St Michael’s Way was developed in 1994 based on shipping records from the Middle Ages and other archaeological and historical evidence by Cornwall Council in association with Bredereth San Jago (the Cornish Pilgrims of St James of Compostela) and the Cornish Bureau for European Relations. It is a modern construct taking into account the current context but takes a generally similar line to that which the early travellers would have followed. It is the UK’s only European Cultural Route and is not only a right of way but also marks an ancient trading route and pilgrim path.

From the time of the Bronze Age traders from Ireland and Wales preferred to cross the peninsula overland at its narrowest point rather than to sail around the hazardous waters of Land’s End. Early Christian missionaries and later, during the medieval period, pilgrims chose to do the same. Pilgrims would have visited St Michael’s Shrine on the Mount and some would then have embarked for the voyage to Santiago de Compostela where the shrine of St James was one of the most celebrated pilgrimage destinations in Europe.

The Way is officially linked to the Camino de Santiago network of pilgrim paths in mainland Europe which converge at the tomb of St James in Galicia reasserting its traditional medieval role as part of the Via Anglicana leg of the Camino. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries ships left southern ports such as Plymouth, Fowey and Mount’s Bay for Ferrol and A Coruna in north-west Spain from where the pilgrims walked to Santiago de Compostela along the English Way or Camino Ingles (http://www.caminoingles.gal/en/). This was the most popular route for English pilgrims.

In recent years there has been a revival of interest in pilgrimage and walking pilgrimage routes is becoming increasingly popular. In 2016 Friends of St Michael’s Way with help of the Confraternity of St James (http://www.csj.org.uk) was successful in gaining recognition from the authorities in Santiago de Compostela that walking the Way would contribute towards the 62miles/100km required to obtain a Compostela. The Friends publish a passport to enable walkers to record their journey along the Way and to provide evidence to qualify towards a Compostela if required.