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CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 THE 
 WORDSWORTH COLLECTION 
 

 ^ . ^^t^*- ^ 
 
 DESCRIPTION 
 
 OF SIXTY 
 
 Studies from Nature; 
 
 ETCHED IN THE SOFT GROUND, 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM GREEN, 
 
 OF 
 
 AMBLESIDE; 
 
 AFTER DRAWINGS MADE BY HIMSELF IN 
 
 CUMBERLAND, WESTMORLAND, 
 AND LANCASHIRE. 
 
 COMPRISING, 
 
 A GENERAL GUIDE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 BEAUTIES OF THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 The Price of the Prints, unbound, including the DacTiptioriy 
 is Ten Guineas; the Description may he had sepa- 
 rately for Two Shillings and Sixpence. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for the Author, by J-BARFIELD, 91, Wardour Street. 
 AND PUBLISHED BY 
 
 Messrs. Longman, Hurst, Rets, and Orme, Pater» 
 
 noster-row; Mr. Mann, 114, New Bond-street; 
 
 and W. Gr£EN, Ambleside, Westmorland. 
 
 1810. 
 
 3< 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 X HE man who would paint well, 
 has much to learn — he has much 
 more, however, to avoid learnings 
 Antiquity, deeply attentive to 
 the perfection of the human form, 
 has bequeathed to us such combi- 
 nations of beauty in her marbles, 
 as are never to be met with in liv- 
 ing individuals. — It might natu- 
 rally be inferred that all who have 
 an eye tolerably correct, and who 
 place these models before them 
 for imitation, would benefit in 
 proportion to the time which they 
 bestow on their study. 
 
 Why is this not the fact ? 
 
 A 
 
IV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The great obstacle to excellence 
 in the fine arts, is manner. 
 Fashion, corrupting every thing 
 which she approaches, at one 
 time requires the adoption of one 
 kind of manner, at another time 
 of another. Instead of nature, 
 or the antique (which is nature 
 thoroughly understood) a certain 
 manner, or a certain master is 
 recommended for the imitation or 
 the emulation of our young 
 painters ; and, as fashion is capri- 
 cious, it necessarily follows that 
 a number of manners are created, 
 agreeing only in their equal de- 
 viation from truth. 
 
 Let fifty artists, thus vitiated, 
 be directed to make drawings of 
 the Apollo Belvidere, or of the 
 Farnese Hercules ; let their draw- 
 ings be subsequently compared; 
 
INTRODUCTION. |V 
 
 and they will exhibit the most 
 extraordinary and irreconcilable 
 varieties. It is not to be denied 
 that the original constitution of 
 each man's mind might have some 
 effect in occasioning this diversity ; 
 but it would be chiefly attribut- 
 able to the depravity of taste 
 which the preference given to 
 manner over truth and simplicity 
 must inevitably induce. h 
 
 If such be the effect in mere 
 outline, than which nothing can 
 be well conceived less exposed to 
 variation, what must be the 
 result when the different students 
 in art ascend to composition, 
 chiaro-Gscuro, colouring, and the 
 still higher quality of expression-. 
 Here the pernicious effects of man- 
 ner become more and more visible. 
 
 A 2! 
 
ti INTEOBUCTION. 
 
 Practice serves but to establish 
 the unhappy mannerist in his 
 vices. He repeats daily, what each 
 Tepetition renders more disgusting, 
 and at length sinks into obscurity, 
 neglected, for new visionaries, by 
 those who applauded the errors 
 of his youthful pencil, and con- 
 firmed him in their adoption. 
 \-' A similar, perhaps a greater 
 danger exists in the study of land- 
 scape. 
 
 The antique, and the living sub- 
 ject, are easily accessible. They 
 may both be successfully studied 
 under the roof of Somerset House. 
 But there is no roof, except the 
 canopy of heaven, under which 
 the landscape painter can study 
 with advantage. Man, or his 
 image, may be moved at pleasure; 
 
INTRODUCTIOSr. Vll 
 
 but mountains remain eternally 
 on their bases, and rivers flow in 
 an unchanging current, far from 
 the seat of rank and opulence, 
 and the consequent residence of 
 those artists, (and many they are) 
 who prefer drinking the stream 
 after it has passed through a 
 variety of impure channels, to 
 resorting to the fountain head. 
 This cause combines with the 
 influence of fashion, and the 
 most opposite manners are thus 
 generated. Those who are wrong 
 do not even wish to be right ; but, 
 viewing all nature through the 
 medium of a confirmed manner, 
 pronounce every thing in art to 
 be erroneous that does not exactly 
 correspond with their practice. 
 Without, in the slightest degree, 
 
Vlll INTRODUCTION* 
 
 intending to depreciate the merit 
 of the landscape painters of the 
 present day, among whom there 
 are artists of the greates^ talents, 
 the writer confidently appeals to 
 the walls of the Royal Academy, 
 of the British Gallery, and of the 
 two Water-colour Societies, for 
 proofs of the different modes in 
 which different landscape painters 
 have been taught, or have taught 
 themselves, " to see nature,'' as it 
 is termed. 
 
 Yet nature is invariable. — 
 Eully sensible of his own defects 
 as an artist, defects arising in a 
 great degree from causes con- 
 nected with the foregoing obser- 
 vations, the writer settled at Am- 
 bleside in the year 1800, with a 
 view to remedy his errors. The 
 
INTRODUCTION", IX 
 
 object which he has unceasingly 
 pursued for the last ten years has 
 been to divest himself as much as 
 possible of manner, and to adhere 
 as faithfully as possible to nature. 
 How far he may have succeeded, 
 it is not for him to determine. 
 
 Proposals were made in the 
 spring of 1807, for publishing- 
 sixty prints from sketches of his 
 largest size. In 1808, thirty of 
 the sixty were laid before the 
 public; in 1809, twelve more; 
 and the remaining eighteen are 
 now published. He trusts that 
 they will be found good examples 
 for beginners in the art, who may 
 wish to acquire some mechanical 
 facilit}- before they apply to 
 nature herself. For the accom- 
 modation of those who prefer 
 
X INTRODUCTION". 
 
 smaller prints, the writer pub- 
 lished, last summer, a set of 
 seventy-eight plates, price live 
 guineas; to be had, of the pub- 
 lishers of the present work. 
 
A DESCRIPTION, ^c. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 CONISTON WATER. 
 
 c 
 
 ONISTON water is six miles in 
 length, and the greatest breadth three 
 quarters of a mile ; it is encircled by an 
 excellent road, which is often on the 
 margin of the water and scarcely ever a 
 mile from it: the most interesting part of 
 this road is that which lies on the 
 eastern side of the lake, and is a part 
 of that usually travelled by tourists in 
 their way to Coniston, or Hawkshead, 
 from Ulverstone. 
 
 The views on this road are interest- 
 ing by their variety and their beauty, 
 all the way from Nibthwaite, which 
 lies at the foot, to the New Inn, which 
 
is at the head of the lake : the first 
 view after leaving Nibthwaite is of the 
 Man, a mountain somewhat conical, 
 and of other summits scarcely inferior 
 in height. — This grand cluster of Lan- 
 cashire mountains, probably covering 
 an horizontal area of thirty square 
 miles, is joined by those of Cumber- 
 land and Westmorland, five or six 
 miles west and north of the head of 
 the lake ; advance a little, and the 
 mountains of Yewdale will present 
 themselves, and beyond them, those of 
 Rydal and Grasmere, aerial by distance, 
 will not fail to give pleasure to the 
 mind capable of being moved by all 
 bounteous and ever-varying nature. 
 
 The view here presented is a mile 
 from the foot of the lake, and is of the 
 Man mountain, or, as it is more fre- 
 quently called, the Old Man, with the 
 pointed summit of Enfoot on the right, 
 and Dove Crag on the left, a range of 
 line probably more picturesque than is 
 
exhibited by these mountains on any 
 stand from or near the road before 
 spoken of;' the middle grounds and 
 foregrounds are, however, better on 
 some stations north of the one here 
 chosen. 
 
 The shores on this side of the lake 
 are varied with bold promontaries and 
 islands, and travelling northward the 
 middle ground materials improve and 
 become highly interesting, when about 
 two miles from the head of the lake; 
 Coniston Hall is here a good object, 
 though probably half a mile distant, 
 and will serve as a principal to the 
 sprinkling of farm houses and cottages, 
 which compose the village of Coniston. 
 These buildings are agreeably dispersed 
 over gentle eminences, intersecting 
 each other in easy and elegantly undu- 
 lating lines. Coniston Hall is a pic- 
 turesque old building; it is partly in 
 ruins, and a considerable portion, not 
 only of the ruined, but the habitable 
 
 B 2 
 
4 
 
 parts, covered with ivy; trees have 
 been suffered to remain near the hall, 
 and they are in unison with it, being 
 chiefly aged sycamores ; nor are the 
 farms and cottages without their accom- 
 paniments of wood, which, though of 
 humble growth, are scattered about 
 the buildings and enclosures in groups, 
 hedge-rows, and in single trees. The 
 Old Man and his neighbours finish the 
 scene in a grand style, which, though 
 generally fine, is rendered infinitely 
 more interesting when seen after much 
 rain, by that variety of sparkling water- 
 falls which issue from the fissures of 
 the mountains. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 BUILDINGS AT CONISTON WATER- 
 HEAD. 
 
 The New Inn at Waterhead stands 
 near the head of the lake, and this scene 
 is upon the road from the church and 
 
5 
 
 village of Conistoa, by that inn to 
 Ambleside; it is about two or three 
 hundred yards from the inn, and that 
 distance from the mansion house, called 
 
 Waterhead, the property of Knott, 
 
 Esq. and which is still nearer Am- 
 bleside. 
 
 An artist will make various useful 
 selections from these buildings, under 
 different points of view, and he may 
 gain advantage from studies of the 
 local colouring. 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 YEWDALE, NEAR GONISrOK, 
 
 The valley of Yewdale lies about 
 a mile north-west of Coniston Water- 
 head. 
 
 Near the house, part of which i& 
 seen in this view, is the famous yew 
 tree, tall and beaptifully picturesquCj 
 but not umbrageous like these of Pat-- * 
 terdale and Lorton ; the hill on the - 
 
 B 3 
 
6 
 
 right is Raven Crag, that in the distance, 
 Enfoot. 
 
