne's Church in Caversham, where we visit the Shrine to Our Lady of Caversham and obtain a first stamp for your pilgrim passport. Next are the Camino pilgrimage sites in Reading town centre on the way to St James Church to visit the Shrine to St James the Greater. This places us in the Reading Abbey ruins, our next short stop, before walking along the start of the St James' Way beside the river Kennet and canal for 4 miles to The Cunning Man pub. We finish at the pub for an optional lunch and drink, with a final stamp for this starter walk to Santiago.
Bring a bottled drink. You can also bring a packed lunch. However, we finish at The Cunning Man pub at lunch time. Worn-in walking shoes.
Toilets at the start and end and at St James Church and in the Oracle shopping complex.
Walk length / difficulty / accessibility
7.5km, approx. 4 hours / Medium / not wheelchair accessible / not family friendly
Ticket price
£3
About the walk leader
David is the volunteer development lead of the St James' Way Camino for the Confraternity of St James UK. He has walked several Caminos and has self-published a book, 'Not Just a Long Walk' on Amazon about his experiences in 2019 on the Camino Frances.
