Esk

Esk (Cymric wysg, Gael. wisge, 'water,' akin to Exe), the name of several small Scotch rivers. The Dumfriesshire Esk, formed by the Black and White Esks (12 and 14 miles long), runs 22 miles south-south-eastward, next 5 furlongs along the Border, and lastly 8 miles south-south-westward through Cumberland, till it falls into the head of the Solway Firth. It passes Langholm and Longtown, receives the Tarras, Liddel, &c., and affords capital fishing.—The Edinburghshire Esk, formed by the North and South Esks (17 and 19 miles long), flows 4 miles northward to the Firth of Forth at Musselburgh. Its scenery is very pretty, the northern branch passing Habbie's Howe, Roslin, Hawthornden, and Melville Castle; the southern branch Dalhousie Castle and Newbattle Abbey; and the two uniting in Dalkeith Park. The fishing is recovering from the injurious effects of the paper-mills.—Of the two Forfarshire rivers, the South Esk runs 49 miles south-eastward and eastward to the North Sea at Montrose, and the North Esk 29 miles south-eastward (over the last 15 along the Kincardineshire boundary), until at a point 4 miles N. of Montrose it likewise falls into the North Sea. Both traverse fine scenery; both afford first-rate sport; and both give earl's titles to branches of the Carnegie family—Southesk (1633) and Northesk (1662).