Ruswarp & Sleights Through Time

Ruswarp is a village on the boundary of the National Park. Crossing the River Esk downstream is an impressive viaduct, 120 feet high, which was built (using 5,250,000 bricks) to carry the Scarborough-to-Whitby railway line, which was closed in 1965. The viaduct is now owned by Sustrans and carries ‘The Cinder Track’ (a walk/cycleway along the former Whitby-to-Scarborough railway line). The name Sleights means ‘flat land near water’. This must refer to an old location for Sleights, as presently the majority of the village is located on hillsides on either side of the River Esk. The houses in Sleights are more modern than the houses in other villages in Eskdale. Join Alan Whitworth on this charming visual journey back in time revealing how this beautiful part of the Esk Valley has altered down the years.