The story begins in the early 800s, shortly after the supposed discovery of the tomb of Saint James the Great in Santiago de Compostela.
King Alfonso II of Asturias, ruling from Oviedo, is believed to have been the first pilgrim. Upon hearing of the discovery, he travelled west to verify it—establishing what became known as the Camino Primitivo (“Original Way”).
For a period, the Camino Primitivo was the main route to Santiago. Pilgrims from across northern Spain and beyond would travel to Oviedo first—an important religious centre housing relics in the Cámara Santa—before continuing on to Santiago.
A saying from the Middle Ages reflects this:
“He who goes to Santiago and not to Oviedo, visits the servant and not the Lord.”
At the time, much of southern Spain was under Muslim rule, so this northern inland route through the mountains of Asturias and Galicia was the safest path for Christian pilgrims.
By the 10th–11th centuries, as Christian kingdoms pushed south during the Reconquista, safer and more accessible routes opened up. This led to the rise of the Camino Francés, which passed through major towns and received strong royal and ecclesiastical support.
As a result, the Camino Primitivo became less travelled, remaining a quieter, more rugged alternative. Selah.
Today the walk attracts people from all over the world, searching for purpose and meaning. As a group of Christians, this is an intentional walk, for your own faith, to grow and come away spiritually refreshed, but also you’ll find yourself wanting to engage with others along The Way. And we want to give them an opportunity to find out more. Whatever your reason for walking, you will be inspired by the beauty of God’s creation as you walk, you will encounter different people along the way and you will have Selah moments with God as you connect with Him on your walk.
“We joined the Camino de Santiago tour in Spain. Lisa and her team could not have done a better job of preparing us for the walk, helping us with all our travel arrangements and ensuring that the entire group had a fantastic experience. Highlights for me were singing in a 12th century church, the deep trust developed within the group as we shared our struggles and joys, morning prayer together, walking down laneways with mossy trees, lovely meals, hot showers and especially time to reflect. The thrill of arriving in Santiago, and sense of achievement in managing the long walking days and receiving the Compostela certificate were great, but I think most of all it was the work God was doing in me and the friendships created in the group which will stay with me. Very grateful to Selah for combing incredible professionalism and faith in all that they do.”
– Cathy, VIC
