Eskdale is a Village in the county of Cumbria.
Eskdale is a valley of mountains, rivers and forests in the west of the Lake District in Cumbria. Eskdale starts in the wilds of the Scafell Massif which includes England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike and runs south west to the wide open, tidal estuary at Ravenglass.
Eskdale’s human presence can be traced back to the Mesolithic Age when hunters settled by the sea. Prehistoric sites of Neolithic and Bronze Age stone circles and settlements remains, can be seen on Boot Bank and around Devoke Water. There are also many other burial sites to be seen in the Eskdale valley. A fort was built in Roman times, high up on the mountain at Hardknott Pass. Up to five hundred cavalry would have been stationed here. There was also a fort at Ravenglass and some of the Roman remains from here now form part of the UNESCO Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site at Hadrian’s Wall.
A narrow-gauge railway stretching from Boot to Ravenglass was built in 1875, to take iron ore away to the coast at Ravenglass and then later on was used to transport granite from Eskdale’s quarries. Today the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, known as La’al Ratty, is a popular tourist attraction boasting the oldest working 15” gauge locomotive in the world.
Alfred Wainwright in his guide ‘Walks from Ratty’ describes Eskdale as ‘One of the loveliest of Lakeland’s valleys. Descending from the highest and wildest mountains in the district to the Sands of Ravenglass, in a swift transition from bleak and craggy ridges to verdant woodlands and pastures, watered by a charming river’.
Eskdale postcode: CA19 1
There are great places to visit near Eskdale including some great hills, hiking areas, villages, ancient sites, ruins, old mines, waterfalls, rivers and streams, lakes, woodlands, towns, mountains, castles, historic buildings, historic monuments, caves, bluebell woods, nature reserves, disused railway lines, airports and islands.
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting hills including Cartmel Fell, White Pike (Seathwaite), The Knott, Broughton Moor, Catbells, Orrest Head, and Haystacks.
Eskdale has some unmissable hiking areas nearby like Cartmel Fell, Coniston Coppermines Valley, Borrowdale, Styhead Tarn, Troutbeck, Orrest Head, and Wild Boar Fell.
There are a number of villages near Eskdale including Eskdale, Coniston, Seatoller, Troutbeck, High Borrans, Kentmere, and Brigsteer.
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting ancient sites including Hardknott Roman Fort, The Hawk, Sunkenkirk Stone Circle, Castlerigg Stone Circle, High Borrans Romano-British Settlement, Mayburgh Henge, and Gunnerkeld Stone Circle.
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting ruins including Bonsor East Mine Workings, Bonsor Dressing Floors, Penny Rigg Copper Mill, Appletree Worth, Stephenson Ground Limekiln (ruin), Water Yeat Limekiln (ruin), and Hebblethwaite Hall Gill.
Eskdale's best nearby old mines can be found at Penny Rigg Quarry Adit, Three Kings Mine, Tilberthwaite Gill Head Waterfall Level, Horse Crag Quarry, Tilberthwaite Deep Level Adit, Cathedral Quarry, and Parrock Quarry.
There are a several good waterfalls in the Eskdale area like Tilberthwaite Gill, Rydal Falls, Hebblethwaite Hall Gill, Styhead Gill Waterfalls, Taylorgill Force, Aira Force, and Hell Gill Force.
Eskdale has some unmissable rivers and streams nearby like River Lickle, Appletree Worth Beck, Styhead Gill, Crowdundle Beck, Aira Beck, Hell Gill, and River Kent at Kentmere.
Tarn Hows, Thirlmere Reservoir, Derwentwater, Styhead Tarn, Windermere, Wastwater, and Ullswater are some of Eskdale best lakes to visit near Eskdale.
The area around Eskdale boasts some of the best woodlands including Broughton Moor, Brigsteer Park, Cow Close Wood, Jeffy Knotts Wood, and Grubbins Wood.
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting towns including Sedbergh, Bowness On Windermere, Ulverston, Penrith, Kendal, Ambleside, and Kirkby Stephen.
Don't miss Scafell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Skiddaw, Hartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike [Caudale Moor], Place Fell, and Wild Boar Fell's mountains if visiting the area around Eskdale.
Brough Castle, Lowther Castle, Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle, Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, and Castlesteads (Lowther) are great places to visit near Eskdale if you like castles.
Acorn Bank, Acorn Bank Watermill, Church of St Peter Askham, St Michael’s Church at Lowther, Lowther Mausoleum, Askham Hall, and Smardale Gill Viaduct are some of Eskdale best historic buildings to visit near Eskdale.
Historic Monuments to visit near Eskdale include Fairy Steps.
The area around Eskdale boasts some of the best caves including Cathedral Quarry, Fairies Cave, Holy Well Cave, and Buttermere Tunnel.
There are a several good bluebell woods in the Eskdale area like Cow Close Wood, and Jeffy Knotts Wood.
The area close to Eskdale boasts some of the best nature reserves including Smardale Gill Nature Reserve.
Eskdale is near some unmissable disused railway lines like Smardale Gill Nature Reserve,
Barrow/Walney Island Airport, and Carlisle Lake District Airport are some of Eskdale best airports to visit near Eskdale.
The area around Eskdale's best islands can be found at Piel Island.
Eskdale History
There are some historic monuments around Eskdale:
