furnessway.co.uk is an independent, reader‑focused guide to walking the Westmorland and Furness Way — the 120‑mile (193 km) long‑distance route across Cumbria from Alston to Furness Abbey. We publish detailed, stage‑by‑stage route notes, difficulty ratings, planning advice and free GPX downloads. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official channel of Westmorland and Furness Council.
For details about the trail itself rather than this site, see What Is the Westmorland and Furness Way?
Who runs this site
furnessway.co.uk is an independent project run by a keen long‑distance walker based in the United Kingdom. It's a single‑walker effort rather than a corporate travel brand: the routes here have been researched, walked and mapped first‑hand across the Lake District, the Howgill Fells and the North Pennines. We keep the focus on the walking rather than on personalities — but everything published here comes from real time spent on these hills and with these GPX tracks.
Why this site exists
The Westmorland and Furness Way is a new trail, developed by Westmorland and Furness Council and officially opened on 15 September 2026. Even so, walkers researching the route online still find very little joined‑up, practical information in one place. We built this site to fill that gap: one place with a clear overview, honest stage descriptions, and route files you can load straight into your mapping app — free, and without a sign‑up wall.
How we compile our route information
Our stage guides are built from our own GPX tracks, which we plotted ourselves on OS Maps to follow the route closely. They are combined with publicly available information published by Westmorland and Furness Council and on‑the‑ground knowledge of these areas. Our GPX files were not supplied or verified by the council; the official, council‑verified route information and GPX files are on the official route website. Distances and key coordinates are computed directly from the GPX files rather than copied from secondary sources. Because the route only recently opened (15 September 2026) and is still bedding in, some details (waymarking, diversions and facilities) may change — so we tell you where something needs checking and we always recommend confirming current conditions before you set off.
Our editorial approach
We aim to be accurate, practical and honest. We flag anything that is provisional or unverified rather than presenting it as certain, and we update pages as the route develops. If you spot something that is wrong or out of date, please tell us — see our contact page — and we will correct it.
How the site is funded
The content on this site is free to read. To help cover hosting and the time spent researching and maintaining the guides, we may display third‑party advertising, and local businesses along the route can take a clearly labelled listing through our Trail Partners scheme. Neither advertising nor paid listings ever influence our route advice or recommendations — partners appear only in boxes marked "Trail partner". See our privacy policy for how advertising and cookies are handled.
Get in touch
Questions, corrections, or your own experience of the route are always welcome. Email us at blacktipsheets@gmail.com or use the contact page. For common trip-planning questions, see our FAQ.