The Westmorland and Furness Way is a 120-mile (193 km) long-distance walk across Cumbria, split into six stages from Alston — England's highest market town — south to the medieval ruins of Furness Abbey. It crosses the North Pennines, the Eden Valley, the Howgill Fells, the Lake District and the Furness coast, and most walkers complete it in 8 to 17 days. It is expected to open officially in Autumn 2026.
Route Overview & Interactive Map
The route is a near-continuous journey south-west across Cumbria, linking three national parks and protected landscapes in a single trail. The map below shows the full line from Alston to Furness Abbey; each stage is described in detail on its own page, with an elevation profile and GPX download.
Along the way the trail passes through or alongside the North Pennines National Landscape (a UNESCO Global Geopark), the Yorkshire Dales National Park (Howgill Fells), the Lake District National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Morecambe Bay coastline.
Download the Full Route GPX
Free, un-gated downloads — no sign-up. Load the GPX into your GPS watch or phone app, or use the GeoJSON for web maps and AI tools. Individual stage files are on each stage page.
The full-route file uses the Stage 3 low (valley) route. Prefer the high Howgills ridge? Grab the Stage 3 high-route GPX from the Stage 3 page.
Stage-by-Stage Comparison Table
All distances are measured from the route GPX files. Ascent figures are derived from the tracks sampled against the Copernicus digital elevation model, and walking times are rough guides (via Naismith-style estimates) — add time for breaks, navigation and bad weather.
| Stage | Route | Distance | Ascent | Difficulty | Est. walking time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: The Pennine Roof | Alston → Milburn | 16.5 mi (26.6 km) | 644 m | High | 7–9 hrs |
| Stage 2: Eden's Garden | Milburn → Kirkby Stephen | 24.8 mi (39.9 km) | 469 m | Moderate | 10–11 hrs |
| Stage 3: The Sleeping Elephants | Kirkby Stephen → Sedbergh | 15.7 mi (25.2 km) | 643 m | Moderate | 7–8 hrs |
| Stage 4: The Lake District Link | Sedbergh → Bowness-on-Windermere | 27 mi (43.4 km) | 645 m | Challenging | 11–12 hrs |
| Stage 5: Low Furness Fells | Bowness-on-Windermere → Ulverston | 20.9 mi (33.7 km) | 942 m | Moderate | 9–11 hrs |
| Stage 6: The Abbey Trail | Ulverston → Furness Abbey | 17.7 mi (28.5 km) | 62 m | Easy | 6–8 hrs |
Adding the stages together, the full route involves roughly 3405 m of total ascent over 120 miles (using the Stage 3 valley route).
How Long Does It Take to Walk?
Most walkers take 8 to 17 days to complete the full 120 miles. Two natural rhythms work well:
- Relaxed (12–14 days): around 9–11 miles a day, splitting the two longest stages (Stage 2 and Stage 4) across two days each, with time to enjoy Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Bowness and Ulverston.
- Fast (8–9 days): 18–20+ miles a day for fit, experienced walkers — efficient, but it leaves little slack for weather on the high North Pennines and Lake District sections.
Because every stage start and finish is reachable by public transport, many people walk the route in sections over several trips rather than in one continuous push.
Best Time of Year & Direction to Walk
Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) generally give the best balance of daylight, drier ground and fewer crowds. High summer is fine but the Lake District stages get busy and accommodation books up; winter is for experienced walkers only, as Stage 1 across the North Pennines is high, exposed and remote.
Direction: the conventional choice is north to south (Alston to Furness Abbey), which saves the atmospheric abbey ruins for the finish. It also means the prevailing south-westerly weather is more often behind or beside you than straight into your face on the high ground. Walking south to north is perfectly viable if it suits your travel plans — both ends are on the public transport network.
Is the Route Dog Friendly?
Yes — dogs can walk the whole trail, but this is a route through working farmland and open fell for much of its length, so plan around livestock:
- Expect grazing sheep and cattle across the open North Pennines (Stage 1) and Howgill Fells (Stage 3) in particular — keep dogs on a lead near animals.
- Take extra care during lambing season (roughly March–May) and around ground-nesting birds on the moors.
- Field boundaries are a mix of gates, kissing gates and stiles; some stiles are awkward for larger dogs. Exact gate/stile counts vary as the route is upgraded ahead of opening, so treat any single figure with caution.
- Many pubs and B&Bs in Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Bowness and Ulverston are dog-friendly — check when you book.
Plan Your Walk: Individual Stage Guides
Each stage has its own guide with a route description, elevation profile, transport notes, accommodation pointers, FAQs and a free GPX download. Walk them in order below, or jump to any stage.
Starting at Alston — England's highest market town — this stage tackles the dramatic terrain of the North Pennines UNESCO Global Geopark. Expect sweeping moorland vistas, Cross Fell views, and the bracing openness that only true wilderness can offer.
A descent into the lush valley of the River Eden — one of England's few rivers that flows north. Walk through historic Milburn and Appleby, enjoying flatter riverside paths, red sandstone villages, and wide pastoral scenery with the Pennines always visible behind you.
Cross into the Yorkshire Dales and experience the Howgill Fells — Wainwright's "sleeping elephants". These unique, velvet-smooth rounded hills offer big sky walking without the Lake District crowds. End in Sedbergh, England's Book Town, a perfect overnight base.
The longest and most dramatic stage. The route transitions from the rolling Dales into the heart of the UNESCO Lake District, arriving at the vibrant shores of Windermere. Expect spectacular fell panoramas and the full grandeur of Britain's finest mountain landscape.
Head south through ancient woodland, quiet traditional farmland and the gentler fells of Furness toward Ulverston — the charming market town and birthplace of Stan Laurel. A calmer, more contemplative stage after the grandeur of the Lakes.
The grand finale — a coastal crossing of the Furness Peninsula, culminating at the magnificent red sandstone arches of Furness Abbey. Founded in 1123 and once one of the richest Cistercian monasteries in England, this is one of the most atmospheric journey's-ends on any long-distance trail in the country.
Route FAQs
The 120-mile (193 km) route takes most walkers 8 to 17 days. A relaxed 10–12 miles per day works out at around 12–14 days; fit walkers covering 18–20 miles a day can finish in 8–9 days. The six stages range from about 13 to 27 miles, so most people split the longer stages over two days.
There are six stages: Stage 1 Alston to Milburn (16.5 mi), Stage 2 Milburn to Kirkby Stephen (24.8 mi), Stage 3 Kirkby Stephen to Sedbergh (15.7 mi low route / 12.9 mi high route), Stage 4 Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere (27 mi), Stage 5 Bowness to Ulverston (20.9 mi) and Stage 6 Ulverston to Furness Abbey (17.7 mi).
Yes, dogs can walk the whole route, but much of it crosses working farmland and open fell grazed by sheep and cattle — keep dogs on a lead around livestock and under close control during the spring lambing season (roughly March–May). The North Pennines and Howgill Fells stages are the most exposed and have the most open grazing.
Most walkers go north to south (Alston to Furness Abbey), finishing at the dramatic abbey ruins and generally walking with the prevailing south-westerly weather more often at their back than in their face. Either direction works and both start and end points are reachable by public transport.
Yes. A free full-route GPX and GeoJSON download is available on this page, and every stage page has its own GPX file. No sign-up is required.