broad valley in the administrative county of Cumbria, England, separating the northern Pennines from the Lake District massif. The upper valley lies in the historic county of Westmorland and the lower valley in the historic county of Cumberland. The River Eden (Eden, River) drains the vale into the Solway Firth. Geologically, the Vale of Eden is developed upon Permian (290 to 248 million years ago) and younger (Keuper and Bunter) marls and sandstones; it is a rich agricultural area.