New 120-mile walking route to open in beautiful UK region this month
The six-stage route will take between eight and 17 days to complete
Koichiko
A new 120-mile walking trail crossing the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District is set to open in this month.
The Westmorland and Furness Way is a six-stage route from Alston in the North Pennines, England’s highest market town, to the ruins of the medieval Furness Abbey in Cumbria.
Cumbria Tourism will open the long-distance footpath at the Sedbergh Walking and Wellbeing Festival event on 15 September.
The walking route, developed by Westmorland and Furness Council, will take between eight and 17 days to complete and will utilise existing trails where possible.
All six stages have start and end points accessible by public transport; the longest stage is a 27-mile stretch from Sedbergh to Bowness-on-Windermere.
Trail highlights include the open moorland of the North Pennines, rounded fells of the Howgills and the Lake District National Park including the shores of Lake Windermere.
According to the Furness Way website, the route fits “three nationally protected areas, five distinct landscape types and a thousand years of history – all in 120 miles”.
It added: “The trail was conceived to celebrate the geography and identity of the Westmorland and Furness council area, formed in 2023.
“As well as being a walker's route, it is intended as an economic driver for the small towns and villages along its path – places like Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh and Ulverston that richly reward an overnight stay.”
Councillor Adrian Waite, Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet member for Environmental Services and Transport, said: “We are incredibly proud to have developed the spectacular Westmorland and Furness Way, designed to connect both visitors and local communities with our rich heritage, nature and diverse landscapes.
“This new walking route will celebrate our stunning area and make it even more accessible, creating a connected path from Alston all the way to Furness Abbey.”
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