Camino Olvidado

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Bilbao → Cacabelos
• Length: 493.6 km
• Elevation: ↗ 10,465 m / ↘ 9,992 m
• Duration: about 18–22 days
• Marking: Yellow arrows, continuous but thin—GPS track recommended
• Other names: Old Way of Santiago, Mountain Route
• Character: A quiet, historic mountain trail at the southern foot of the Cantabrian Mountains

Overview

The name says it all: The Camino Olvidado—“the forgotten path”—ran between the 9th and 12th centuries one of the main routes to Santiago, back when the Meseta was still unsafe and pilgrims sought the protection of the mountains. It was not until the Camino Francés became the well-organized main route in the 12th century that the old mountain route fell into obscurity.

Today, that is precisely her trump card: From Bilbao The route winds through the mountainous region of Burgos, the Montaña Palentina, and the valleys of northern León, all the way to Cacabelos In the Bierzo region—a good 494 kilometers with over 10,000 meters of elevation gain, where you’ll often go days without encountering another pilgrim. At the end, the route connects with the Camino Francés, about 200 kilometers from Santiago.

Other Names

• Spanish: The Forgotten Way, the Old Way of St. James, the Mountain Way
• German:"The Forgotten Path"
• English: Forgotten Way

“Olvidado” means “forgotten”—but the trail was forgotten only by history, not by the villages along its route, which have been working together to revive it for over a decade.

Who This Route Is Ideal For—and Who It's Not

Ideal if you're looking for solitude, mountains, and history—and already know how to cope with limited infrastructure. The Olvidado is the quiet alternative between the Coastal Route and the Francés—with junctions where you can switch to other routes at any time.

Less suitable if you’re looking for hostel life and the company of fellow pilgrims: There are only a few true albergues (such as Cistierna, La Robla, and Fasgar); otherwise, there are casas rurales—which are often expensive for solo travelers. In addition, a large portion of the route is paved (pilgrim reports mention 60–70%), stages can be long—up to 37 kilometers—and the trail markings are sparse in some places without a GPS track.

Route & Landscape

From Bilbao The trail leads through the green hills of the Encartaciones to Balmaseda with its medieval bridge and on through the Valle de Mena to Espinosa de los Monteros – into the Burgos highlands. Crossing the plateaus along the Ebro Reservoir, it reaches Aguilar de Campoo, the capital of Palentine Romanesque architecture, and Cervera de Pisuerga On the edge of the Palentina Mountains.

Then comes the long march through the foothills of León: I look, Cistierna (where it intersects with the Camino Vadiniense), Boñar, and The Oak, where the trail intersects with the Camino San Salvador. Through the quiet valleys of the Omaña—a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve—it climbs toward Basketball and about the legendary Campo de Santiago to Igüeña, before passing through the wine-growing region of El Bierzo Ponferrada happened and in Cacabelos where it meets the Camino Francés.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

About 494 kilometers, a good 10,000 meters of elevation gain, 18–22 days of hiking: The Olvidado is a low mountain range, not a high mountain range—but the stages are long (20 to 37 km) and supplies are scarce. A tried-and-true rough outline:

1. Bilbao → Balmaseda (2 stages) – Encartaciones, the first hills beyond the city
2. Balmaseda → Espinosa de los Monteros (2 stages) – Valle de Mena, crossing into Burgos
3. Espinosa → Aguilar de Campoo (3 stages) – Plateaus along the Ebro Reservoir
4. Aguilar → Cervera de Pisuerga (Stage 1) – The Romanesque Region of the Montaña Palentina
5. Cervera → Guardo (Stage 1) – Mining and Mountain Villages
6. I'm looking at → Cistierna (2 stages) – Puente Almuhey; intersection with the Camino Vadiniense
7. Cistierna → La Robla (2 stages) – Boñar, foothills; junction with the Camino San Salvador
8. La Robla → Fasgar (3 stages) – into the Omaña valleys
9. Fasgar → Igüeña (Stage 1) – via the Campo de Santiago, the highlight of the route
10. Igüeña → Cacabelos (2–3 stages) – Congosto, Ponferrada, the vineyards of Bierzo

Campo de Santiago – where the apostle himself is said to have appeared

Between Fasgar and Colinas del Campo, on a secluded high plateau, lies the narrative heart of the entire trail: the Campo de Santiago. According to legend, in the year 981 St. James the Apostle himself, to support the Christians in their battle against the Moors—a small hermitage still commemorates this today, and the neighboring village bears the battle’s name: Hills of Campo de Martín Moro Toledano, which, incidentally, is the longest place name in Spain.

The leg of the route through the Campo is considered the most beautiful of the entire journey—and emblematic of its character: On foot, the distance from Fasgar to Colinas is just 12 kilometers, whereas by car it’s a 79-kilometer detour through the mountains. Up here, the trail is, in fact, still what it was a thousand years ago.

The Olvidado owes its reopening to the villages themselves: For over a decade now, the neighboring communities have been working together to improve signage, develop lodging facilities, and raise awareness—the old village school in Fasgar is now the pilgrim hostel “La Escuela,” and the number of pilgrims is growing year after year.

Highlights Along the Way

• Bilbao – Old Town, the Guggenheim, and the starting point on the Ría
• Balmaseda – Medieval Puente Viejo, the first city in Vizcaya
• Espinosa de los Monteros – City of the Royal Bodyguards (“Monteros”)
• Aguilar de Campoo – Capital of Palentine Romanesque architecture
• Palentine Mountain Bear Land near Cervera de Pisuerga
• Cistierna & La Robla – Intersections with Vadiniense and San Salvador
• Look at the valley – UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, sparsely populated
• Campo de Santiago – Site of the legendary apparition of the apostles in 981
• Ponferrada – Templar castle on the outskirts of Bierzo
• Cacabelos – A wine-growing town on the Camino Francés, the destination

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The natural feeder is the Camino del Norte: It runs right through the heart of Bilbao, and anyone who wants to swap the coast for the mountains can simply turn onto the Olvidado here. Bilbao is also the perfect place to pick up the trail again as a continuation of an earlier stage of the Northern Route.

Along the way, two other paths branch off: In The Oak intersects the Camino San Salvador (León → Oviedo); in Cistierna, the Camino Vadiniense from Cantabria—both routes allow you to branch off toward Oviedo or join the Francés.

Continue the pilgrimage?

And Cacabelos the Olvidado flows directly into the Camino Francés– From here, it’s still about 200 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela via O Cebreiro. If you prefer an even quieter route, switch to the Camino de Invierno, the winter-proof alternative through the Sil Valley. Either way, you’re guaranteed to get your Compostela; you’ll walk the last 100 kilometers on the marked main trail.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time is May through October; in the height of summer, the valleys can get hot and water sources can be scarce—there are fountains in the village centers. Higher elevations remain snow-covered until spring.

Accommodations are available at the few hostels and, above all, at casas rurales and guesthouses—be sure to call ahead, as many of them otherwise only rent out the entire property. As on all Spanish trails, you’ll need a Pilgrim's Pass (Credencial) for stamps and hostels, and finally the Compostela—it’s best to order it online in advance. Download the GPS track, especially for the section around Peñacorada. The easiest way to plan your stages and accommodations is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can organize both at the same time.

What the journey will cost you

Expect 45–70 € per day (As of August 2026): The few hostels are inexpensive, but casas rurales can easily cost 40–60 € per night—the trip becomes significantly cheaper for two or three people. Food and drinks at village bars and small shops are inexpensive, but not available everywhere.

Getting There

The starting point is Bilbao – an international airport, rail, and long-distance bus hub. Those arriving on a pilgrimage can take the Camino del Norte right through the city.

• Getting to Bilbao: BIO Airport, with direct flights from German-speaking countries, train (renfe.com) and long-distance buses with ALSA (alsa.es)
• Return trip from Cacabelos/Ponferrada: Ponferrada Train Station, with direct trains to Madrid (renfe.com), Bus routes in Bierzo
• Stage entry: Aguilar de Campoo, Guardo, and La Robla are accessible by train or bus

Path Carrier

The revival is being driven by the Communities along the route, which have been working together for over a decade to maintain trail markings, hostels, and visibility, with support from local Camino de Santiago associations in Bizkaia, Castile and León, and El Bierzo. The route is marked throughout with yellow arrows; the initiative compiles official stage information at viejocaminoolvidado.com.