This guidebook is a comprehensive pocket-sized guide to walking the pilgrimage routes through northern Spain to the sacred city of Santiago de Compostela The Camino del Norte is an 817km five-week coastal route from the town of Irun close to the French border Its alternatives are the Camino Primitivo (which splits from the Norte near Oviedo for the next 355km) & the Camino Ingles (a five-day 116km route from the city of Ferrol on the north-west coast) The guide gives stage-by-stage descriptions to all three routes & to the Camino de Finisterre (a three-day extension route from Santiago to the west coast) It features lots of advice including recommended gear useful information on all available pilgrim hostels & an extensive glossary in English Spanish & Euskera The Camino Frances is often referred to as the Camino de Santiago but it is actually along with these Northern Caminos part of a network of routes As the Frances is so popular however the Northern Caminos offer ideal conditions They are popular enough to offer sufficient facilities clear waymarking & a pilgrim community while plentiful cheap accommodation means no need to race for a bed