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Smardale Gill

Smardale Gill is a deep mountain valley near Kirkby Stephen.

A tributary of the Eden Valley, Smardale Gill is perhaps most famous for its fourteen arched viaduct which was built as part of the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway's Stainmore line, an ambitious project to connect Barrow in Furness in the west via the Stainmore Gap to the coalfields of County Durham to the east.

The railway closed in 1962 and the line has long since been dismantled, but the structure remains of historic interest and a campaign has been underway to ensure its survival.

The area is now a nature reserve and site of special scientific interest (SSSI).

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