Eskdale

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

Retail in Eskdale

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.

Don't miss Cartmel Fell, White Pike (Seathwaite), The Knott, Broughton Moor, Catbells, Orrest Head, and Haystacks's hills if visiting the area around Eskdale.

Eskdale's best nearby hiking areas can be found at Cartmel Fell, Coniston Coppermines Valley, Borrowdale, Styhead Tarn, Troutbeck, Orrest Head, and Wild Boar Fell.

Eskdale has some unmissable villages nearby like Eskdale, Coniston, Seatoller, Troutbeck, High Borrans, Kentmere, and Brigsteer.

There are a several good ancient sites in the Eskdale area like Hardknott Roman Fort, The Hawk, Sunkenkirk Stone Circle, Castlerigg Stone Circle, High Borrans Romano-British Settlement, Mayburgh Henge, and Gunnerkeld Stone Circle.

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 are great places to visit near Eskdale if you like ruins.

Don't miss Penny Rigg Quarry Adit, Three Kings Mine, Tilberthwaite Gill Head Waterfall Level, Horse Crag Quarry, Tilberthwaite Deep Level Adit, Cathedral Quarry, and Parrock Quarry's old mines if visiting the area around Eskdale.

Tilberthwaite Gill, Rydal Falls, Hebblethwaite Hall Gill, Styhead Gill Waterfalls, Taylorgill Force, Aira Force, and Hell Gill Force are great places to visit near Eskdale if you like waterfalls.

There are a number of rivers and streams near Eskdale including 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 great places to visit near Eskdale if you like lakes.

Woodlands to visit near Eskdale include Broughton Moor, Brigsteer Park, Cow Close Wood, Jeffy Knotts Wood, and Grubbins Wood.

Towns to visit near Eskdale include Sedbergh, Bowness On Windermere, Ulverston, Penrith, Kendal, Ambleside, and Kirkby Stephen.

The area around Eskdale boasts some of the best mountains including Scafell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Skiddaw, Hartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike [Caudale Moor], Place Fell, and Wild Boar Fell.

Eskdale has some unmissable castles nearby like Brough Castle, Lowther Castle, Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle, Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, and Castlesteads (Lowther).

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 great places to visit near Eskdale if you like historic buildings.

The area around Eskdale's best historic monuments can be found at Fairy Steps.

Caves to visit near Eskdale include Cathedral Quarry, Fairies Cave, Holy Well Cave, and Buttermere Tunnel.

Eskdale's best nearby bluebell woods can be found at Cow Close Wood, and Jeffy Knotts Wood.

Places near Eskdale feature a number of interesting nature reserves including Smardale Gill Nature Reserve.

Don't miss Smardale Gill Nature Reserve's disused railway lines if visiting the area around Eskdale.

Airports to visit near Eskdale include Barrow/Walney Island Airport, and Carlisle Lake District Airport.

Eskdale

Eskdale History

Places to see near Eskdale

Lakes near Eskdale

Rivers near Eskdale

Where to Eat in Eskdale

Services and Trades in Eskdale

Wild Roe Deer