The Western Lake District is certainly the quietest part of the National Park, as for the most part it is remote and out of the way, some locations being inaccessible save on foot. However, this gives it its own special quality - it is relatively unspoilt and a haven for those wanting peace and quiet, with a selection of unique and differing valleys and fells, to name but a few -

ENNERDALE, with no road access, has a large reservoir and the head of the valley is essentially the "back door" for fells that can be reached from...

WASDALE, the king of the Lakeland valleys, boasting the highest fells, the deepest lake and the biggest liar, allegedly! On the other hand, there are the relatively unknown areas such as...

BLENGDALE nestled at the foot of fells such as Haycock and Seatallen, whose River Bleng joins with Wasdale's River Irt near Gosforth. The Rivers Ehen of Ennerdale and Calder from below Caw Fell and Lank Rigg almost meet up on the Cumbrian Coast at Sellafield, the latter river once being used to power the world's first commercial-use nuclear power station.

DUNNERDALE, the most southerly of the valleys in Copeland is home to the River Duddon and ends in a large estuary that separates the towns of Millom and Barrow-in-Furness. Now, haven't I missed one? Or should that be, haven't I missed TWO?

Oh yes, of course, the most amazing and breaktaking valleys in the Lake District are those of MITERDALE and ESKDALE, filling in the gap between the Screes of Wasdale and Ulpha Fell leading to Dunnerdale. Both of the valleys start on the coast at the Roman port of Ravenglass and finish at the foot of Scafell, the second highest mountain in England. However, the courses that they take cannot be much more different.

To the north, the River Mite winds its way around the foot of Muncaster Fell before reaching the village of Eskdale Green and then sharply climbing up a narrowing gorge to a plateau below Scafell, whilst in the south, the River Esk meanders steadily up the trough past Eskdale Green and Boot villages before turning northwards and climbs to Great Moss, a massive natural amphitheatre, surrounded by some of the Lakeland greats - Scafell, Scafell Pike, Great End, Esk Pike, Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags.

Miterdale

Nearby fells - Muncaster Fell; Irton Pike; Whin Rigg; Illgill Head; Fell End; Boat How; Great How; Scafell.

Route (west to east) - Ravenglass-Muncaster Mill-Miteside House-Murthwaite Farm-Rock Point-Eskdale Green-Low Place-Bakerstead-Miterdale Head-Tongue Moor

Nearby amenities - Pubs, hotels, café, shops, railway, bus service at Ravenglass; railway at Muncaster Mill, Miteside and Murthwaite; pubs, holiday cottages, outward bound centre, railway at Eskdale Green.

Popular Walks - Muncaster Fell, starting at Muncaster Mill, crossing the whole ridge and descending to Eskdale Green, can be done through use of 'La'al Ratty'; Miterdale Round, starting from Irton Pike, climbing to Whin Rigg and Illgill Head, before lowering and returning via the valley back through Eskdale Green to Irton Pike car park.

Ratty's Route through the Valley - From Ravenglass, the line drops down to Barrow Marsh, where the River Mite is still tidal, and follows it, climbing gently to Muncaster Mill station and then beginning to rapidly ascent through Mill Wood to Miteside loop, the River being close by, passing the houses before continuing between the modern farm of Sandbanks and the ruin of Murthwaite, with another Ratty halt being a short walk away. The railway now picks up and it is only half a mile before the little engines are sixty foot above the River at the location known as Rock Point, which was known as Prospect Point or Cape Horn in days gone by. The next half mile is north east towards the village of Eskdale Green, with the railway dropping from Walk Mill Summit before assaulting the gradual gradient into Irton Road station, where we have now lost the River as it continues onwards. The railway is now half-done, and the other half is following the River Esk.

Eskdale

Nearby fells - Muncaster Fell; Fell End; Hollinghead Crag; Great Barrow; Green Crag; Gate Crag; Harter Fell; Border End; Hard Knott; Crinkle Crags; Esk Pike; Bow Fell; Great End; Ill Crag, Broad Crag; Scafell Pike; Scafell; Slight Side.

