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Hiking the Ways of St. James in North Rhine-Westphalia

sillydoll

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2002 CF: 2004 from Paris: 2006 VF: 2007 CF: 2009 Aragones, Ingles, Finisterre: 2011 X 2 on CF: 2013 'Caracoles': 2014 CF and Ingles 'Caracoles":2015 Logrono-Burgos (Hospitalero San Anton): 2016 La Douay to Aosta/San Gimignano to Rome:
As early as 2008 an approximate 200 kilometre long path was signposted with the scallop shell, that follows an old trade route from Osnabrück via Münster and Dortmund up to Wuppertal according to the historic precedent.
The latest Way of St. James through the Rhineland, which was developed by Landschaftsverband Rheinland together with Deutsche Jakobsgesellschaft, was opened in 2009: it leads over a stretch of 230 kilometres from the Dutch Nimwegen via Kleve and Xanten to Cologne or Bonn. The 2,000 year-old route developed in the Middle Ages from an old Roman road into an important trade route that linked the Rhineland with the North Sea.
Several routes on the path to the grave of the apostle lead through North Rhine-Westphalia. A completely new second direct Way of St. James in Westphalia has been added. The path in Soest was ceremoniously opened on 24th March 2010. The old route, Hellweg, leading from Höxter to Bochum – from the starting point Cloister Corvey via Brakel, Bad Driburg, Paderborn, Salzkotten, Geseke, Erwitte, Soest, Werl, Unna and Dortmund – is signposted with the scallop shell. The new pilgrims‘ path mostly follows historically-based routes. This is how sunken paths were found that had at one time entrenched themselves into the terrain through the heavy carts.
Two other routes in Westphalia are being planned. From 2011/12 a path is to lead from Minden via Herford and Bielefeld to Lippstadt and from 2013/14 it is planned that St. James pilgrims will also be able to hike from Warendorf via Münster and Coesfeld to the Lower Rhine.
Other routes in the Rhineland lead from Wuppertal via Cologne to Aachen and Belgium, from Cologne and Bonn via Trier to Perl/Schengen, from the Lower Rhine and Aachen via Maastricht to Belgium and from Marburg via Siegen to Cologne.

http://www.nrw-tourism.com/interests/nr ... halia.html
 
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In about a week we start walking from Aachen, straight South through the Eifel-region, beginning on the Matthias-way but halfway we turn over to the St.James Way from Cologne. Via Echternach and Trier till Perl/Schengen.
Perl/Schengen is the 3 country-point Luxemburg, Germany and France and is on te way from Cologne to Vezelay.

Jan and Erna Brilleman
 
I live in North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW for short) and have walked most of the Ways of St. James there. Two of them on my caminos to Santiago and the others in stages as "little escapes" over long weekends. The new one opening this year will practically pass my doorstep and I am looking forward to meeting pilgrims :D
I love it to see the sticker with the shell when I go walking. It makes my home region very much part of the European network of the paths to Santiago.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
What is the situation with accommodation on the German routes? Presumably not albergues. Are there cheap hostel type places? Or B and Bs/chambres d'hotes? Campsites? What about cycling?

My mind is moving ahead now we are only one stage away from completing home to Santaigo!
 
Accomodation types vary a lot. Sometimes there are cheap alternatives designed for pilgrims, but often it's B&B, guesthouses and hotels.

The two paths along the Rhine are gorgeous for cycling, some others are quite hilly. The official guides always list biking alternatives to the footpaths.
 

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