 From the roads intersecting each 
 other in Yewdale and its vicinity may 
 be collected useful materials for the 
 use of landscape painting ; but tliat 
 road is thought to be the most valuable 
 for this purpose which leads from Co- 
 niston church through Yewdale and 
 Tilberthwaite to Ambleside. The 
 slate quarries in Tilberthwaite are 
 well worth the attention of strangers. 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 ROTHAY BRIDGE, NEAR AMBLESIDE. 
 
 This bridge which spans the Rothay^ 
 is half a mile from Ambleside, on the 
 road to Hawkshead, and Whitehaven, 
 over the mountains Hardknot and 
 Wrynose: — and this view is made on 
 the road from Kendal to Whitehaven, 
 over the above mountains, and joins 
 that from Ambleside at the foot of the 
 
bridge. The Rydal fells (the moun- 
 tains are here generally called fells) 
 beginning with Nab Scar, and ending 
 with Fairfield, close the scene. 
 
 No. 5. 
 
 AMBLESIDE FROM THE GALE, 
 
 Ambleside and Keswick are the 
 places principally from which the Eng- 
 lish lakes, and the mountains and val- 
 lies lying around them, are visited. 
 
 The population of Keswick is, at 
 least, double that of Ambleside, 
 and the inns and lodging houses are 
 proportionably numerous : there is 
 likewise an activity and industry on the 
 part of those whose business it is to 
 shew, and to describe the surrounding 
 country to strangers, which have been 
 the means of rendering it more known, 
 and consequently, as yet, more valued 
 as a station, than Ambleside ; but this 
 value exists not in reality, for the 
 
8 
 
 beauties of Ambleside are numerous 
 and highly interesting, as all will see 
 who shall ascend to Skelgill ; or visit 
 Troutbeck, by the public road from 
 Ambleside or Low Wood; Winder- 
 mere; the vales of Great and Little 
 Langdale; the various accesses to 
 Loughrigg Fell, and tracing the lines 
 upon that fell best calculated for the 
 exhibition of its various panoramic 
 scenes; the road from Kothay bridge 
 to Grasmere church, keeping the river 
 and lakes on the right hand ; Stock 
 Gill; Scandale Beck ; Rydal ; the wa- 
 ter-falls and park at Rydal; Sweden 
 bridge by Scandale lane, returning on 
 the opposite side of the stream, and 
 over the bridge at Nookend to Amble- 
 side; Wansfell Pike; Fairfield; and 
 various other charming places in which 
 this district so luxuriantly abounds. 
 
 Derwent water is a fine lake, and 
 there are many grand, romantic, and 
 beautiful scenes near Keswick; but 
 
'till Ambleside and Keswick shall be 
 more equally and generally known, no 
 popular decision can with propriety be 
 given in favour of either the one or the 
 other place. The writer, not only for 
 visual gratification, but for study, pre- 
 fers Ambleside, after having with great 
 attention examined both districts; and 
 under the influence of this feeling, he 
 settled himself at Ambleside. 
 ! The Gale is a field above that in 
 which the fir trees stand as we enter on 
 the Kendal road, the more embodied 
 part of the village, and the most plea- 
 sant way of approaching this field on 
 leaving the inns, is on the public road, 
 by the fir trees and Gale house, entering 
 the Gale field at the back of that 
 house. 
 
 The scene in nature, from the Gale, 
 comprehends more than half a circle, 
 and the part which is here chosen, is 
 looking towards the park and moun- 
 tains of Rydal ; the buildings nearest 
 
10 
 
 the eye are a part of the market-place; 
 that over the end of the foot path is 
 the Salutation inn-^part of the exhibi- 
 tion-house appears between the fir 
 trees — the ancient building in the centre 
 of this view, belongs to Mr. Edward 
 Partridge, who resides in that part 
 of it which is nearest the Salutation; 
 and beyond this building appears 
 Green Bank, the property of Matthew 
 Harrison, Esq. and residence of the 
 Misses Knott. Rydal hall and Rydal 
 mount may be discovered beyond the 
 fir trees. 
 
 No. 6. 
 
 WIND£RM£RE» 
 
 Windermere is the largest lake in 
 England, being twelve miles long; about 
 the head it is considerably more than a 
 mile in breadth, and between the head 
 and the islands which are about halfway 
 down the water, it is seldom less than 
 
11 
 
 a mile ; but it narrows gradually from 
 the islands to Newby bridge, which 
 lies at the foot of the lake. 
 
 Windermere may be conveniently 
 navigated from all the inns around it, 
 there being boats upon that lake be- 
 longing to the inns at Ambleside, Low 
 Wood, Bowness, the ferry house, and 
 Newby bridge. Ambleside is little 
 more than half a mile from the head 
 of the lake, and the other houses be- 
 fore spoken of, are all of them near it: 
 the Ambleside boats are usually moored 
 at a place called the landing, which is 
 at the junction of the rivers Rothay 
 and Brathay^ not three quarters of 
 a mile from the village. — Nothing can 
 exceed, for beauty, the scenery between 
 the landing and the head of the lake, 
 and the wooded rocks which lie near 
 the river's mouth combine with the 
 Ambleside and Rydal mountains, so as 
 to make excellent pictures — but the 
 finest water view from the head of 
 
12 
 
 Windermere is about half a mile down 
 the lake, having the boat at an equal 
 distance frora the eastern and the wes- 
 tern shores. This is that anchorage, 
 were it possible to anchor here, from 
 which the mountains of Coniston, 
 Little and Great Langdale, Loughrigg, 
 Rydal, Ambleside, and Troutbeck, the 
 high grounds of Applethwaite, Orrest, 
 Bowness, and Cartmel fell, and the 
 lands above Wray, as from one station 
 on the water, are seen to the greatest 
 advantage. 
 
 Brathay house and Old Brathay, the 
 property of Henry Law, Esq. the 
 former the residence of John Harden, 
 Esq. and the latter of Charles Lloyd, 
 Esq. are in Lancashire, and compose 
 a part of the Langdale picture : the 
 Westmorland houses beginning with 
 Clappersgate cottage, Mrs. Freeman's, 
 which with Croft lodge and its fine 
 grounds, the property of Miss Pritch- 
 ard, are situate under Loughrigg fell. 
 
13 
 
 Ambleside in a line with Scandale fell, 
 exhibits various detached, and plea- 
 santly planted houses, several of them 
 built by Robert Partridge, Esq. and 
 one of them, Covey Cottage, is his 
 residence. Near the Kendal road and 
 about two hundred yards from the 
 head of the lake, stands a good house, 
 the property of William Newton, Esq, 
 who resides there ; and nearer the lake, 
 the comfortable habitation of that 
 respectable yeoman, Mr. Thomas Jack- 
 son. 
 
 Dove Nest, belonging to Mrs. Ben- 
 son, but at present inhabited by Ed- 
 ward Pedder, Esq. who has greatly im- 
 proved it, next claims our attention, 
 and Low Wood which appears close 
 to the water, is the last house in Am- 
 bleside. — Bowness is the last cluster 
 of houses observed on this side the 
 water; on the Lancashire side are 
 High and Low Kay. 
 
 LoNf Wood is a charming place for 
 
 c 
 
14 
 
 those who delight in boating, for the 
 pier is not fifty yards from the house. 
 This inn is something more than a mile 
 and a half from Ambleside, and of 
 course all worth attention in this(though 
 not quite so conveniently) may be 
 seen from Low Wood ; and if that 
 part of the lake about the Great Island 
 may be more frequently, and perhaps 
 commodiously, navigated from the 
 Ferry House, and from Bowness, than 
 from Low Wood and Ambleside, yet 
 during the season, parties are daily 
 sailing from the latter places to go 
 round the Great Island, and to see the 
 lake from the Station House. — An half 
 day's ride usually taken by those who 
 visit this country, is round the head of 
 the lake and across the ferry ; and may 
 be performed, with equal conveni- 
 ence, from Ambleside, Hawkshead, 
 the Ferry House, Bowness, and Low 
 Wood. 
 
 Bowness is six or seven miles from 
 
1.5 
 
 Ambleside, and Windermere is beau- 
 tiful from various high lands above 
 Bowness, particularly from Brant fell, 
 and the neighbourhood of Belman 
 Ground. The ride from the foot of 
 Windermere to Bowness is fine, and, if 
 stationed at that place, it will be proper 
 to cross the ferry and proceed by 
 Graithwaite to Newby bridge, return- 
 ing by Fellfoot, and Townhead; the 
 traveller will thus have the best scenery 
 before him on his return to his inn. 
 
 The Ferry House. — It is but justice 
 in speaking of the situation of this inn, 
 to say, that for deUcate, soft, and re- 
 posed scenery, it will seldom be ex- 
 celled ; abrupt objects rarely strike the 
 eye — all is stillness and harmony. 
 
 The Station House stands on a hill 
 above the ferry, and was built by Mr. 
 Brathwaite, from whom it was pur- 
 chased by John Christian Curwen Esq. 
 who likewise belongs to, and occasion- 
 ally resides upon, the island. The 
 
 c 2 
 
16 
 
 Station commands an extensive and en- 
 chanting view of Windermere, and 
 Curwen Island is the grand leading fea- 
 ture to which the eye is involuntarily 
 led. The house which has been built 
 upon it, notwithstanding what some 
 liave said, will, to many unaffected 
 people, appear well calculated as aa 
 ornament to the scene, and a suitable 
 place of residence for the enjoyment 
 of the local beauties of the island, the 
 lake, and the surrounding scenery. 
 
 Comprehended under that angle of 
 vision prescribed by the laws of per- 
 spective, all the principal islands with 
 the well Avooded Ferry House, are dis- 
 covered in this view, and give an ex- 
 traordinary richness to it ; the lands on 
 the opposite shores gracefully intersect- 
 ing each other, and abundantly deco- 
 rated with woods, are in unison with 
 the islands. Cultivation is extended 
 be3?ond the margin of the lake, hicrh 
 into Troutbeck and Applethwaite; and 
 
17 
 
 the scene is closed at many miles dis- 
 tant from the eye by grand mountains, 
 the principal of which is Hillbell. 
 
