The Westmorland and Furness Way runs 120 miles (193 km) in six stages from Alston in the North Pennines to Furness Abbey on the edge of Barrow-in-Furness. Stages run from about 16 to 27 miles, and most walkers take 8 to 17 days. Below you'll find the start, finish, distance, terrain, split points, overnight stop and a free GPX download for every stage.
New to the trail? Read What Is the Westmorland and Furness Way? first, or see the full route map on the route overview.
The Six Stages at a Glance
Distances are measured from our GPX files. "From Alston" is the running total at the end of each stage, using the Stage 3 low route.
| Stage | From | To | Distance | From Alston | Terrain | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alston | Milburn | 16.5 mi | 16.5 mi | High moorland and bog; the remotest stage | GPX |
| 2 | Milburn | Kirkby Stephen | 24.8 mi | 41.3 mi | Farmland, riverside paths and lanes | GPX |
| 3 | Kirkby Stephen | Sedbergh | 15.7 mi (low) 18.4 mi (high) |
57 mi | Grassy fells (high) or valley lanes and moor (low) | Low · High |
| 4 | Sedbergh | Bowness-on-Windermere | 27 mi | 84 mi | Riverside, farmland and lanes into the Lake District | GPX |
| 5 | Bowness-on-Windermere | Ulverston | 20.9 mi | 104.9 mi | Lake ferry, forest tracks, low fells and farmland | GPX |
| 6 | Ulverston | Furness Abbey | 17.7 mi | 122.6 mi | Canal towpath, coast path and urban fringe | GPX |
Free and un-gated, no sign-up. The full-route file uses the Stage 3 low route.
Alston to Barrow-in-Furness: The Whole Route
Walking from Alston to Barrow-in-Furness on the Westmorland and Furness Way means crossing Cumbria from north to south. The route goes Alston → Milburn → Kirkby Stephen → Sedbergh → Bowness-on-Windermere → Ulverston → Furness Abbey. On the way it passes through the North Pennines National Landscape, the Eden Valley, the Howgill Fells in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the Lake District National Park and the Furness coast on Morecambe Bay.
The official length is 120 miles. Our GPX files measure 122.6 miles end to end by the Stage 3 low route, or 125.3 miles by the high route. Furness Abbey sits on the edge of Barrow, a short walk, bus or taxi from the town centre and station.
Getting there and away: Alston has no railway, but buses run from Haltwhistle on the Tyne Valley line. Barrow-in-Furness has trains to Lancaster and the West Coast Main Line. Every stage start and finish can be reached by public transport, so you can also walk the route in sections.
Stage 1: Alston to Milburn (16.5 miles)
The highest and wildest day on the trail. From Alston, one of England's highest market towns, the route follows the River South Tyne upstream past Garrigill (about 4 miles in, the last village) and climbs onto open moorland near Greg's Hut, where it reaches the trail's high point of about 784 m beneath Cross Fell. It then drops steeply off the escarpment into the Eden Valley at Milburn. There's no practical place to split it, so plan a full mountain day and carry all your food and water.
- Distance: 16.5 mi / 26.6 km
- Difficulty: High
- Ascent: about 644 m
- Miles from Alston at the finish: 16.5
- Split points: None after Garrigill: walk it as one day.
- Overnight: Milburn has very few beds. Book ahead, stay in nearby Dufton, or take a taxi to Appleby or Penrith. Milburn's only bus is the Tuesday Fellrunner to Penrith. Where to stay in Milburn & Dufton →
Stage 2: Milburn to Kirkby Stephen (24.8 miles)
The longest low-level stage, and one of the gentlest underfoot. The trail crosses farmland below Dufton Pike and High Cup Nick, then follows the Eden Valley through red-sandstone country by Appleby-in-Westmorland and Warcop to Kirkby Stephen. At nearly 25 miles, most people split it.
- Distance: 24.8 mi / 39.9 km
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Ascent: about 469 m
- Miles from Alston at the finish: 41.3
- Split points: Dufton (about 3.5 mi, just off route) or Appleby (about 9 mi, Settle–Carlisle station).
- Overnight: Kirkby Stephen has B&Bs, inns and self-catering, and a station on the Settle–Carlisle line. Where to stay in Kirkby Stephen →
Stage 3: Kirkby Stephen to Sedbergh (15.7–18.4 miles)
Kirkby Stephen to Sedbergh crosses the Howgill Fells into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Both options share the first 5.5 miles past Smardale to Ravenstonedale, then divide. The high route crosses the exposed ridge of The Calf (676 m) near Cautley Spout. It is longer and tougher, and serious in cloud or wind. The low route is shorter and stays below about 420 m. Neither has any facilities between Ravenstonedale and Sedbergh, so carry water. In bad weather, take the low route.
- Distance: 15.7 mi / 25.2 km (low route), 18.4 mi / 29.6 km (high route)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Ascent: about 643 m (low route) or 967 m (high route)
- Miles from Alston at the finish: 57 (low route)
- Split points: Ravenstonedale, where the routes divide about 5.5 mi in; its village pub is a short detour.
