New Reading mile marker points the way to Spain

A new milestone marker has been unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire and the Mayor of Reading along with dignitaries from Galicia in North-West Spain.

The granite milestone marker has been shipped to Reading from Galicia by the Spanish authorities. It marks the official start of the St James’ Way, a 70-mile pilgrimage walk from Reading to Southampton which is part of the English Way route (Camino Inglés) and ends in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.

Background

The ‘mouteira’ directs walkers along the St James’ Way in the direction of Galicia, 690 miles from Reading. Walking the St James’ Way in the UK and then the Camino Ingles in Galicia from Ferrol or A Coruna will lead those undertaking the endeavour to the magnificent Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

Reading has been working in partnership with the authorities in Galicia and the UK based Confraternity of St James to develop the St James’ Way as an officially recognised part of the ‘camino.’ The project has involved waymarking the route, producing maps and guides for walkers and providing an official Reading pilgrim office at Reading Museum. Promotion of the route in its first few years has put the St James’ Way on the map as a new long-distance route for the UK as well as a new option for people interested in a pilgrimage. In its first few years, walker numbers have grown from a handful to a few thousand a year by 2025.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.