Eskdale is a valley running west to east from Westerdale on the North York Moors to Whitby on the Yorkshire Coast of England. Formed during the last major ice age, it has a classic U-shaped valley formation caused by the action of glaciers carving away the rock. Eskdale is named after its river which in Celtic means water or stream. The dale carries the River Esk from the “Esklets” above Westerdale to the sea at Whitby. The tops of its steep-sided valleys are noted for their heather moorland, whilst below the land is mainly split between pasture for cows and Swaledale sheep and arable crops such as Oil seed rape.
The Esk Valley Walk is a walk covering 35 miles (56 km) starting from the head of the Esk through the valley and down to Whitby. Eskdale School in Whitby is named after the valley.