The Primitive Way ( es, Camino Primitivo, link=no) is one of the paths of the

Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...

. It begins in the old Asturian capital of

Oviedo Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located ap ...

and runs west to

Lugo Lugo (, ; la, Lucus Augusti) is a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. It is the capital of the Lugo (province), province of Lugo. The municipality had a population ...

and then south to Santiago de Compostela joining the more popular

French Way The French Way ( gl, Camiño francés, es, Camino francés, , literally the "way of the Franks") is the GR 65 and the most popular of the routes of the Way of St. James ( es, Camino de Santiago), the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Com ...

in Melide for the last two hiking days. According to the Confraternity of St James, the Camino Primitivo is approximately 320 km (199 miles) in length.

Middle Ages

The Camino Primitivo is thought of as the "Original Way" because it is reportedly the path taken by the first reported pilgrim, Alfonso II of Asturias (842), nicknamed the Chaste ( es, el Casto, link=no). The King left his capital, Oviedo, in the year 814 to travel to the present location of the city of Santiago de Compostela, at the time known as Mount Libredón. Alfonso built the original shrine to Saint James on the spot of the discovery. Until the city of León was established as both the capital of the

Kingdom of León The Kingdom of León; es, Reino de León; gl, Reino de León; pt, Reino de Leão; la, Regnum Legionense; mwl, Reino de Lhion was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in 910 when t ...

and the nexus of a safe route — the

— for pilgrims travelling across the Meseta, the Camino Primitivo remained the most frequented route for those going to Santiago for religious reasons.

Modern revival

The Camino Primitivo remains as a popular alternative path, which avoids most of the much heavier-travelled Camino Francés and the crowds of pilgrims there. Though incorporating significant vertical components, it allows hikers to enjoy a more stimulating journey with better views. The route has been growing rapidly in popularity in recent years, with corresponding improvements to waymarking and to the provision of hostel accommodation for pilgrims (the so-called ''albergues''). In 2016, 12,089 pilgrims, representing 4.35% of the total completing the Camino de Santiago in that year, walked the Camino Primitivo. Most commenced their journey at Oviedo, with smaller numbers joining the trail at Lugo and at Grandas de Salime. The Primitivo is now the fourth most popular Camino route, behind the Francés, Portugués Central, and Norte.

References

{{Authority control Camino de Santiago routes