Is it easy to get lost on the Camino?

The Camino Frances and pretty much all the Camino routes are very well waymarked and make it easy to navigate. Getting lost can happen, but here is what you will have to look out for to prevent it.

It can happen on many hikes that you lose track of where you have to go or miss a turn, I had to more times than im willing to admit. But only once or twice on the Camino Frances and Camino Portuegese coastal. Which is pretty impressive considering my famous sense of direction.

You will need to get familiar with the following symbols to make sure you don’t miss a waymarker for where you have to go next on the Camino de Santiago.

Yellow Arrows

The yellow arrow is a common site on any Camino, and you will see it most often in Spain and Portugal to show you the way. These yellow arrows differ wildly in shape and size, but are usually done with paint on the road, on the sides of the road or on structures to show you the way. See the cover picture for an example.

It’s important to be able to recognize them and train yourself to spot them. You’ll quickly develop a keen eye for these markers, especially as you spend more time on the Camino Frances

Camino Shell

The Camino Shell or Jacob Mussle shell is very strongly connected to the Camino de Santiago and forms the symbol of the Camino. That and the sword are the most tattooed symbols that people get after walking the Camino. And for good reason. My wife and I have it carved inside our wedding rings.

The Shell is used often to mark the way of the Camino so you will have an idea of where to go, and can be artwork, carved into stone, or painted on. Usually accompanied with an arrow so you can easily see where to go, but other times without, in that case, the bottom of the shell shows you where to go. As pictured above.

Stone pillars

The stone pillars form a bit of a spiritual reminder, and I always liked to give them a pat when walking past them. These stone pillars will be found in Spain and will (not always) show you the number of kilometers you still have to walk to get to Santiago de Compostella. And afterwards, how many to get to the end of the world in Finisterre.

These do not show up all over the place, but you will see them occasially.

Yellow shell or arrow on a Blue background

In all off Europe, you can also find the following symbol to guide you on the Camino. Which have, at least what I have seen, always a blue background and a yellow shell or arrow.

These can be found all along the different Camino routes, and are on stone pillars, sign posts, and more.

Use the Technology available

When in doubt, use technology also counts here, and I recommend downloading either the Buen Camino App, and/or downloading the map from the Dutch Camino community and using it in Organic Maps. Which will help you navigate or to get back on the Camino from your Albergue when in doubt. Avoid backtracking and searching, and take a little procation to avoid the headache.

It takes a few minutes to set up and get familiar with, but can be a lifesaver when you need it. Read my linked dedicated articles to learn how to get these setup.

Happy hiking and Hike for Purpose!

Buen Camino