Practical answers for planning a walk on the Westmorland and Furness Way — how to reach the trailheads, where to find maps and GPX files, whether there's a guidebook, booking accommodation, and accessibility. For the route itself, see the complete route guide; new to the trail? Start with What Is the Westmorland and Furness Way?
Getting There — Transport to the Trailheads
Getting to Alston (northern start)
Alston (the northern start) has no railway station. The most frequent bus link is from Haltwhistle, a station on the Tyne Valley line between Newcastle and Carlisle, with buses up to every two hours Monday to Saturday. Other buses to Carlisle, Penrith and Hexham run only on certain days or in the summer season, and Sunday services are rare, so check a current timetable on Traveline before you travel and consider arriving the night before.
Getting to/from Furness Abbey (southern finish)
Furness Abbey (the southern finish) is a short walk or taxi from Barrow-in-Furness railway station, which has direct trains from Lancaster and connections across Cumbria — see each stage page for local transport notes.
For a stage-by-stage transport table and where to stay, see our accommodation and transport guide.
Maps, GPX Files and Guidebooks
Where can I download a map or GPX file for the route?
Every stage page has a free, un-gated GPX download from this independent guide. We plotted these files ourselves on OS Maps to follow the route closely; they are unofficial and were not supplied or verified by the council. The full route GPX and GeoJSON are on the route overview page. The official, council-verified GPX files are on the official route website. Load the GPX into a GPS watch, phone app (like OS Maps or Komoot) or web map — no sign-up required. Individual stage files let you download only the section you're walking.
Is there a printed guidebook for the route?
Not yet — although the Westmorland and Furness Way opened on 15 September 2026, there's no printed guidebook yet. The official route information and GPX files, verified and supplied by Westmorland and Furness Council, are on the official route website. This site is an independent guide: our stage-by-stage notes, elevation profiles and free GPX downloads are unofficial, so always check them against the official route. If a printed guidebook is published later, it will be linked from this page.
Accommodation and Booking
Where can I book accommodation along the route?
Each stage's start/finish town — Alston, Milburn, Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Bowness-on-Windermere, Ulverston — has B&Bs, pubs with rooms and campsites; several are noted as dog-friendly on the relevant stage pages. Book ahead in the May–June and September–October peak walking windows, especially around Bowness in the Lake District.
Deciding what to pack? See our kit list and safety guide, and for day-by-day plans our itineraries.
Accessibility
Is the Westmorland and Furness Way wheelchair accessible?
No — this is a 120-mile fell and moorland trail with stiles, gates and steep, remote sections (particularly Stage 1 across the North Pennines), so it isn't wheelchair accessible as a through-route. Shorter, flatter sections near Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh and the Furness coast may suit some mobility needs; check each stage page's terrain notes before attempting a section.
Still Have a Question?
Can't find what you need? Get in touch via our contact page and we'll do our best to help.