 Near the banks of the lake, on the 
 western shore, and to the left of the 
 Great Island, comfortably situated, 
 stands Calgarth, the seat of the Lord 
 Bishop of LlandafF; and over the other 
 end of the island, Brayrigg, that of the 
 Rev. Fletcher Fleming; Old Calgatrh 
 lies between these houses. Bowness, 
 with its church and the pleasantly dis-- 
 persed houses belonging to Mr. Taylor 
 and Mr. Grump, appear beyond Crow 
 Holm and the Ferry House. — South of 
 Bowness, on a beautiful promontory, 
 see Story, the property of Colonel 
 Bolton, who has recently added a mag- 
 nificent house to that built by the late 
 Sir John Ledger, Bart. — should the 
 grounds be appropriately decorated, 
 the mansion, with its appendages, will 
 be the most splendid on the banks of 
 Windermere, / 
 
 c 3 
 
IB 
 
 Th€ view down the lake, if not 
 equal to that over the island, is, at 
 least, pleasing ; it is featured with bays^ 
 several wooded promontories shooting 
 far into the water; these are princi- 
 pally Stor's and Rawlinson's Nab. 
 
 There is a walk round the Great 
 Island, which, much to the credit of 
 Mr. Curwen, is free to the public ; the 
 pictures are numerous from this walk, 
 and they are fine, especially when 
 combined with wood, of which there is 
 a profusion. 
 
 Some picturesque old oaks on the 
 northern end of the island, give value 
 to the Rydal, Ambleside, and Trout- 
 beck distances, rendering them addi- 
 tionally aerial by the boldness of the 
 contrast. 
 
 Boating in all direction^ from the 
 Ferry House and Bowness is charming, 
 but the eye will, perhaps, be particu- 
 larly gratified in the neighbourhood gi 
 
19 
 
 Thompson's Holm, and the Lily of the 
 Valley Holms. 
 
 This print of Windermere is from a 
 field near the turnpike gate at Water- 
 head, and is looking into Langdale — 
 Bow fell and Langdale pikes are the 
 principal features in the distance, but 
 a part of Loughrigg fell is on the right 
 — the houses at Brathay and Clappers- 
 gate assist in composing the middle 
 ground. — The trees on the left were 
 taken from the hedge- row on the right 
 hand, with a view to benefit the com- 
 position — for though the distances on 
 Windermere are exquisite, as seen in 
 nature ; yet, by their remoteness from 
 the eye, and the consequent monotony 
 of the lines composing those distances, 
 they generally require the aid of 
 other objects with a view to destroy 
 that monotony, and otherwise improve 
 the intended picture. 
 
 J 
 
20 
 
 • . No. 7. 
 
 COTTAGE AT AMBLESIDE. 
 
 This place, Avhich is called Kelsick 
 Buildings, is occupied by several peo- 
 ple, and is near the junction in Ani- 
 bleside of the Kendal and Hawkshead 
 roads. 
 
 ■i: ■ No. 8. 
 
 'BARK MILL, AMBLESIDE, 
 
 The Mills in Ambleside are four, 
 namely, a corn mill, a bark mill, a 
 woollen factory, and a turnery of wood 
 and ivory; they are all upon Stock 
 
 Gill. ,oUi 3i 
 
 Stock Gill rises in the screes on the 
 side of Scandale fell, not far from; 
 Kirkstone, and running west of the.' 
 high, middle, and low groves, passes- 
 through Ambleside, near, the Salutation: 
 inn, and joins the Rothay a quarter of 
 
21 
 
 a mile below the town, and about four 
 miles from its source. 
 
 The finest part of Stock Gill is com- 
 prehended oetvveen the woollen mill 
 and Stock Gill Force, a distance of 
 little more than half a mile, though on 
 some parts of the stream above the 
 force there are prett}- spots not unwor- 
 thy an artist's attention. At every step 
 from the bridge to the waterfall, the 
 river and its appendages exhibit either 
 good compositions or rich detached 
 pieces for the embellishment of land- 
 scape; the materials are beautifully 
 transparent, water rolling along the 
 rocky bed of the river in every variety 
 of shape ; and often displaying to the 
 eye the prettiest of waterfalls : the 
 margin of the stream is sometimes low, 
 but often steep and grassy banks, or 
 bold projecting rocks, rise to a great 
 height, and are luxuriantly cloathed 
 ^ith grand and picturesque trees, 
 fern, moss, and various other vegetation. 
 

 - \ 
 
 22 
 
 - ' 
 
 The bark mill is the property of 
 
 
 Messrs. Sewart, Tanners, in Amble- 
 
 
 side, 
 
 
 No. 9- 
 
 
 MILLS IN AMBLESIDE. 
 
 
 The Bark Mill in the last print, com- 
 
 
 poses likewise a part of the present. 
 
 
 and the water which turns the wheel 
 
 
 is conveyed in a spout from the corn 
 
 
 mill, which is seen upon the opposite 
 
 
 i side of the river.— The corn mill ad- 
 
 
 joins the bridge, which is the only one 
 
 
 in the town; the distant mountain is 
 
 
 Wansfell with its pike. 
 
 - 
 
 No. 10. 
 
 
 STOCK GILL NEAR THE SALUTA- 
 
 
 TION INN. 
 
 
 This view is about 150 yards above 
 
 
 the bridge ; Stock Gill, in this place 
 
 1 
 
 is passable when the water is small in 
 
25 
 
 quantity, because the rocks point 
 higli out of the bed of the river : from 
 the track discoverable between the eye 
 and the house, there is a fine retro- 
 spective view to Wansfell ; and tlie Sa- 
 lutation inn, with a peep at Winder- 
 mere, are not uninteresting objec^ts as 
 we approach the chapel, which is the 
 last building in the village, on the road 
 to Penritli over Kirkstone. 
 
 No. 11. 
 
 STOCK GILL. 
 
 About half the way to Stock Gill 
 Force, from Ambleside, is on the horse 
 road to the groves, and the remainder 
 of that way, after having crossed a 
 field about one hundred yards over, 
 is by the side of the brook ; and the 
 Stock Gill scene, here presented, is 
 taken near that part of the path which 
 joins the brook 
 
24 
 No. 12. 
 
 CHERRY TREE, STOCK GILLi 
 
 By some unaccountable mistake, the 
 large tree in this print is called a 
 cherry tree, but is in reality a species 
 of wych elm. — The wych elm and the 
 wild cherry tree grow luxuriantly and 
 to a prodigious size on the banks of 
 this little river. 
 
 No. 13. 
 
 STOCK GILL, AMBLESIDE. 
 
 This view is about one hundred yards 
 below the water- fall, and like the fore- 
 going three, is down the stream. 
 
 No. 14. 
 
 STUDY IN STOCK GILL. 
 
 This study of rocks and trees was 
 made thirty or forty yards below the 
 foot of the force. 
 
25 
 
 The ramifications of such trees as 
 hang on the steep banks of rivers are 
 usually wildly undulating, but straight- 
 ness is the peculiar character of such 
 as grow near the margins or out of the 
 beds of rivers. 
 
 No. 15. 
 
 STOCK GILL FORCE. 
 
 The beauties of this admired water- 
 fall are in a great degree lost to the 
 generality of visitors, because they 
 only see it from the foot-path, skirting 
 the top of a bank which rises to a 
 great height, and almost perpendicu- 
 larly from the bottom of the channel ; 
 and the spectator looks down upon the 
 scene, rather than upwards or hori- 
 zontally ; his view of the water is like- 
 wise considerably impeded by wood, of 
 which there is a redundancy. 
 
 The finest views are from the bottom, 
 and at some places a little above it; 
 
 D 
 
Wt few day© venture to the bottom, 
 particularly those females whose pedes-* 
 triaa excm-sions have chiefly been upon 
 the flat ; nay, the masculine gender are 
 often appalled with a view of the way, 
 and many a swaggering gentleman of 
 Bond Street, in his stable costume, 
 would rather hazard his neck four-in- 
 hand, than risk it having his arms pre- 
 cariously supported by the twigs and 
 branches he may find in his way to the 
 gulph below. 
 
 Several easy descents might be made 
 at no considerable expense, which if 
 well conducted, and the wood judi- 
 ciously thinned, would give this water-- 
 fall, on a comparison with others, that 
 high character it so justly deserves. 
 
 The master of the Salutation and 
 the writer, have, years ago, decided 
 on the existing necessity for such im- 
 provement, and determined, that while 
 one shall find ways the other shall fur- 
 ^hh. means ; but it has thus far unfor- 
 
ttinately, happened that the means hav% 
 been so engaged with spades and 
 ploughs, with halters and horse-whips, 
 as to be unprovided with leisure either 
 to amend their old ways, or to make 
 good new ones. 
 
 The falls are four; the stream being 
 divided at the top, produces two upper 
 and two lower ones, and parts of all 
 the four are seen from the foot-path 
 just mentioned ; on descending half 
 way, the person arrives at the bottom 
 of the upper, and top of the lower fall 
 nearest the side he stood upon. 
 
 The view before him is a pretty little 
 picture : the water in a volume tumbles 
 into a circular bason, from which it 
 again falls over a shelving rock, giving 
 it somewhat the appearance of an arti- 
 ficial fountain ; trees project wildly 
 from the encircling walls, which, addi- 
 tionally decorated with grasses, feriij 
 moss, and ether plants, give it, by 
 
 D 2 
 
28 
 
 their contrast in form and colour, a 
 beautiful appearance. 
 
 The scene which has been engraved 
 for this work, is made on the margin 
 of the stream, immediately under the 
 usual stand; but from several other 
 points the materials will be found to 
 combine with an equal, if not superior 
 interest, should parts be preferred to a 
 general view. 
 
 No. 16. 
 
 PELTER BRIDGE, RYDAL. 
 
 This bridge is a mile from Amble- 
 side, the fore-ground on the left is 
 brought from the other side of the 
 bridge, the draAving; beincr made out of 
 a flat field on the Loughrigg side of 
 the river Rothay- — the houses are the 
 beginning of the little village of Rydal, 
 on the road from Ambleside to Kes- 
 wick. 
 