Route (west to east) - Ravenglass-Eskmeals Viaduct-Eskdale Green village-Beckfoot (confluence with Whillan Beck)-Boot-Great Moss.

Nearby amenities - Pubs, hotels, café, shops, railway, bus service at Ravenglass; pubs, shop, railway, holiday cottages at Eskdale Green; campsite, railway and holiday cottages at Fisherground; chalets, railway and guest house at Beckfoot; railway, craft shop, café, campsite at Boot.

Popular Walks - Eskdale Green station, across the road and up the lane past Hollin How cottage and climb up towards Fell End, however, keep to the right and avoid that summit, instead meeting the crossroads with the path which takes you down to Fisherground, but do not go that way. Instead carry on past the tarns of Siney and Blea, beyond Hollinghead Crag. You can then carry on eastwards to the corpse road pass between Eskdale and Wasdale via Burnmoor Tarn or you can descend to the valley floor on Hollinghead Bank to Beckfoot. Thence you can walk up the lane alongside the railway to Dalegarth cottages and either along the railway between the walls to the station (the only part of the railway that is a public right of way!) or behind the cottages and up through the old station ruins to Boot village itself.

Ratty's Route through the Valley - Continuing from Irton Road, the line swings 90 degrees clockwise over Randle How Crossing and 90 degrees anticlockwise at Long Yocking curve brings the railway to Eskdale Green station, with the River not far away. The railway then climbs Hollin How Bank past the cottage and forges over the footpath down from Fell End at Fisherground Crossing, before reaching the next passing loop and the halt for the campsite. The farm at Spout House is in close proximity to the line between Fisherground and Gilbert's Cutting, where the line now cuts through Hollinghead Bluff way below the crag of the same name up above. The last mile is all one straight up hill, parallel to the river with the valley road in between the two. At Beckfoot, the railway crosses the lonnin up the the cottages and Whillan Beck joins in the separation of rail and river. Beckfoot Bank is summited and the railway curves around in front of the cottages, over Whillan Beck to Dalegarth for Boot station. In years gone by this was the mineral branch to the mines at Gill Force, and the line continued and crossed the River Esk as it went south-east to the base of the fell to the iron ore mines. As the line ends, though, the course of the River is beginning to get interesting!

A-Z of the valleys

Barrow Marsh - The final part of the River Mite's journey to the Irish Sea, between Muncaster Mill and Ravenglass.

Beckfoot - A Ratty station serving the guest house and chalets across the road. The lonnin to the cottages branches off from the road here.

Beckfoot Lonnin - Lane and public right of way following the railway for nearly half a mile from Beckfoot to Dalegarth Cottages.

Blea Tarn - Reasonably large tarn on Hollinghead Ridge above Beckfoot.

Blind Tarn - Small tarn near Siney Tarn on Hollinghead Ridge.

Boot Inn - Formerly known as The Burnmoor Inn, public house in Boot village.

Bower House - Public House in Eskdale Green village, near Irton Road station.

Brook House - Public House in Boot village, near Dalegarth station.

Dalegarth - Site of the present La'al Ratty terminus, next to the valley road. The cottages, originally built for miners, are a short distance down the line.

Eskdale Green - This village spans the gap between Miterdale and Eskdale and Muncaster Fell and Fell End, spread out over one main road, with a crescent spur off southwards, Randle How. Served by the La'al Ratty at Irton Road and Eskdale Green stations.

Eskmeals Viaduct - Fine piece of engineering carrying the mainline railway over the River Esk between Ravenglass and Eskmeals.

Esk View - Farm near Gill Force in Eskdale.

Fell End - Crag at the end of Hollinghead Ridge, overlooking Eskdale Green village and separating the valleys.

Fisherground - Farm campsite and cottages with its own Ratty halt. There is a footpath crossing over the railway which can be reached from the cottages and carries on up the fellside to Fell End.

Forest How - Guest house located between Irton Road station and Randle How crossing.

Gasketh - Dwelling inbetween Miteside and Moorgate.

