Complete Guide to English: Camino English from Ferrol

The English Way is the legacy of audacious maritime pilgrimages that sailed across the Atlantic during the Middle Ages. Its history does not write itself in land paths, but rather in the wake of ships that, defying storms and pirates, transported thousands of devotees from northern European ports to Galicia's coastlines. Its origins date back to the 12th century when devotion to St. James was firmly rooted in the British Isles, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Flanders.

For these northern pilgrims, the sea journey often represented a faster and paradoxically safer option than the long land trek through France. The Galician ports of Ferrol and A Coruña solidified as main landing points, giving rise to two historical variants of this route. From there, pilgrims known as "sailors" or "ocean travelers," embarked on foot the final leg of their journey. The variant starting from Ferrol, with its 119 kilometers, exceeded the minimum distance of 100 km required for obtaining the Compostela certificate, while the A Coruña variant, at around 73 kilometers, was shorter but equally traversed.

The English Way's peak occurred during the 14th and 15th centuries. The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) between England and France made crossing Galician territory an extremely perilous undertaking for English subjects, leading to a surge in maritime routes towards Galicia that had never been seen before. Chronicles of the time describe the arrival of genuine fleets of ships ("cogs" and "hulks") at Ferrol and A Coruña ports, carrying pilgrims from all social classes. English port cities such as Bristol, Plymouth, Dartmouth, or Southampton became bustling centers for organizing these faith journeys. Pilgrims typically carried a passport and wore a scallop shell to be identified and respected.

The infrastructure of accommodation in Galicia developed to cater to this influx. Hospitals for pilgrims managed by religious orders and military organizations were founded. The most well-known was the Hospital of St. Spiritus in Bruma, established in 1140 by the Order of Santiago, a strategic point where the two variants converged. Other hospitals existed in Neda, Pontedeume, and Betanzos, cities with rich historical cascos that still testify to their Jacobean past.

However, the English Way's fate was tied to England's political and religious situation. In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation, driven by King Henry VIII and his break with Catholicism, nearly killed this route. The suppression of monasteries and the prohibition on pilgrimages in reforming countries led to a drastic and sudden decline in the number of walkers. The flow of ships ceased, and the route fell into deep forgetfulness for centuries, sustained only by an occasional trickle of devotees.

Its modern revival has been later than other routes but has experienced significant growth in the 21st century. Pilgrims seeking shorter, less crowded, and uniquely charming routes have rediscovered this path. Its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, within the expansion of the Northern Routes, was a definitive impulse. Today, the English Way offers an unparalleled Jacobean experience, combining epic history of maritime pilgrimages with the beauty of Galicia's rias, forests, and rural landscapes.