This is a guidebook to walking the Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo through northern Spain, popular variants of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage or Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela. Suitable for most abilities, the 820km (510 mile) Camino del Norte takes around five weeks to complete, whereas the shorter 355km (221 mile) Camino Primitivo requires about a fortnight.

The Camino del Norte has 32 stages, while the Camino Primitivo has 12 stages, ranging from 15 to 39 km (9–24 miles). The Norte follows the coast from Irun to San Sebastian, Bilbao, and Santander, while the Primitivo takes an inland route from Villaviciosa through Oviedo and Lugo. Extensions to Finisterre and connections between the two routes are also included.