A New 120-Mile Trail Is About to Open Across Cumbria
England is getting a new 120-mile walking trail linking Alston in the North Pennines with Furness Abbey near Barrow-in-Furness. The Westmorland and Furness Way officially launches on 15 September 2026 during the Sedbergh Walking and Wellbeing Festival. The route crosses the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District before reaching the Furness coast, and can be walked in sections or as one longer journey.
What to Know About the New Trail
- Route: Alston to Furness Abbey.
- Length: 120 miles.
- Launch: 15 September 2026.
- Stages: Six.
- Time needed: Around 8–17 days for the full route.
- Longest stage: Sedbergh–Bowness-on-Windermere, 27 miles, with up to four days recommended.
- Route options: Section 3 between Kirkby Stephen and Sedbergh has separate high and low routes.
- Transport: Stage endpoints have public-transport options, but some are very limited; Milburn has no regular bus service and is served by a community bus on Tuesdays.
- Planning: Official stage maps, OS maps and downloadable GPX files are available online.
The trail uses existing paths where possible, with new signs and interpretation boards being added along the route. Because bus frequency varies considerably between stages, check the return journey before choosing a one-day section rather than assuming there will be a service at the finish. Anyone travelling for the launch can also join guided walks during September. Some require advance booking, including festival walks on 18 and 19 September and a separate Kirkby Stephen walk on 17 September.
The route links several different landscapes in one journey. It passes North Pennines moorland, the Eden Valley and Howgill Fells before reaching Windermere, then continues through Furness woodland and farmland towards Ulverston and Morecambe Bay. The final 17-mile section follows the King Charles III England Coast Path towards Furness Abbey, while Bowness, Sedbergh and Kirkby Stephen work well as bases for shorter trips.
The six-stage format makes the route useful even for people who do not want a 120-mile trek. A weekend around one section is realistic, while longer trips can combine several. September conditions can change quickly, so check weather, accommodation, route updates and transport times before setting out, particularly on the Pennine and Lake District sections where distances and elevation are greater.
