Stage 4 of the Westmorland and Furness Way runs Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere — 27 miles (43.4 km) across the Lake District National Park, rated Challenging, with around 645 m of ascent and a high point of 217 m. A free GPX download and route map are below.
Free and un-gated — no sign-up. Load the GPX into your GPS device or phone app.
Elevation Profile
Elevation derived from the route GPX sampled against the Copernicus DEM (Open-Meteo). Figures are approximate.
Key Takeaways
Terrain & What to Expect
Stage 4 is the longest and most demanding day on the trail — around 27 miles linking Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere and carrying you into the heart of the Lake District National Park. Early on the route follows the River Lune, sharing ground with the Dales Way and passing beneath the grand Lune and Lowgill viaducts.
The trail then works west across the countryside towards Kendal's fringe and the valley of the River Kent, passing Sprint Mill and the villages of Burneside and Staveley before the final pull over to Windermere.
At 27 miles this is a big endurance day with a long stretch of limited facilities in the middle. Most walkers plan carefully — an early start, plenty of food and water, and a realistic finish time — or split the stage over two days using the railway (see below).
Transport: Getting to the Start & Finish
Getting to the start (Sedbergh): Sedbergh is reached by bus, with connections towards Kendal and the Oxenholme main line.
Leaving the finish (Bowness/Windermere): Windermere town has a branch-line station (the Lakes Line) with regular trains to Oxenholme and the West Coast Main Line, plus frequent buses — this is one of the best-connected points on the whole trail.
Splitting the stage: the Lakes Line and the villages of Burneside and Staveley make it practical to break this 27-mile stage into two shorter days. Check current train times, as the branch-line timetable and any engineering works change through the year.
Some details on this stage change with the seasons or the trail's ongoing development. Confirm these against a current, primary source before you set off:
- Safe micro-diversion for the reported dangerous A683 verge out of Sedbergh.
- How to split the stage using the Lakes Line train (Staveley/Burneside).
Where to Stay & Eat
Sedbergh (start) and Bowness-on-Windermere (finish) both have plentiful cafés, pubs, shops and accommodation — Bowness especially, as a busy Lake District resort (book ahead in summer).
The long middle section between Sedbergh and Burneside has very little in the way of shops or refreshment, so carry enough food and water for a long day.
Staveley, near the end, is a well-known stop for walkers and cyclists with cafés and a mill complex — a good place for a late lunch before the final leg to Windermere.
Stage 4 FAQs
At around 27 miles it's a very long single day — feasible only for fit, fast walkers with an early start and good conditions. Most people split it into two, using the villages of Burneside or Staveley and the Lakes Line railway to break the journey.
The easiest split uses the Lakes Line branch railway: walk from Sedbergh to Burneside or Staveley, take the train out for the night, and resume from the same station the next day. Both villages have some facilities. Check current train times, as the branch-line timetable varies and can be affected by engineering works.
Very few — the long middle section of this stage has little in the way of shops or refreshment until you approach Burneside and Staveley. Carry enough food and water for a long day, and treat Staveley as your reliable late stop.