▁one ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁rivers ▁of ▁North west ▁England . ▁It ▁is ▁however ▁of ▁much ▁greater ▁extent ▁than ▁the ▁actual ▁valley ▁of ▁the ▁river , ▁lying ▁between ▁the ▁C umb rian ▁Mountains ▁( more ▁usually ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁Lake ▁District ), ▁and ▁the ▁northern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁P enn ine ▁Range . ▁It ▁lies ▁entirely ▁within ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁C umb ria . ▁The ▁river ▁has ▁its ▁source ▁in ▁the ▁pe at ▁b ogs ▁below ▁Hugh ▁Se at , ▁in ▁the ▁d ale ▁of ▁M aller st ang . ▁At ▁first ▁it ▁determined ly ▁sets ▁off ▁South ▁( as ▁Hell g ill ▁Beck ) ▁before ▁turning ▁back ▁North ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁its ▁course ▁– ▁except ▁just ▁before ▁its ▁out let ▁into ▁the ▁sea ▁which ▁it ▁enters ▁from ▁the ▁East . ▁▁ ▁The ▁E den ▁passes ▁through ▁the ▁market ▁towns ▁of ▁Kirk by ▁Stephen ▁and ▁Apple by - in - West mor land , ▁once ▁the ▁county ▁capital ▁of ▁that ▁area . ▁It ▁then ▁by pass es , ▁but ▁remains ▁close ▁to , ▁Pen r ith ▁where ▁it ▁receives ▁the ▁waters ▁of ▁U ll sw ater ▁via ▁the ▁River ▁E am ont , ▁its ▁major ▁trib ut ary . ▁ ▁Via ▁some ▁ancient ▁villages ▁and ▁fine ▁brid ges ▁it ▁reaches ▁and ▁passes ▁through ▁Carl is le , ▁the ▁major ▁city ▁in ▁this ▁whole ▁area . ▁It ▁then ▁enters ▁the ▁sea ▁where , ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁River ▁E sk , ▁coming ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁North , ▁it ▁forms ▁the ▁Sol way ▁F irth