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Las Estrellas del Camino - Heather Small
Reading for Modern Pilgrims map
St James Church
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The St James' Way is a newly waymarked long-distance walking trail that retraces the steps of medieval pilgrims from Reading to Southampton as part of the Camino Ingles (English Way) one of the routes of the world-famous Camino de Santiago in north-west Spain.
Over 500 of the iconic 'camino' scallop shell waymarking signs have been installed along the whole of its route, from the departure point at Reading's St James' Church to the final destination at God's House Tower in Southampton.
Reading Museum acts as the official Pilgrims’ Office for the St James’ Way.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Reading and Caversham were recognised as centres of pilgrimage. The focus in Reading was Reading Abbey, which possessed over 200 relics including the Hand of St James.
Reading has lots of things to see and do while you are here linked to this heritage, including a number of important pilgrim sites and religious landmarks as well as history and heritage activities, so take a day or two to explore Reading's medieval history and get your Pilgrim Passport stamped before you set off on the St James’ Way.
NEW
- Make sure you see the fantastic new mural "Las Estrellas del Camino" on Friar Street, close to Reading Museum. Painted by David Speed, it features the singer Heather Small who walked the Camino de Santiago in 2018 for a BBC TV Series.
- Read the recent BBC Travel article on the St James' Way
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Walking the St James' Way
The St James’s Way is a long-distance walk of 68 miles running from Reading Abbey south to Southampton, and part of the Camino Ingles/English Way, the network of pilgrimage trails that run as far north in England as Durham to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where St James is buried.
Reading for Modern Pilgrims
Our map guide will show you where all the places of historic or pilgrim interest can be found in Reading. Don't miss Reading Abbey Ruins, the Abbey Gate and Forbury Gardens, St James Church and the modern Shrine at St Anne's Church in Caversham, as well as Reading Museum, which acts as the official Pilgrims’ Office for the St James’ Way, where you can get your pilgrim passport stamped.
Make sure you travel to Reading the day before you plan to set off on the St James' Way to give you time to explore Medieval and Modern Reading. There is lots of great accommodation a short walk from both Reading Station and the departure point of the St James' Way, including the Roseate Reading, Malmaison, Novotel Reading and Penta Hotel. See our Where to Stay section for more ideas.
There are 3 places to get your passport stamped at the start of the St James' Way in Reading:-
- St James Church (call ahead if possible, 0118 957 4171)
- Reading Museum (open Tues – Fri, 10am – 4pm; Sat, 10am – 5pm; closed Sun & Mon)
- Carluccio’s, The Forbury, RG1 (open Mon – Fri from 8am; Sat & Sun from 10am, earliest close is 9pm on Sun.)
Stamps all count towards your Compostela. There are also more than a dozen pubs and other places along the route that will stamp your passport. Buen Camino!
Useful information and links
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More information on the St James’ Way - Confraternity of St James (CSJ). The CSJ published the guide to the St James' Way, which you can purchase from them or Reading Museum. They also sell St James' Way passports and have lolts of information and advice about continuing your walk/pilgrimage in Spain.
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Walk the Camino Ingles (English Way) in Galicia. The Camino Ingles would have been the route that pilgrims from the British Isles took, starting at the Galician ports of A Coruna and Ferrol. This is the shortest camino in Spain to reach Santiagio. Association of Councils of the Camino Ingles (English Way)
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How to get your pilgrim passport in the UK
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Reading Maps and guides for Modern Pilgrims & walkers
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The Guardian Travel's "I did the English Leg of the Camino de Santiago - starting in Reading"
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BBC Travel - St James Way: The return of the UK's medieval highway
Inspiration
St James catholic Church is built within the ruins of the great Benedictine Abbey. Today we continue the practice of the monks to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy in Word and Sacrament. The church was built between 1837 and 1840, the architect was A W Pugin. It is the stratng point of the St James Way, part of the English leg of the Camino de Santiago.- Explore 900 years of history in Reading Abbey Quarter including the burial place of King Henry I, Jane Austen's schoolroom and Oscar Wilde's Gaol. Notably the Quarter includes Reading Museum, St. James' Church, St Laurence's Church, the Forbury Gardens, Reading Gaol and the remains of Reading Abbey. The impressive Abbey Ruins consist of the south transept, the treasury, the chapter house, the dormitory and the refectory.
- Built 1902-21, it includes a shrine chapel, re-designed between 1954-58 to include the external squint on South View Avenue for observance by passers-by. This has a large 500-year old oak statue of Our Lady and Child. The shrine was redecorated in 2017 with images reflecting the original medieval shrine, which was lost following its dissolution in 1538 but was located at Caversham manor at Dean's Farm in Lower Caversham.
- Situated in Reading’s Victorian Town Hall, the Museum tells the story of Reading from its Saxon beginnings to the high-tech town it is today. Explore ten galleries of historic and artistic objects. Discover archaeology from Roman Silchester and Reading Abbey, view vintage Huntley & Palmers biscuit tins, explore our famous Victorian copy of the Bayeux Tapestry, and don’t miss changing exhibitions in the Art Gallery. Take a look in our shop with unique local products, books and gifts.
- 1 Jan 202331 Dec 2023
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