River Esk, Cumbria
Encyclopedia
The River Esk is a river in the Lake District
in Cumbria
, England
. It is one of two River Esks in Cumbria, and not to be confused with the River Esk
which flows on the Scottish
side of the border
.
It rises in the Sca Fell
range of mountains at a height of 800 metres, just below Esk Hause
, the mountain pass between the fells of Great End
and Esk Pike
. The infant river then flows southerly through wild and picturesque countryside making the leap over several waterfalls before being joined by its first major tributary Lingcove Beck at Lingcove Bridge. Within a few miles the Esk passes Brotherilkeld Farm, which formerly belonged to the monks of Furness Abbey, at this point it is joined by Hardknott Beck and the river now flows westerly through the farmland of Eskdale
and is accompanied by the motor road which goes down the valley. The Esk continues past the small villages of Boot and Eskdale Green before joining the Irish Sea
at Ravenglass
.
, Exe
and Usk
with the changes to the name evolving over ten centuries of usage.
for sea trout
and salmon
being made famous by the writer and broadcaster Hugh Falkus
who lived in the Esk valley and used the river as a basis for many of his books and films.
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is one of two River Esks in Cumbria, and not to be confused with the River Esk
River Esk, Dumfries and Galloway
The River Esk is a river in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, that flows into the Solway Firth. It also flows for a small way through the English county of Cumbria before entering the Solway....
which flows on the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
side of the border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
.
It rises in the Sca Fell
Sca Fell
Sca Fell is a mountain in the English Lake District. Its height of 964 metres makes it the second-highest mountain in England after Scafell Pike, from which it is separated by the col of Mickledore....
range of mountains at a height of 800 metres, just below Esk Hause
Esk Hause
Esk Hause is a mountain pass in the English Lake District, where paths from Eskdale, Borrowdale, Langdale and Wasdale all meet. Esk Hause is a first step to reaching higher summits, such as Scafell Pike, Great End, Esk Pike and Allen Crags, which are all nearby.The source of the River Esk is close...
, the mountain pass between the fells of Great End
Great End
Great End is the most northerly mountain in the Scafell chain, in the English Lake District. From the south it is simply a lump continuing this chain....
and Esk Pike
Esk Pike
Esk Pike is a fell in the English Lake District, one of the great cirque of hills forming the head of Eskdale.-Topography:The Southern Fells include the highest ground in England, a horseshoe which begins with Scafell and Scafell Pike in the west and then curves around the north of Upper Eskdale to...
. The infant river then flows southerly through wild and picturesque countryside making the leap over several waterfalls before being joined by its first major tributary Lingcove Beck at Lingcove Bridge. Within a few miles the Esk passes Brotherilkeld Farm, which formerly belonged to the monks of Furness Abbey, at this point it is joined by Hardknott Beck and the river now flows westerly through the farmland of Eskdale
Eskdale, Cumbria
Eskdale is a glacial valley and civil parish in the western Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. It forms part of the Borough of Copeland, and has a population of 264....
and is accompanied by the motor road which goes down the valley. The Esk continues past the small villages of Boot and Eskdale Green before joining the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
at Ravenglass
Ravenglass
Ravenglass is a small coastal village and natural harbour in Cumbria, England. It is the only coastal town within the Lake District National Park...
.
Etymology
In his book "The Origins Of English Place Names" (page 77) P.H. Reaney says that the rivers name is derived from the British word "Isca" meaning "water". This also applies to the similarly spelled rivers AxeRiver Axe
River Axe may refer to:*River Axe , an English river flowing south through Axminster to the English Channel in Lyme Bay near Seaton*River Axe , an English river flowing west from the Mendip Hills to the Bristol Channel near Weston-super-Mare...
, Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
and Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
with the changes to the name evolving over ten centuries of usage.
Angling
The Esk has a reputation as a very good fishing river, it offers fine anglingAngling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
for sea trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
being made famous by the writer and broadcaster Hugh Falkus
Hugh Falkus
Hugh Falkus , Cheam, Surrey, England – , was a British writer, film maker, World War II pilot and angler...
who lived in the Esk valley and used the river as a basis for many of his books and films.