The mountain over the less^f arch 
 of the bridge is Nab Scar, from a cettaitt 
 point of which there is, to a great ex- 
 lent of distance, an exquisite and 
 almost circular view of the country, 
 which is composed of mountains, lakes, 
 rivers, woods, and buildings ; and this 
 view, in its kind, is perhaps more 
 interesting than can be furnished by the 
 domains of Rydal from any othei' 
 summit. 
 
 No. 17. 
 
 COTTAGE AT RYDAL. 
 
 Part of the building here presented 
 is given in the preceding print, and 
 this view is higher on the river than the 
 bridge, from which it is not one 
 hundred yards ; the townships of Ry-' 
 dal and Ambleside divide on the top 
 of the mountain, the pointed summits' 
 of which are the high and low pikes. 
 Though this and the former view are^ 
 
30 
 
 of scenes in Rydal, yet they are made 
 from the township of Loughrigg. 
 
 The whole township of Rydal is 
 calculated by nature for producing 
 effects in the highest degree beautiful 
 and picturesque ; the middle and lower 
 grounds are composed of elegantly 
 undulating surfaces, which, if properly 
 attended to, might render its whole 
 and its parts, probably, at least, equal 
 to any thing of the kind to be met with 
 elsewhere. 
 
 The park commences near the hall, 
 and advancing considerably up the hill 
 towards the pikes, commands noble 
 prospects of the lakes of Rydal and 
 "Windermere, which, aided even by the 
 trees still standing, render it a most 
 desirable place for those who delight 
 in contemplating the beauties of iTature. 
 Some fine trees still remain, but the 
 writer has, with great regret, been 
 witness to the despoiling of some rich 
 and heavenly compositions by an im* 
 
31 
 
 proper application of the axe ; impra- 
 per as applied to the feelings of the 
 picturesque observer, but not as a 
 means of enriching the proprietor, and 
 of contributing towards the comforts 
 of the public at large. 
 
 Mr. Landseer, in the New London 
 Review, has given a most scientific and 
 detailed account of seventy-eight stu- 
 dies from nature, published by the 
 writer in 1809 ; and though the exami- 
 nation is creditable to him, yet as that 
 thinking observer, Mr. Landseer, has 
 expressed his surprise that the writer, 
 after having called the vale of Gras- 
 mere beautiful, should advise the pro- 
 prietors to improve it by attending to 
 their trees, he thinks it necessary in 
 the present place to make some obser- 
 vations on that subject. 
 
 It does not appear that the landed 
 proprietors among these mountains 
 feel a necessity for improvements of this 
 aort, by the havoc that is from time to 
 
time displayed in the felling of theii* 
 woods and coppices, and with a view 
 to benefit those proprietors, he has 
 advised them to propogate trees of 
 various sorts, and in such places as are 
 likely to produce ultimately the greatest 
 quantity of benefit and beauty; to 
 encourage all favourites, particularly 
 those in interesting situations, by that 
 kind of attention that will produce a 
 rapid growth ; to leave on every estate 
 at least as many trees as acres that 
 are tolerably advanced towards a 
 state of maturity, always taking care 
 to have a succession of younger 
 plants, that they may be enabled to 
 enrich themselves while they are an- 
 nually adding to the celebrity of their 
 possessions ; thus causing utility and 
 beauty to go hand in hand ; for every 
 man knows, at least every man of taste 
 knows, that in all frequented vallies, 
 particularly such as are not only envi- 
 roned by high mountains, but the bot- 
 
s 
 
 ti 
 
 fcoms of which are of uneven sur- 
 faces, that land will sell for most 
 money which is the most beautifully 
 wooded. 
 
 Grasmere is beautiful, but infinitely 
 less so than it would be if graced by 
 groups and single forest trees of a 
 large growth, not only in the vallies 
 but on the sides of the mountains. — 
 Grasmere is beautiful, but that beauty 
 depends, however extraordinary it may 
 appear, on the multitude of its land 
 owners, for were Grasmere the property 
 of one person, he might exterminate 
 the wood in a spring ; but fifty men 
 are seldom in one humour, and th<; 
 beauty of Grasmere, as far as depends 
 on its woods, is the effect of accident, 
 not of design. 
 
 But chance can never do more than 
 intention, unless that intention be un- 
 der the influence of a false taste ; the 
 genius of this country imperiously de- 
 mauds a true taste, or no taste a tall, 
 
34 
 
 in which case every farm within twenty 
 miles of Langdale pikes should have 
 a different landlord. 
 
 True taste does not, in conspicuous 
 places exhibit large plantations or 
 lumps of evergreen, in circles, in 
 squares, in parallelograms, or in any 
 other mathematical figure, nor often 
 in rows. Ancient evergreens are, 
 however, sublime objects ; but as every 
 thing is young before it is old, in order 
 to obtain this sublimity, care must be 
 taken by every possible means first to 
 procure beauty; for which purpose, 
 amongst other necessary attention, it 
 will be proper, by occasionally thinning, 
 to keep the heads of such youthful 
 plants asunder ; for the purse and the 
 eye will suffer much where this, as a 
 principle, has not been attended to. 
 
 Many evergreens in one group sel- 
 dom appear to advantage ; nor do they 
 associate well in plantations with de- 
 ciduous trees ; for which reason they 
 
should be obscured by other trees, in 
 places where their growth is considered 
 necessary for the well being of the 
 neighbouring community. 
 
 Occasionally appearing on the sum- 
 mits, or on the sides of knolls, aged 
 evergreens, if well distributed, have 
 a good effect ; they are likewise grand 
 accompaniments to halls or farm houses 
 of the ancient Westmorland construc- 
 tion ; and, of deciduous trees, the syca- 
 more is their best companion in such 
 situations. 
 
 It is not intended here to speak at 
 large of the trees best suited to the 
 genius of the mountains, nor of that 
 mode of combination by which the 
 landed proprietors may ultimately ag- 
 grandize their families ; that has been 
 attempted in the work before spoken 
 of; but it may not be improper now 
 to offer a few general remarks to such 
 as have large estates, and have no dis- 
 inclination to improve them. 
 
Coppice wood is usually cut down 
 in this country every fourteen or six- 
 teen years, for the uses of coaling, 
 fuel, hoop making, bobbin turning, 
 and for various husdandry and other 
 purposes ; and it is, in a general way, 
 performed indiscriminately — some 
 owners, however, suffer oaks, and some- 
 times ash trees to remain, but it is 
 mostly in such a way that the new 
 shoots can derive little advantage from 
 them as shelter. 
 
 Property is not injured but rather 
 enhanced in value by suffering out of 
 coppice wood a considerable propor- 
 tion of trees to remain, particularly 
 if they are such as are grown from 
 plants, are beautiful, sound at the 
 roots, and otherwise healthy ; oak, ash, 
 and birch, are the best adapted to 
 answer this purpose ; and they are trees 
 which will always be admired as lone 
 as there is any feeling for that diversity 
 of character so bountifully distributed 
 
37 
 
 over the face of nature. — Large trees^ 
 shelter small ones, and greatly promote 
 their growth, if lying on the east and 
 north ; and the business of the owner, 
 previous to the application of the axe, 
 will be at once to consult his imme- 
 diate and future interest by the preser- 
 vation of such trees as will, by a pro- 
 per attention to their species and com- 
 bination, render to the place charms 
 unknown before, and advantage to the 
 future growth of the wood after the- 
 business of feUing has been performed. 
 In the smaller work, notice has been 
 taken of several estates bordering 
 Derwent Water, and of certain bene- 
 iits to be derived from a reduction of 
 the wood on those estates, and the 
 writer will avail himself of the pre- 
 sent opportunity to speak of the 
 way in which he conceives the lower 
 grounds at Rydal might be improved. 
 Should his advice be attended tOj 
 he trusts that the result will eventually 
 
produce riches to the proprietors, and a 
 splendour of beauty to the place few 
 would calculate upon. In offering 
 these opinions, he is influenced by two 
 motives, the first, gratitude for the 
 liberty allowed him of studying in the 
 park, where he has alone, and in com- 
 pany with other privileged individuals, 
 spent many happy days in the con- 
 templation of scenes, which, in their 
 kind, he has never seen equaled; the 
 second, that of gratifying public taste 
 by the proposed improvements. 
 
 The writer will here confine himself 
 to the lower grounds in that part of 
 Hydal which lie to the east of the 
 Rothay, and the little river proceed- 
 ing from the water-falls. 
 
 Scandale bridge is a quarter of a 
 mile from Ambleside on the Keswick 
 road, and the feelings of many are 
 oppressed with gloom, till they are 
 relieved, half a mile beyond that bridge, 
 by a sight of Rydal hall, the first view 
 
39 
 
 of which is fine ; but the traveller not 
 having considered the subject, is sel- 
 dom able to discover why he dislikes 
 this half mile. 
 
 In viewing the external surface of 
 nature, man is generally more pleased 
 with her spontaneous productions than 
 with the works of art upon that surface, 
 and well he may be, when art so fre- 
 quently tends to disfigure the fair face 
 of nature — but it is not meant that in 
 the district here spoken of, art, as 
 intending to mould nature into beauty^ 
 was ever thought of. 
 
 Utility has been the main designer 
 here, and has divided an extensive 
 district into various large inclosures, 
 some of which have been uniformly 
 covered with wood, and it has exclu- 
 sively appropriated the rest to the pur- 
 poses of agriculture, save where here 
 and there clumps of firs have been 
 planted, but generally so near together 
 
 £ 2 
 
40 
 
 as to be prevented from ever rising 
 into grandeur. 
 
 A thick wood, which has been undis- 
 turbed for a long time, is uniformly a 
 repetition of the surface on which it 
 stands, and is more unpleasant to the 
 eye than were its produce grass rather 
 than trees ; but such woods interrupted 
 alternately by bare fields are uniformly 
 heavy and disgusting. 
 
 The cultivated eye requires variety, 
 and will not allow of monotonous repe- 
 tition, which here, though so generally 
 displayed, would, by the moderate la- 
 bour of two springs, be entirely de- 
 stroyed, and so modified as to appear 
 like another country ; for the materials 
 for this purpose are chiefly on the spot. 
 
 It seems that at some time a road 
 has been intended from Scandale bridge 
 to the hall, chiefly the breadth of a 
 field to the east of the turnpike road ; 
 this is a charming track, as it opens 
 finely on the mountains : there is here 
 
41 
 
 to the left, likewise, more of distribu- 
 tion in the trees than from the public 
 road. 
 
 Preparatory to the use of the axe, 
 the woods must be carefully examined 
 in order to discover all such trees as, 
 by their stateliness, elegance, or beauty, 
 may eventually give grace to the 
 scenery; and these trees must be so 
 marked as to be distinguished from 
 those which are intended to be cut 
 down. The most interesting points 
 upon the roads and on the land must 
 then be ascertained, by moving in all 
 directions till the objects between the 
 eye and the distance compose in the 
 best order ; and as the trees in many 
 situations may obscure various valu- 
 able matter, those trees must be 
 marked, as necessary to be removed. 
 
 In the woods at Rydal, amongst the 
 deciduous trees there are evergreens of 
 different sorts, but chiefly of the fir 
 tribe ; but the number of those ever-, 
 
42 
 
 greens is proportionably small, and they 
 are generally so situated that first being 
 cleared to some distance of the annu- 
 ally leafing trees, and afterwards taste- 
 fully reduced in their numbers, they 
 would become objects of great interest 
 from all parts of the valley ; for dark 
 firs ought never to be exhibited in im- 
 mediate contrast with other trees, par- 
 ticularly such as are occasionally of 
 brilliant tints ; those in the fields ought 
 likewise to be thinned; and, where prac- 
 ticable, the removed trees transplanted 
 to a little distance, and in such a way 
 as to produce a picturesque irregu- 
 larity. 
 
 Among many points of view, some 
 one will be better than the rest ; and 
 this point, particularly if from a road, 
 is the first to be attended to : the genius 
 of every other point must likewise be 
 consulted, and openings made in the 
 woods from each of them, so as to 
 produce the finest pictures the nature 
 
43 
 
 of the materials will allow of; always 
 attentively considering in thinning for 
 one station how the rest will be af- 
 fected by such thinning. Those trees 
 which have been marked for then' state- 
 liness, elegance, or beauty, must, how- 
 ever, for the present, remain untouched 
 till all the rest have been removed, and 
 the adjoining lands decorated by trans- 
 planting from the woods the most 
 beautiful and the largest trees that are 
 likely to grow from such transplanting^ 
 All the new associations on the out- 
 sides of the woods must be of various 
 sorts of trees ; several of the same 
 kind ought, notwithstanding, to be 
 massed as the principals of the groups 
 in which they stand ; these groups must 
 likewise be of many different sizes, 
 and so placed as to add a grace and 
 dignity to what had previously been 
 performed. 
 
 The business of cutting and of trans- 
 planting being done, it will exhibit not 
 
44 
 
 only all heretofore hidden beauties^ 
 but the most consistent arrangement 
 of the removed trees with those remain- 
 in the woods ; and this will be the 
 business of the first season, and must 
 be executed at that period of the 
 winter which will answer best the 
 double purpose of transplanting those 
 trees, and of disposing of such as are 
 to be cut down. 
 
 The ejisuing summer will shew the 
 result of what has already been 
 attempted, and of what will be proper 
 to be done the following v. inter; for 
 which purpose the ground must be re- 
 surveyed, and as many of those stately, 
 elegant, and beautiful trees first marked, 
 must be cut down at the proper season, 
 as by their removal will give additional 
 beauty to the whole, and to the parts 
 taken individually. 
 
 All the transplanted trees must be 
 such as have grown in a proper depth 
 ©f soil, Notwitiistanding every care 
 
45 
 
 in their removal some of them 
 may die, in which case they must be 
 succeeded either by others of the same 
 sort, or by plants taken from the nursery. 
 
 After cutting, it would be best, par- 
 ticularly where many trees have been 
 removed, to pluck up the remaining 
 stub or tree roots, and plant the whole 
 of that part afresh ; and amongst other 
 sorts of trees, with oak, ash, birch, 
 larch, sycamore, and black Italian 
 poplar — but should this mode be gene- 
 rally thought too expensive, it cannot 
 be amiss to examine the roots, and 
 after having removed the unsound ones, 
 to substitute nursery plants in their 
 places. 
 
 In prominent situations, grassy banks 
 between groups of trees have a fine 
 effect, and must occasionally be dis- 
 played by an eradication of the stub, 
 and wherever it is possible to intro- 
 duce large surfaces of rock, particularly 
 if it can be combined with wood, this 
 
4i 
 
 must be done, but with all due atten- 
 tion to the nature of the subject. 
 
 The writer is anxious that w^hat he 
 has here offered, should not be consi- 
 dered as an impertinent intrusion of 
 opinion; he sincerely declares that, 
 excepting the one before spoken of, he 
 has no end to answer by it but the intro- 
 duction of a better taste. What he 
 has said about Rydal, will apply with 
 equal propriety to other parts of the 
 country; and it would be a considerable 
 addition to his pleasures, if hy his 
 written or verbal observations he could, 
 in any degree, be the means of instilling 
 into gentlemen, yeomen or stewards, 
 that feeling by which they might render 
 their properties more valuable, and the 
 face of this charming country infinitely 
 more pleasing. 
 
No. 18. 
 
 LOWER FALL AT RYDAL. 
 
 Highly to the credit of the Rydal 
 family, who have given to the public 
 a sight of the falls, excellent foot-paths 
 have been made to them from the road : 
 this view is from a summer-house 
 which is near the hall, and is a scene 
 as complete in its kind as any in the 
 country. — What Mr. Gilpin has excel- 
 lently said of this fall, will be more 
 properly applied to it as observed from 
 a bank a few yards above the summer- 
 house than from it. — " The water falls 
 within a few yards of the eye, which 
 being rather above its level, has a long 
 perspective view of the stream, as it 
 hurries from the higher grounds, tum- 
 bling in various little breaks through 
 its rocky channel, darkened with thicket, 
 till it arrive at the edge of the pre-*^ 
 cipice before the window, from 
 
48 
 
 whence it rushes into the bason, which 
 is formed by nature in the native rock.'^ 
 
 No. 19. 
 
 SCENE NEAR RYDAL HALL. 
 
 This view is on the river between 
 the lower fall and the wooden bridge, 
 passed on the way to the upper fall; 
 and perhaps such a scene Shakspear 
 had in his " mind's eye," when he com- 
 posed Jaques's description of the bank- 
 rupt deer, in " As you like it." 
 
 No. 20. 
 Windermere, from rydal park. 
 
 We look towards the foot of Win- 
 dermere from Rydal park, which, 
 though a flat scene, is beautiful ; but 
 distances like the present are not calcu- 
 lated to please in outhne. This view 
 is given rather as an exhibition of the 
 oak trees, than of the lake; but the 
 
49 
 
 combination has, however, in nature, 
 a fine effect. 
 
 No. 21. 
 
 RYDAL WATER, FROM RYDAL PARK. 
 
 This view is taken near the south- 
 west corner of the park : Beyond the 
 lake appears the road to Keswick, at 
 about two miles and a half from Am- 
 bleside ; before the road reaches the 
 third mile, there is a fine view of the 
 lake and vale of Grasmere; Langdale 
 pikes and Bow Fell are the remote 
 objects in this scene, which scene, in 
 nature, under some circumstances of 
 effect, is of extraordinary beauty. 
 
 No. 22. 
 
 OAK, IN RYDAL PARK. 
 
 This picturesque stump is amongst 
 the highest oaks in the park, and till 
 lately, in the neighbourhood of several 
 
50 
 
 others, which were good subjects for 
 the pencil. 
 
 No. 23. 
 
 SCENE IN RYDAL PARK. 
 
 These oaks are near that last spoken 
 of, and are given as an example of 
 bold foreshortening; the distance be- 
 tween the trees is Nab Scar, north of 
 which the line of mountain stretches 
 nearly to Fairfield. 
 
 No. 24. 
 
 EOCKS ON LOUGHRIGG SIDE. 
 
 Part of Loughrigg Fell skirts the 
 western side of Rydal Water, and from 
 its; surface are many rocky projec- 
 tions; the study presented is about 
 half way up the hill, from the side of 
 the lake. 
 
^1 
 
 No. 25. 
 
 GOODY BRIDGE, IN GRASMERE, 
 
 The buildings in this scene are called 
 by the name of a stone bridge which 
 is lower down the river, and on the 
 way to Easedale from Grasmere church : 
 to improve the composition, the stepping 
 stones have been brought nearer to 
 the houses than they actually are : the 
 distance is Helme Crag, but the rocks 
 on its summit, called the Lion and the 
 Lamb, cannot be seen from this place, 
 
 Easedale is an arm of the vale of 
 Grasmere, well wooded and charm- 
 ingly sequestered among the mountains. 
 
 No. 26. 
 
 BRAaiERIGG GILL. 
 
 About four miles and three quarters 
 from Ambleside, on the Keswick road, 
 stands a smithy, and near to it a bridge, 
 
 F 2 
 
which is over Bramerigg Gill, and 
 this wild dingle is a few hundred yards 
 above the bridge ; the stream has its 
 source between Fairfield and Seat 
 Sandal, from which it rapidly descends 
 into Grasmere. 
 
 No. 27. 
 ST. John's vale. 
 
 This much admired valley opens 
 itself on the eye of the spectator about 
 ten miles from Ambleside, on his 
 approach to Keswick ; and this view 
 of it, is from a field on the right of 
 the mile stone, and chosen because the 
 mountains compose better than from 
 the crags on the opposite side of the 
 road ; but the traveller ought to have 
 his view from amongst these crags, as 
 the picture is thereby excellently be- 
 nefited by them as a fore-ground ; the 
 stony part of which was added to the 
 distance here presented. 
 
53 
 
 The rock of St. John, which vises 
 above Legberthwaite mill, and beyond 
 that rock Wanthwaite Crags, bound 
 the valley on the right, and the How 
 and Naddle Fell on the opposite side; 
 in a fine line see Saddleback end the 
 perspective. 
 
 Thrilmere, with good accompani- 
 ments, may be seen from the left hand 
 station, to which there is easy access, 
 a stile being left in the wall, probably 
 for the accommodation of the pic- 
 turesque observer. 
 
 > 
 No. 28. 
 
 helvellyn, from the foot of 
 leath's water, 
 
 Wyburn "Water, Thril Meer, or 
 Leath's Water, has its latter name 
 from the family of Leatb, who have 
 long resided at Dalehead, a venerable 
 edifice on the banks of the lake. 
 
 T^is view is from a part of the road 
 F 3 
 
54 
 
 Immediately west of the foot of the 
 lake, and Helvellyn, as seen from it, is 
 of a more interesting figure than is 
 displayed by it from other situations ; 
 its neighbouring summits being high, 
 leave generally but little of the moun- 
 tain to the view of the spectator, par- 
 ticularly from Coniston Water, Winder- 
 mere, and Ulls Water. 
 
 The woods on the opposite banks of 
 the lake are the property of John 
 Stanger Leath, Esq. and his house is 
 seen amongst them. — Between these 
 woods and the high mountains, winds 
 the road from Keswick to Ambleside ; 
 and the mile-stone six and ten is 
 not far distant from the house, and 
 immediately beyond it from the eye. 
 
 The beauties of Wyburn Water are 
 all seen from the western side. Mrs. 
 Radchffe, like others who have written 
 upon it, seems not to have deviated 
 from the turnpike road, for she says, 
 *' This is a long but narrow and un- 
 
55 
 
 adorned lake, having little else than 
 walls or rocky fells starting from its 
 margin." — It is to be regretted that 
 Mrs. Radcliffe did not traverse the 
 other side, for had she done so, the 
 public would doubtless have been much 
 gratified by her elegant description of 
 the scenes before her. 
 
 Wyburn Water may be visited from 
 Ambleside or Keswick, or from the 
 inn at Wyburn, which is not a mile 
 from the head of the lake ; but those 
 who would avail themselves of all its 
 beauties, must go round it. 
 
 The western side of the lake is to 
 be travelled only on foot or on horse- 
 back, the roads being sometimes steep, 
 but oftener rugged : the road from 
 Keswick over the bridges which cut the 
 lake in two, is about thirteen miles; 
 that round the head of the lake about 
 sixteen. — From Ambleside round the 
 foot of the lake is upwards of twenty- 
 
56 
 
 four miles, but over the bridges about 
 twenty. 
 
 Between the head of the lake and 
 Armbath, the property and residence 
 of Mr. Jackson, is a fine view of the 
 upper and lower waters, elegantly 
 adorned on their margins with woods, 
 and screened on the sides by the How 
 and Raven Crag ; Naddle Fell over the 
 foot of the lake is succeeded by Sad- 
 dleback. 
 
 On the road from Armbath to Raven 
 Crag, the scenery is occasionally very 
 fine, particularly looking on Helvellyn ; 
 and Raven Crag, from the point of a 
 bold promontory, is a sublime object: 
 About the outlet of the lake are many 
 picturesque birch trees, and in all 
 directions the distances from them are 
 not uninteresting : The margin of the 
 lake on the Dalehead side has its 
 charms of wood and water ; and Fisher 
 Crag, twin brother to Raven Crag, is 
 
57 
 
 110 bad object, when taken near the 
 island called Bucks Holm. 
 
 No. 29. 
 
 MILL IN LEGBERTHWAITE. 
 
 Legberthwaite and St, John's are 
 the same valley. 
 
 Legberthwaite mill is twelve miles 
 from Ambleside, on the road from that 
 place to Threlkeld, which lies under 
 Saddleback; the Threlkeld and Kes- 
 wick roads dividing about the eleventh 
 mile stone; the grand surface of rock 
 above the mill, is called the rock of 
 St. John. 
 
 No, 30, 
 
 DERWENT WATER, FROM CASTLE- 
 
 RIGG. 
 
 Derwent Water, as has been before 
 observed, is a fine lake, and its 
 beauties will be obvious to all who may 
 
58 
 
 vide round it, or see the circumjacent 
 country from the water, or go to 
 Castlerigg, which is a divine situation; 
 tor whether we look towards Borrow.- 
 dale or Newlands, Bassenthwaite or 
 Skiddaw, from Castlerigg, the eye will 
 not fail of being abundantly gratified. 
 
 Castlerigg is a mile from Keswick, 
 and about two hundred yards west of 
 the first mile stone on the Ambleside 
 road, and this view is from a field 
 north of the houses, and looking 
 towards the mountains of Borrowdale 
 and Wastdale, of which Great Gable 
 and Great-End are the most remote 
 from the eye ; the woods about the 
 village of Grange are seen at the head 
 of the lake, and over them Gate Crag, 
 which is succeeded by a mountain that 
 stretches itself north towards Cat Bells ; 
 Wallow Crag, richly dressed in wood, 
 screens the valley on the east. 
 
59 
 No. 31. 
 
 THE ISLANDS ON DERWENT WATER, 
 
 The site of the present scene is near 
 that of the last, but looking towards 
 the mountains of Newlands and Brai- 
 thwaite, and this view comprehends the 
 three large islands. 
 
 Lord's Island is beyond the trees, 
 
 and on the other side of the lake see 
 
 Water-end bay, at the extremity of 
 
 which stands that tasteful building 
 
 erected by Lord William Gordon, for 
 
 his occasional residence ; all the lands 
 
 bounding that side of the lake observed 
 
 here belong to his lordship. — Vicars 
 
 Island, late Pocklington's Island, now 
 
 the property of Colonel Peche, from 
 
 this place apparently in contact with 
 
 the mainland, is on the right, and St. 
 
 Herbert's on the left. The mountains 
 
 Swinside, Barrow, and Grisdale, with 
 
 its pike, are seen over Vicar's Island ; 
 
60 
 
 and at the St. Herbert's end of this 
 scene, the two Cat Bells, and beyond 
 them Hindsgarth in Newlands — the 
 centre is occupied by Causey Pike, 
 and the more distant mountain Gras- 
 niire, which mountain is the eastern 
 boundary of Crummock Water. 
 
 No. 32. 
 
 i)ERWENT WATER, FROM CROW PARK. 
 
 Crow Park was, within the recol- 
 lection of some people, covered with 
 ancient oaks ; now there are none. 
 
 Depredations of this sort are perpe- 
 tually making upon the domains of 
 taste ; sometimes by the rich, and 
 sometimes by their agents, in complete 
 ignorance of the intrinsic value of such 
 property. — Inclosed groups of trees 
 planted in proper situations would 
 restore the beauties of which this 
 country has been thoughtlessly de- 
 prived ; and the sons and daughters 
 
61 
 
 of the present generation would reap 
 the benefits of such an improvement. 
 
 The end of all human pursuits is to 
 procure to every individual the greatest 
 quantity of that peculiar kind of hap- 
 piness he is capable of enjoying : men 
 with minds devoid of cultivation, fre- 
 quently place their affections exclu- 
 sively on the accumulation of wealth, 
 and are seldom inclined so to educate 
 their children as to render them capable 
 of rationally enjoying that wealth when 
 it devolves to them. In the opinion of 
 such men, there is no security for 
 the preservation of their property, but 
 in their children being trained in the 
 industrious habits of their fathers, and 
 thus is insensibility to the objects of 
 taste perpetuated. 
 
 Where refinement with honourable 
 feeling and riches unite, every thing 
 may be expected. A human being thus 
 advantageously gifted, whatever may 
 be his peculiar pursuit in life, will 
 
 G 
 
62 
 
 always be influenced by a disposition 
 to contribute to the perfection of that 
 taste which he knows is the last and 
 highest ornament of the temple of 
 talents and virtue. 
 
 This view from Crow Park is into 
 Borrowdale. 
 
 Vicar's Island is a principal feature 
 in the middle distance, and it is to be 
 reached by boats from the pier on 
 the opposite shore ; in the neighbour- 
 hood of which pier are moored various 
 small craft for the navigation of the 
 lake; the rocks of Lowdore, with its 
 water-fall, are over the boat-house, 
 and to the left, the mountains of 
 Watenlath. Beyond Vicar's Island, 
 and over the middle of the lake see 
 Grange Fell, Grange Crag, Castle Crag, 
 and Gate Crag; the mountains beyond 
 Rosthwaite terminate the distance, of 
 which Rosthwaite Pike and Great End 
 Are the most considerable. 
 
65 
 
 No. 33. 
 
 DERWENT WATER, FROM ISTHMUS, 
 
 That point of the projecting shore 
 of Derwent Water called Isthmus, lies 
 north of Vicar's Island, and is covered 
 with trees, of which some are oaks of 
 a respectable growth. 
 
 Vicar's Island appears on the right, 
 and in the middle of the subject, 
 edging the lake, see Fnar Crag the 
 distance is Wallow Crag and votious 
 large rocks above Barrow Common. 
 
 No. 34. 
 
 FALCON CRAG, ON DERWENT WATER. 
 
 This view of the magnificient rocks 
 which rise above Barrow Common, is 
 taken from the point of land which 
 stretches itself into the lake near Bar- 
 row Hall — figures passing along the 
 
 G 2 
 
6'4 
 
 road over the common, will serve as a 
 scale by which the spectator may judge 
 of the magnitude of the scene before 
 him. 
 
 No. 35. 
 
 SKIDDAW, TAKEN KEAll LOWDORE. 
 
 Derwent Water with Skiddaw, as 
 
 here presented is from a field which 
 
 joins the road, and is on the east of 
 
 the stre^j, , ^^^jroceeding from the water- 
 faH 
 
 Vicar's Island, Ramp's Holm, and 
 Lord's Island are succeeded by various 
 en^ilosures skirting the base of Skiddaw; 
 the point of land from which the last 
 scene was taken is observable by its 
 projection into the lake — Falcon Crag 
 towers grandly on the right ; the 
 oak and ash trees were added from 
 the road. 
 
65 
 No. 36. 
 
 BARROW CASCADE. 
 
 Barrow Cascade lies at the back of 
 Barrow House, which is the property 
 of Joseph Pocklington, Esq. ; Barrow 
 House commands a fine view of Skid- 
 daw, with Derwent Water. 
 
 In every cascade there is a particular 
 quantity of water which is more plea- 
 sant to the eye than any other quantity; 
 and those who may view the one at 
 Barrow under favourable circum- 
 stances, will, it is trusted, be highly 
 gratified, and be ready to pronounce 
 it the most charming picture, of its 
 kind, among the mountains. The 
 course of the water has been diverted 
 from its original channel by Mr. Pock- 
 lington, who had previously excavated 
 the rock, and who has given the whole 
 to the public eye in its present beauty. 
 There are four places between the 
 
 G 3 
 
66 
 
 bottom and top of the fall from which 
 it may be seen, the access to which is 
 easy: the view here given is from the 
 second of these stations. 
 
 A little building near the top of the 
 fall, in which there are seats, com- 
 mands a splendid view of Derwent 
 Water over the tops of the trees. 
 
 It was intended originally to describe 
 the scenes given here, locally, though 
 M ith some reference to the most promi- 
 nent features in their immediate vici- 
 nity, but the dull monotony of such 
 descriptions rendered it necessary to 
 connect the subjects by a chain ; but 
 out of this mode of description has 
 arisen something of the guide kind, 
 and the writer, knowing the country 
 better than the guide makers who have 
 ■written upon it, thinks that travellers 
 will gain some advantages by the peru- 
 sal of this little book ; and his intention 
 thus to serye them must be his apology 
 
67 
 
 for selling it either separately or with 
 the prints. 
 
 Now, though none of the present 
 publication of outlines are scenes on 
 Haws Water, Bassenthwaite Water, 
 Buttermere, Crummock Water, Lows 
 Water, or Ennerdale Water, the writer 
 thinks that, as a guide, the thing will 
 not be complete without something be 
 said on the avenues to those lakes. 
 
 The horse-road to Buttermere is 
 through the vale of Newlands, but the 
 carriage-road is part of the way on 
 the Cockermouth road over Whinlatter, 
 and through a part of the vale of Lor- 
 ton, by Crummock Water to the inn 
 at Buttermere, — The inn at Scale Hill, 
 (which is about half a mile from the 
 outlet of Crummock Water) and the 
 inn at Buttermere, are both of them 
 excellent stationary places ; from which, 
 to see Buttermere, Crummock Water, 
 Lows Water, and Ennersdale Water. 
 The inn at Buttermere lies at about an 
 
68 
 
 equal distance from the two lakes of 
 Buttermere and Crnoiinock; and the 
 mountains round the valley rise in 
 precipitous grandeur, to a great height. 
 Honister Crag, at the Borrowdale end 
 of the valley, is a steep high rock, 
 from the side of which is got an abun- 
 dance of slate. — The four conical 
 topped mountains, High Pike, High 
 Steel, High Crag, and Red Pike, are 
 on the western side of the lake of 
 Buttermere, and Robinson on the 
 eastern — the river connecting Butter- 
 mere and Crummock Waters, runs at 
 the feet of the western mountains, and 
 is about half a mile long — the inn is 
 at the bottom of the Keswick road, on 
 the east side of the vale, and the 
 intermediate grounds are of sweet 
 pasturage, with woods elegantly 
 sprinkled over it — Melbreak skirts 
 the eastern, and Rannerdale Knott, 
 Grasmire and Whiteside, the western 
 side of Crummock Water. 
 
69 
 
 Lows Water is the smallest of the 
 three lakes, and must be gone round 
 by such as have time and can conve- 
 niently walk three or four miles : there 
 is a pretty sylvan scene between the 
 lake and the eye, from the edge of the 
 common under Melbreak — the hills on 
 the east, west, and north sides, rise 
 gently from the water. The low 
 grounds are pleasantly ornamented with 
 meadows, out of which rise groups of 
 wood and single trees, alone and in the 
 hedge- rows. — Melbreak, Whiteside, 
 Grasmire, Rannerdale Knott, and 
 Honister Crag, are fine objects, when 
 seen from the head of Lows Water. — 
 The foot of Lows Water is about a 
 mile from the foot of Crummock Water, 
 and not a mile from the inn at Scale 
 Hill. 
 
 There is a road round Crummock 
 Water, but under Melbreak only for 
 horses and foot people : Scale Force is 
 a considerable water- fall, in a cleft of 
 
70 
 
 the hill between Melbreak and Red 
 Pike, it is about half a mile from the 
 head of Crummock Water; and those 
 ■who take the Scale Hill boat, or go 
 round the lake, will enjoy a fine view 
 of the two lakes of Crummock and 
 Buttermere from the side of Melbreak, 
 about two or three hundred yards 
 above a little rocky promontory called 
 Ling Crag. — Crummock Water must 
 be likewise attended to from the high 
 grounds between the outlets of the two 
 lakes, and from the road and the lake 
 on the western side, the Buttermere 
 mountains are in fine combination. 
 The views of the valley will likewise 
 give satisfaction, when seen from Ran- 
 nerdale Knott, a little higher than the 
 top of the old road over it— the new 
 road on the side of this hill does credit 
 to the projectors of it, and renders the 
 access to Buttermere, from Keswick, 
 much easier for carriages than it was 
 formerly. 
 
71 
 
 Ennerdale Water may be taken by 
 foot or horsemen from the inn at But- 
 termere, by keeping the road down the 
 meadows, and passing Scale Force on 
 the left to a little lake called Fluttering 
 Tarn, which must likewise be kept on 
 the left : This road, though of consi- 
 derable ascent, is not over the highest 
 part of the mountain ; and after having 
 gained the Tarn, the traveller will, from 
 the north-east, presently see Enner- 
 dale Water, which is, by many, thought 
 to be an interesting lake — from the inn 
 at Scale Hill the carriage road lies on 
 the eastern side of Lows Water through 
 Lampleugh; but the horse and foot 
 road is between Crummock and Lows 
 Water ; afterwards skirt Melbreak, which 
 keep on the left for some time, and 
 turn up the side of the hill to the right 
 to Fluttering Tarn, before spoken of. 
 
 The best views of the lake are about 
 one mile east of the foot; this is 
 inclosed ground, and the grouped and 
 
72 
 
 single trees are picturesque, and asso- 
 ciate well in composition with the dis- 
 tances : Bonus Knot, a mountain mass 
 of rugged rock, is the side screen on 
 the left, but this is contrasted by the 
 western boundary, which, excepting 
 at Anglingstone, is somethi>ncf smooth 
 and uniform in its height all the way 
 up the side of the lake : Among the 
 mountains at the head of the water, 
 are the Pillar and the Steeple. 
 
 There is a carriage road from Kes- 
 wick round Bassenthwaite Water, and 
 it is not of much importance which 
 side of the lake is first travelled ; the 
 Bassenthwaite side of the road is 
 between Skiddaw and ^ the lake, and 
 cannot be mistaken ; and either look- 
 ing forward or backward the scenes 
 are good, though not so great as those 
 in some other parts of the country. 
 The borders of the lake abound in 
 rich inclosures, scattered over with a 
 .luxuriance of trees. — Wilhop woods 
 
73 
 
 mass in a firm and grand manner as 
 seen from this side of the water ; the 
 road passes by Bassenthwaite Halls, a 
 few houses so called, to Ouse Bridge 
 between Armathwaite Hall, the seat 
 of Sir Fredrick Vane, Bart, and the 
 lake. — Ouse Bridge is over the river 
 Derwent, and at the foot of the lake. 
 From Armathwaite hall, the view down 
 the lake is exquisite in its kind, but 
 Helvellyn, by being removed ten miles 
 from the eye, is not remarkable in its 
 features as one of the component parts 
 of this picture. — From Ouse Bridge, 
 the road is by Peterhow, a rock 
 covered with wood, to the margin of the 
 lake on the western side; and Skiddavv 
 is a fine object for a few miles, though 
 exhibiting a very different face from that 
 assumed on Derwent Water: Dodd, 
 sometimes called Skiddaw's Cub, with 
 the low-lands at the head of the water 
 out-distanced by the mountains of St, 
 John's, make a good picture from the 
 
 H 
 
74 
 
 side of the lake under Withop Woods: 
 — return to Keswick, after leaving the 
 lake, by Brathwaite and Portinscale. 
 
 No. 37. 
 
 STONYCROFT BRIDGE. 
 
 Accident has given to the vale of 
 Newlands, a peculiar beauty in the 
 arrangement of its trees, for tli^y 
 belong to many people ; and it is fur- 
 ther highly interesting from the grand 
 mountains which surround it. 
 
 Stonycroft Bridge, in the vale of 
 Newlands, is four miles from Keswick, 
 on the horse-road to Buttermere — the 
 smeltery lately erected by W. E. Shef- 
 field, Esq. is on this stream, having 
 Rollingend on the left, and Barrow on 
 the right, and is something more than 
 a quarter of a mile above the bridge : 
 Causey Pike closes the scene. 
 
75 
 No. 38. 
 
 LOW SNAB, IN NEWLANDS, 
 
 Is the last house in that part of the 
 valley which branches towards Dale- 
 head, a mountain seen in the middle 
 of this view. 
 
 No. S9* 
 
 GRANGE, IN BORROWDALE. 
 
 All the way from Castlerigg to Bow- 
 der Stone is richly replete with fore- 
 ground studies, which will readily be 
 discovered by such as give themselves 
 the trouble to scramble up the sides of 
 the mountains. 
 
 The present foreground is taken 
 from the side of Grange Fell, and the 
 village and mountain beyond it were 
 introduced from the same point, after 
 having turned at right angles. 
 
 The village of Grange is four miles 
 H 2 
 
76 
 
 irom Keswick, and touristB pass 
 through Grange in their progress round 
 
 the lake. 
 
 No. 40. 
 
 ROAD BETWEEN GRANGE AND ViOVf- 
 DER STONE, 
 
 This part of the road from Keswick 
 to Bowder Stone, is about a quarter of 
 a mile from the bridge ; the distance 
 is a part of Grange Fell. 
 
 No. 41. ^ 
 
 BORROWDALE NEAR BOWDER STONE. 
 
