Buen Camino! The Story of the Boyne Valley Camino

The Boyne Valley Camino is a recent addition to the Boyne Valley, offering walkers, pilgrims, visitors and residents the chance to complete this 25km loop walk, passing some of the most interesting and significant historical and cultural sites in the Boyne Valley. 

Starting at the impressive St Peter’s Church, West Street in the medieval town of Drogheda, the Boyne Valley Camino takes us on a journey through history. The route is a mixture of riverside, greenway, wood paths, quiet country roads, canal path and green fields on its route from Drogheda to Old Mellifont Abbey and back.

The 25km walk forms a figure of eight looped walk via Townley Hall Woods on the way out to Mellifont Abbey, through Tullyallen Village, down King William’s Glen via Belnumber Wood, across the beautiful Boyne at the Obelisk and back into Drogheda via Oldbridge along the Boyneside Trail and ramparts. The Boyne Valley Camino (25km) is part of the Celtic Camino from Ireland, then walk the rest of the Celtic Camino from A Coruña to Santiago de Compostela (75km) in Spain. This 100km Celtic Camino entitles walkers to a Compostela in Santiago. 

In medieval times pilgrims travelled long distances to Drogheda from all over the North East and Midlands before embarking for A Coruña in Spain. In Drogheda, it is understood that there was a hostel/hospital catering for the pilgrims by providing shelter and rest while they waited for the ships. It was located near the town walls in what is now the Scotch Hall area. Several references are made to Drogheda as a departure point in Dr Bernadette Cunningham’s book, ‘Medieval Irish pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela’

The Boyne Camino that exists today has been explored, researched and brought to life by a group of dedicated volunteers, who after learning of the connections between Drogheda in the Boyne Valley and Galicia in Spain, discovered an ancient pilgrim route that made the Boyne Camino a part of the official Celtic Camino series. Through their ingenuity, they have created a map of the Boyne Valley Camino and special Camino stamps to be collected all along the route inspired by the area’s local mythology. 

The Boyne Valley Camino can be completed as a self-guide tour, or you can join us on one of our guided Camino experiences. We also offer private tours and corporate tours, so please get in touch with us to arrange. The Boyne Valley Camino is visited by thousands of walkers each year, some of whom go on to complete the 75km to Santiago de Compostella. 

From its humble roots of makeshift signs, knitted way markers (which you still might see along the route) and a few visitors a year, to achieving National Trail status in 2025 and winning runner-up in the Ireland Pride of Place awards, The Boyne Valley Camino continues to rise in popularity and strengthen the links between the Irish and Spanish people. We hope to make even more links with Galicia and Drogheda in the near future-watch this space. 

Buen Camino!