Gilbert's Cutting - Cutting opened and financed by Colin Gilbert in 1964 where the La'al Ratty is now diverted through Hollinghead Bluff to reach the 6 milepost.

Great Barrow - Small hill located to the east of Boot village.

Hollinghead - Name given to the ridge separating Miterdale and Eskdale, starting from Fell End and stretching up to Burnmoor Tarn.

Hollinghead Bank - Steep side of the ridge which comes down to the valley floor from Hollinghead Bluff to Boot village.

Hollinghead Bluff - Outcrop beside the main valley road that is below Hollinghead Crag. The railway now runs through it in Gilbert's Cutting.

Hollinghead Crag - Crag on the aforementioned ridge overlooking Eskdale above Fisherground and Spout House farms.

Hollin Head - Holiday cottage between Beckfoot and Fisherground.

Hollin How - Holiday Cottage and former farm at Eskdale Green, reached from a lane which goes over the railway at the top of the 1 in 43 Hollin How Bank.

Hollins - Farm and campsite on the side of Great Barrow near Boot.

Hollowstones - Farm adjacent to Irton Road station. Owners of the famous pigs! Irton Road station was originally named this.

Hooker Crag - Highest point of Muncaster Fell, at 231 metres. Overlooks Katie Caddy.

Horsefalls Wood - Woodland area between Murthwaite and Walk Mill, situated between the 3 and 3 1/4 mileposts on the Ratty.

Hows - Farm on the side of Great Barrow near Hollins and Boot.

Irton Road - La'al Ratty station at the western end of Eskdale Green village. Sits immediately below Hollowstones Farm.

Katie Caddy - Non-existant farm beyond Miteside loop, the name lives on in a now filled-in cattle arch.

King George IV - Public house on the eastern side of Eskdale Green village. Originally named the 'King of Prussia'.

King of Prussia - Former name for both Eskdale Green station and the King George IV pub.

Long Yocking How - House in Eskdale Green beside the railway near Randle How crossing, with the name stemming from 'A Long Day's Work (Hill)'.

Milkingstead - Farm in Eskdale, across the valley from Fisherground.

Miteside - House served by a nearby Ratty halt, which has a passing loop a short distance away.

Moorgate - Dwelling a short distance from Miteside House.

Muncaster Fell - Long, low ridge stretching from the coast to Eskdale Green village, which separates the valleys and the Ratty runs around its base.

Muncaster Mill  - Station on the La'al Ratty with the former watermill of the same name next door. It is now a private dwelling.

Murthwaite - A ruined farm which had been superseded by the nearby Sandbanks. There is a Ratty halt of the same name and this was the site of the granite crushing plant, which was in operation from 1929 to 1953.

Pennington Arms - Newly reopened public house in Ravenglass, with a link to Muncaster Castle.

Randle How - Residential road in Eskdale Green village and also the name of a crossing at the 4 1/4 milepost where a footpath leaves the village and heads west to Muncaster Fell.

Ratty Arms - Public house in the former BR station building at Ravenglass.

Raven Crag - Outcrop on Muncaster Fell overlooking Horsefalls Wood.

Ravenglass - Ancient village dating back 2000 years to Roman times. On the coast and the estuary of the Rivers Irt, Esk and Mite. The base of operations for La'al Ratty.

Sandbanks - Successor to Murthwaite farm, a short walk from Murthwaite Halt.

Siney Tarn - Small tarn located on Hollinghead Ridge.

Spout House - Farm which is next to the Ratty at the 5 3/4 milepost. Has a bridge over the line.

Thornflatt - Farm located just off the A595 near Muncaster Mill, overlooking the 3/4 milepost. 

Walk Mill - A ruined mill near Rock Point which is now obscured from view by trees. The name lives on in Walk Mill Summit, the halfway-point of the Ratty.

Wet Cutting - Point on the railway between Katie Caddy and Murthwaite where the ditches to either side of the line are always wet, save in high summer. The footpath from Muncaster Mill to Sandbanks crosses the line here.

Woolpack Inn - Public House near Boot village, between the hamlet and the foot of Hardknott Pass.