Reading looks to establish tourism links with north-west Spain
Long distance walking route has connection to Reading
Last updated 3rd Oct 2021
Officials in Reading are hoping to encourage tourists to the town by re-establishing a walking route dating back to the 12th century.
In medieval times the town’s Abbey was a stopping off place for religious pilgrims heading to Santiago in north-west Spain.
Alex Brannen from the town’s economic development group Reading UK is just back from a fact-finding mission:
"This is a great opportunity for them (the Spanish) to receive more visitors from the UK but for us here in Reading it's the chance to cement our role as a really important place of pilgrimage and part of what is an international brand - the camino di Santiago - one of the most famous long distance walking routes in the world."
Alex says it's only in the last 30 years that the Spanish have tapped into the tourism potential of the walk and in 2019 more than 300,000 tourists visited north-west Spain to make the walk.
"We are part of that story and we can get some tourism benefits here in Reading by encouraging people in the UK to walk the St James's way from Reading south to the coast and to come and enjoy pilgrimage, history and heritage here at Reading in the Abbey and at other places in the town."
You can read Alex's blog on his business trip to Spain here
And you can see the map for modern day pilgrims to Reading here