- Overnight: Sedbergh, England's Book Town, is a favourite rest-day stop. It has no railway; buses run to Kendal and Oxenholme. Where to stay in Sedbergh →
Stage 4: Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere (27 miles)
If you're searching for Sedbergh to Windermere on foot, this is it: 27 miles to Bowness-on-Windermere, and the longest stage. The route follows the River Lune and the Dales Way beneath the Lune and Lowgill viaducts. It then crosses to the River Kent past Sprint Mill, Burneside and Staveley, before the final leg over to Windermere. The long middle section has almost no facilities. Most walkers split the stage using the Lakes Line railway.
- Distance: 27 mi / 43.4 km
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Ascent: about 645 m
- Miles from Alston at the finish: 84 (low route)
- Split points: Burneside (16.5 mi) or Staveley (19.8 mi), both on the Lakes Line.
- Overnight: Bowness and Windermere are the best-connected point on the trail and have the most beds, but they fill from Easter to October. Book as soon as your dates are fixed. Where to stay in Bowness & Windermere →
Stage 5: Bowness-on-Windermere to Ulverston (20.9 miles)
The trail crosses Windermere on the Windermere Ferry from Ferry Nab (foot passengers £1.50, card only). It then heads through Far Sawrey and Grizedale Forest to Satterthwaite, and on through quieter country near Coniston Water and the River Crake to Ulverston. The ferry can be suspended for maintenance or high winds, so check it's running before you set out.
- Distance: 20.9 mi / 33.7 km
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Ascent: about 942 m
- Miles from Alston at the finish: 104.9 (low route)
- Split points: Satterthwaite (6.3 mi); limited beds, book early.
- Overnight: Ulverston has a good choice of inns and guesthouses, and a station on the Cumbrian Coast line. Where to stay in Ulverston →
Stage 6: Ulverston to Furness Abbey (17.7 miles)
The finale leaves Ulverston along the canal to the shore of Morecambe Bay. It passes Conishead Priory, Sea Wood, Baycliff and the Rampside shoreline, sharing sections with the King Charles III England Coast Path. It then skirts Barrow-in-Furness to finish at the red-sandstone ruins of Furness Abbey, founded in 1123. It's mostly easy, low-level walking, but some shore-edge sections depend on the tide, so check tide times.
- Distance: 17.7 mi / 28.5 km
- Difficulty: Easy
- Ascent: about 62 m
- Miles from Alston at the finish: 122.6 (low route)
- Split points: Rampside (11.7 mi), a short bus or taxi ride from Barrow.
- Overnight: Barrow-in-Furness, a short walk, bus or taxi from the abbey, has the widest choice of beds. Its station has trains to Lancaster and the West Coast Main Line. Where to stay in Barrow-in-Furness →
Turning Stages Into Days
Walking one stage a day takes six days. Few people do this, because Stages 2 and 4 are both over 24 miles. Most walkers split the long stages at the points listed above and take 8 to 17 days. For day-by-day 6, 8 and 12-day plans, see our itineraries and best time to walk. To compare ascent and walking times, see the stage comparison table.
Frequently Asked Questions
The official length is 120 miles (193 km), in six stages that range from about 16 to 27 miles. Measured along our GPX files, the route is 122.6 miles from Alston to Furness Abbey by the Stage 3 low route, or 125.3 miles by the high route over the Howgill Fells.
There are six stages: 1 Alston to Milburn (16.5 mi), 2 Milburn to Kirkby Stephen (24.8 mi), 3 Kirkby Stephen to Sedbergh (15.7 mi low route, 18.4 mi high route), 4 Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere (27 mi), 5 Bowness to Ulverston (20.9 mi) and 6 Ulverston to Furness Abbey (17.7 mi).
Yes. Stage 3 runs from Kirkby Stephen to Sedbergh across the Howgill Fells. The low route is 15.7 miles; the high route over The Calf is 18.4 miles. They split at Ravenstonedale, 5.5 miles from Kirkby Stephen. Kirkby Stephen has a Settle–Carlisle station and Sedbergh has buses to Kendal and Oxenholme, so it works well as a standalone day walk.
On the Westmorland and Furness Way it's 27 miles (43.4 km) from Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere. This is Stage 4, the longest stage. Most walkers split it at Burneside or Staveley, both on the Lakes Line railway.
Most walkers take 8 to 17 days. Very fit walkers can do one stage a day in six days, though that includes the 27-mile Stage 4. A 12-day plan with a rest day keeps most days to about 10 miles. Our itineraries page has 6, 8 and 12-day plans.
Yes. Free GPX and GeoJSON files for every stage and for the full route are linked on this page, with no sign-up. We plotted them ourselves on OS Maps; they are unofficial. The council's official GPX files are on the official route website.
Keep Planning
Before you book, read our guides to where to stay, accommodation and transport, kit and safety and walking tips. This is an independent guide. Official route information is on the council's Westmorland and Furness Way website.