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.
Cartmel Fell, White Pike (Seathwaite), The Knott, Broughton Moor, Catbells, Orrest Head, and Haystacks are some of Eskdale best hills to visit near Eskdale.
Hiking Areas to visit near Eskdale include Cartmel Fell, Coniston Coppermines Valley, Borrowdale, Styhead Tarn, Troutbeck, Orrest Head, and Wild Boar Fell.
Eskdale's best nearby villages can be found at Eskdale, Coniston, Seatoller, Troutbeck, High Borrans, Kentmere, and Brigsteer.
The area around Eskdale boasts some of the best 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 boasts some of the best 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.
There are a number of old mines near Eskdale including Penny Rigg Quarry Adit, Three Kings Mine, Tilberthwaite Gill Head Waterfall Level, Horse Crag Quarry, Tilberthwaite Deep Level Adit, Cathedral Quarry, and Parrock Quarry.
Tilberthwaite Gill, Rydal Falls, Hebblethwaite Hall Gill, Styhead Gill Waterfalls, Taylorgill Force, Aira Force, and Hell Gill Force are some of Eskdale best waterfalls to visit near Eskdale.
River Lickle, Appletree Worth Beck, Styhead Gill, Crowdundle Beck, Aira Beck, Hell Gill, and River Kent at Kentmere are great places to visit near Eskdale if you like rivers and streams.
Eskdale has some unmissable lakes nearby like Tarn Hows, Thirlmere Reservoir, Derwentwater, Styhead Tarn, Windermere, Wastwater, and Ullswater.
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting woodlands including Broughton Moor, Brigsteer Park, Cow Close Wood, Jeffy Knotts Wood, and Grubbins Wood.
Sedbergh, Bowness On Windermere, Ulverston, Penrith, Kendal, Ambleside, and Kirkby Stephen are great places to visit near Eskdale if you like towns.
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.
The area around Eskdale boasts some of the best castles including Brough Castle, Lowther Castle, Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle, Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, and Castlesteads (Lowther).
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting historic buildings including Acorn Bank, Acorn Bank Watermill, Church of St Peter Askham, St Michael’s Church at Lowther, Lowther Mausoleum, Askham Hall, and Smardale Gill Viaduct.
Fairy Steps is one of Eskdale's best, nearby historic monuments to visit in Eskdale.
Caves to visit near Eskdale include Cathedral Quarry, Fairies Cave, Holy Well Cave, and Buttermere Tunnel.
The area around Eskdale features a number of interesting bluebell woods including Cow Close Wood, and Jeffy Knotts Wood.
Smardale Gill Nature Reserve is a great place to visit close to Eskdale if you like nature reserves.
Smardale Gill Nature Reserve is one of Eskdale's best, nearby disused railway lines to visit in Eskdale.
Eskdale's best nearby airports can be found at Barrow/Walney Island Airport, and Carlisle Lake District Airport.
There are a number of islands near to Eskdale including Piel Island.
Eskdale History
There are some historic monuments around Eskdale:
