The Camino Olvidado is a route for those who want some peace and quiet. Pilgrims were already walking here between the 9th and 12th centuries, along the southern side of the Cantabrian Mountains, partly on old Roman roads. When the Camino Francés became the main route, this way fell into disuse. Volunteers and local councils have waymarked it again, though old and new markings still overlap: wooden signs in the Basque Country, rust-coloured metal plates in Castilla y León, and yellow arrows in between.
This is an expedition, not a stroll from café to café. Shops are scarce, especially in the second half, so carry extra food. From Bilbao you walk through the forests, waterfalls and rocks of Burgos. Next come the Romanesque churches of Palencia and finally the mountain valleys of León, where several areas are protected as biosphere reserves. In those mountains, two steep climbs await you: from La Magdalena to Riello and from Fasgar to Igüeña. In Aguilar de Campoo, Cervera de Pisuerga, Cistierna and La Robla you cross other Camino routes. There you will usually see a few more pilgrims.
Walk it in May, June or September. In May there are orchids along the way and you can spot storks, vultures and eagles. From November to March it is cool and there is often a lot of rain. At the end, in Villafranca del Bierzo, you join the Camino Francés. In the church of Santiago you will find the Puerta del Perdón: those who could not make it to Santiago received the same forgiveness here.