Two different long-distance walks share the Furness Way name. The Westmorland and Furness Way is the new 120-mile official trail from Alston to Furness Abbey, opened in September 2026. The original Furness Way is a 70–75 mile route from Arnside to Ravenglass, first published as a guidebook in 1994. They follow different paths in different directions.
Choose your Way
Pick the walk you're planning. Each has its own guide on this site.
The Two Routes Side by Side
| Detail | Westmorland & Furness Way | Original Furness Way |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Alston | Arnside |
| Finish | Furness Abbey | Ravenglass |
| Distance | 120 miles | 70 miles |
| Typical time | 8–17 days | 4–7 days |
| Direction | North → South | East → West |
| Established | 2026 | 1994 (guidebook) |
| Who's behind it | Westmorland and Furness Council | Devised by Paul Hannon; unofficial route |
| Waymarking | Yes — new official waymarking | No dedicated waymarking |
| Landscapes | North Pennines, Eden Valley, Howgill Fells, Lake District, Furness coast | Morecambe Bay, Cartmel peninsula, Coniston, Duddon Valley, Eskdale, Irish Sea coast |
Why Are There Two Furness Ways?
Furness is the old name for the peninsula and fells between Windermere, the Duddon estuary and Morecambe Bay. For centuries it was a detached part of Lancashire, known as "Lancashire North of the Sands", before becoming part of Cumbria in 1974. Any walk crossing it has a natural claim to the name.
The first walk to use it was the Furness Way, devised by the Yorkshire guidebook writer Paul Hannon and published by Hillside Publications in 1994. It crosses southern Lakeland coast to coast, from Arnside to Ravenglass. It was one of a trilogy of routes: with his Cumberland Way and Westmorland Way, it makes a full circuit of the Lake District.
In 2023 local government in Cumbria was reorganised, and the districts of Barrow-in-Furness, Eden and South Lakeland became Westmorland and Furness Council. The council's new flagship trail takes its name from the authority. The Westmorland and Furness Way was designed to cross the whole council area, from Alston in the north to Furness Abbey in the south, and it officially opened on 15 September 2026.
The shared name is a coincidence of geography, not a shared route. Most people now shorten the new trail to "the Furness Way", so the two are easily confused.
How to Tell Which One You've Found
Guidebooks, blogs and GPX files don't always say which route they mean. The place names are the quickest clue:
Westmorland and Furness Way
Mentions Alston, Milburn, Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, the Howgills, Bowness-on-Windermere, Ulverston or Furness Abbey. Six stages. Dated 2026 or later.
Original Furness Way
Mentions Arnside, Milnthorpe, Whitbarrow, Cartmel, Hampsfell, Coniston, the Duddon Valley, Eskdale or Ravenglass. Often credited to Paul Hannon.
If a page describes a 120-mile walk, it means the new trail. If it describes a walk of about 70 miles ending on the west coast, it means the original.
Walking Both: a Grand Tour of South Cumbria
The two routes join up neatly by train. The Westmorland and Furness Way finishes at Furness Abbey, about two miles from Barrow-in-Furness station. From there the Furness Line runs east around Morecambe Bay to Arnside, where the original Furness Way begins.
Walked back to back, that's roughly 190 miles in about three weeks. You'd go from the North Pennines to the Irish Sea, taking in more of the county's variety than any single trail. It's an ambitious trip, but a rewarding one for walkers who have already done the Coast to Coast or the Cumbria Way.
Planning the new trail? Start with our itineraries and where to stay guides. For the older route, see the original Furness Way guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. They are two different walks. The Westmorland and Furness Way is a new 120-mile official trail from Alston to Furness Abbey, opened on 15 September 2026 by Westmorland and Furness Council. The Furness Way is an older, unofficial 70–75 mile route from Arnside to Ravenglass across southern Lakeland, devised by Paul Hannon and published as a guidebook in 1994.
The Westmorland and Furness Way is longer: 120 miles (193 km), usually walked over 8 to 17 days. The original Furness Way is roughly 70–75 miles (112–120 km), depending on the source and variations, and is usually walked in 4 to 7 days.
Not in any meaningful way. The Westmorland and Furness Way runs north to south from the North Pennines through the Eden Valley, Howgill Fells and Lake District to Furness Abbey. The original Furness Way runs east to west from Morecambe Bay through Cartmel, Coniston and Eskdale to the Irish Sea. Both cross the historic Furness district of south Cumbria, which is where the shared name comes from.
Yes, and they link neatly by rail. The Westmorland and Furness Way finishes at Furness Abbey, about two miles from Barrow-in-Furness station. The Furness Line runs from Barrow along the coast to Arnside, the start of the original Furness Way. A walker with three weeks could finish one route and start the other the next morning.
Don't expect dedicated waymarking. The original Furness Way is an unofficial guidebook route that links existing public footpaths and bridleways, so you'll need to navigate with a map, the guidebook or a GPX track. The Westmorland and Furness Way, by contrast, is an official council route with new waymarking installed for its 2026 opening.
Run a B&B, inn or café on either Furness Way?
Walkers planning both routes use this site to find places to stay, eat and rest. Trail Partner listings put your business in front of them on the stages and towns you serve, from Alston and Sedbergh to Cartmel, Coniston and Eskdale.
Become a Trail Partner →