 Bowder Stone is two or *three hun- 
 dred yards nearer Rosthwaite than the 
 place from which this view is taken ; 
 but, like the village of Rosthwaite, it 
 cannot be seen from this station, being 
 hid from the eye by the rocky fore- 
 ground on the left. 
 
 Rosthwaite, which is six miles from 
 
77 
 
 Keswick, is the centre of a tliree 
 grained valley (as it is termed in the 
 north), and the roads to Rosthvvaite 
 from Langdale and Wastdale run 
 through two of these erains on the 
 banks of streams, which, uniting below 
 the village, form the river Derwent; 
 the Derwenr, winding through the 
 rocky channel of the third grain, 
 empties itself into the lake a mile 
 below Grange. 
 
 Borrowdale, from the summit of a 
 green hill near Rosthwaite, exhibits an 
 extraordinar^mixture of sublimity and 
 beauty ; the surrounding mountains 
 being high, finely formed, and luxu- 
 riantly dressed in wood, from amongst 
 which rocks often appearing, give to 
 the whole an additional interest. 
 
 In the middle distance of the view 
 before us, on the right, rises from the 
 river Derwent, Castle Crag, but here 
 we do not see its summit; Rosthwaite 
 Pike and Glenamatara, majestically 
 
 H 3 
 
78 
 
 towering from the valley, close the 
 scene. 
 
 No. 42. 
 
 BOWDER STONE. 
 
 Mr. Pocklington, who is now the 
 proprietor of Bowder Stone, has pulled 
 down the walls v/ith which it was here- 
 tofore incumbered, and thereby ren- 
 dered it an excellent painter's study. 
 
 Bowder Stone is five miles from 
 Keswick, on the road to Rosthwaite. 
 
 No. 43. 
 
 rOLLY BRIDGE, IN BORRQWDALE. 
 
 The source of the river passing under 
 this bridge is in Sprinkling Tarn, 
 which, descending the mountain Sprink- 
 ling, unites itself with Sty Head Tarn; 
 and having reached the valley, winds 
 between the village of Seathwaite and 
 
79 
 
 the Black Lead Mines, to Folly Bridge, 
 which is half a mile from Rosthwaite. 
 
 On a stone erected near this bridge, 
 is engraved, ' 
 
 " I count it folly you have done, 
 As you have neither wiie nor son." 
 
 to which, by way of answer, the fol- 
 ing lines are added : 
 
 " Daughter I have, God give her grace, 
 And Heaven be her resting place." 
 
 No, 44. 
 
 BIRCH TREES, IN COOM GILL. 
 
 Coom Gill is engulphed in fantastic 
 scenery ; a water spout, in prodigious 
 volume, fell, many years ago, on the 
 mountain above, tumbling about rocks 
 and trees in the wildest confusion, as 
 may be seen by those who wish to visit 
 Coom Gill. 
 
 On this stream, and about two miles 
 
80 
 
 from Rosthwaite, is a mill, which has 
 furnished a subject for the smaller 
 series of engravings published in 1809, 
 and the birch trees are not much higher 
 than the mill. 
 
 No. 45. 
 
 STOCKLEY BRIDGE. 
 
 This is the last bridge in Borrowdale 
 on the road from Rosthwaite to Wast- 
 dale Head ; and is over a Gill, tumb- 
 ling down the southern side of the 
 mountain Sprinkling, which mountain 
 is the back-ground of this scene. 
 
 From Stockley Bridge, the road, 
 which is only for foot and horse people, 
 is up the northern side of Sprinkling, 
 and passing Sty Head Tarn to Sty 
 Head, displays a most stupendous 
 view of the Wastdale mountains, hav- 
 ing the steep and rugged sides of Ling- 
 mell and Great Gable as screens. 
 
 The road descends precipitately on 
 
81 
 
 the side of Gable, though not in a 
 line tolerably straight, but bearing 
 occasionally to every point of the com- 
 pass; and many a traveller will be 
 affrighted with the prospect of rocks, 
 which, wildly projecting from the sur- 
 face of the mountain, seem ready to 
 hurl destruction on him ; at last he 
 meets with ground somewhat less per- 
 pendicular, and more polished than 
 that he has left, for it is of soft turf; 
 and, travelling a mile or two, arrives 
 among the peaceful inhabitants at 
 Wastdale Head. 
 
 At Wastdale Head are six dwellings: 
 In this dale the wood is scanty, but as 
 it thrives well, it is a pity the shepherds 
 do not plant more ; for, by so doing, 
 they would make this sequestered 
 region a pastoral Paradise : From the 
 highest house in the valley it is scarcely 
 two miles to the bead of Wast Water. 
 
82 
 
 No. 46. 
 
 OVER BECK BRIDGE, IN WASTDALE. 
 
 The bridge on Over Beck is about 
 twenty yards from the lake, and a 
 mile from its head ; a farm called Bow- 
 derdale, the only enclosed land on 
 either side of the water, has for its 
 boundaries on three sides, the lake, with 
 Over Beck and Nether Beck : Bow^- 
 derdale between these streams is about 
 half a mile over. On the north of 
 Over Beck, in a fine line rises the 
 mountain Yew-barrow, which is the 
 back ground to the bridge ; the bridge 
 may likewise be so viewed as to have 
 Gable or Scho-fell as distances. 
 
 No. 47. 
 
 WAST WATER. 
 
 Wast Water is seen to the greatest 
 advantage by travelling, first to the 
 
83 
 
 foot, and then up its western side to 
 the head. 
 
 The head of this lake is in a straight 
 line, about fourteen miles north-west 
 of Ambleside ; but its approach from 
 Ambleside or Keswick, is either dif- 
 ficult or circuitous. 
 
 The best pedestrian road from Am- 
 bleside to the foot of Wast Water, is 
 over Hardknott and Wrynose, and 
 through the vale of Esk, by Sand- 
 holme bridge to Nether Wastdale; or 
 leaving Eskdale earlier, cross Miter- 
 dale, the Screes End, and Latter-bar- 
 row at half a mile from the foot of the 
 lake, either to the public house, or to 
 the nearest part of the road leading to 
 the lake : From Nether Wastdale, 
 travel the side of the lake, and by 
 Wastdale Head, up the side of Gable 
 to the Sty ; and leaving Sty Head Tarn, 
 Sprinkling Tarn, and Angle Tarn, all 
 on the left hand, drop down into the 
 vale of Langdale, and through it by 
 
84 
 
 Langdale chapel to Grasmere, and 
 Rydal Waters, which leave on the left, 
 and over Pelter Bridge to Ambleside. 
 Or from Sty Head, leaving the Tarn to 
 the right, pass through Seathwaite, 
 Rosthwaite (where there is an ale 
 house), and Stonethwaite ; and, keep- 
 ing Eagle Crag on the right, ascend a 
 steep hill, from the top of which, by 
 proceeding some time south-east, come 
 to the head of Easedale ; descend into 
 the valley, and passing Grasmere 
 church return to Ambleside. 
 
 The horse- road from Ambleside is 
 over Hard Knott, and Wrynose, through 
 Eskdale by Sandholme Bridge, to the 
 public house in Nether Wastdale ; from 
 thence, to Wastdale Head, and over 
 the Sty through Seathwaite, Stone- 
 thwaite, and over Borrowdale Stake, 
 through Great Langdale to Ambleside : 
 Or from Seathwaite by Rosthwaite to 
 Keswick, and back to Ambleside, as may 
 suit the inclination of the traveller. 
 
35 
 
 The carriage-road from Ambleside is 
 through Coniston, Broughton, and 
 over Birker Fell (a road somewhat 
 rugged), by Sandholme Bridge to 
 Nether Wastdale; or from Broughton 
 to Nether Wastdale, (enquire at 
 Broughton about the tides) by Bootle, 
 Ravenglass, or by Muncater : — As such 
 who take this tour in a carriage, must 
 not only approach, but return from the 
 lake through Nether Wastdale, they 
 will proceed up its side only as far as 
 they find it pleasant. 
 
 The bridges on Nether and Over 
 Becks are not of the safest, for, being 
 narrow and shabbily fenced (that is 
 picturesquely), some will not venture 
 their carriages over them. The writer, 
 in company with a friend, passed in a gig, 
 in 1809, that on Nether Beck, and would 
 have found no hesitation in proceeding, 
 but having arrived at Over Beck, a sight 
 of Yew-barrow, Gable, and Scho-fell, 
 from that place, was deemed sufficient. 
 
80 
 
 Carriages may be left at Nether Beck- 
 Bridge, if the party think proper to 
 proceed on foot to Over Beck, where 
 Yew-barrow assumes its best form ; and 
 from thence to the head of the lake, 
 or to Wastdale Head, just at the will 
 of the tourist. 
 
 Speaking of Wastdale Head, it may 
 be necessary to observe that the worthy 
 inhabitants of that at once hospitable 
 and inhospitable region, occasionally 
 accommodate the weary traveller with 
 iodgincf, and with food and raiment 
 too, from their kine and fleecy stores ; 
 for which, however, (with the Swiss 
 minister on the like occasion) they will 
 accept a gratuity ; and who would not 
 offer it with thanks for such hospitality, 
 particularly when conferred with a 
 politeness that would little be expected 
 by a southern Englishman. 
 
 The public house in Nether Wast- 
 dale has one spare bed, and its neigh- 
 bours can furnish more if wanted, an 
 
87 
 
 accomodation very desirable to such 
 as laying aside all fastidious feeling, 
 will, for their alamodes, their fricandos, 
 and their daubs, content themselves 
 with hung beef, with bacon and eggs, 
 and with old Jamaica rum; for of Eu- 
 ropean liquors (unless it be bad ale) 
 the house only affords that whole- 
 somer beverage, milk and water. 
 
 From Nether Wastdale pass through 
 Gosforth to Calder Bridge, near which 
 there are some beautiful remains of an 
 abbey, very well worth the attention of 
 the antiquary and the artist; and for 
 those who have a better taste for bread 
 than stones, there are two decent inns 
 near the bridge. Calder Bridge is 
 only four miles from Egremont, from 
 which return by Ennerdale, Lamp- 
 leugh, Lowes Water, Scale Hill, and 
 Keswick to Ambleside ; but, a better 
 road from Egremont to Keswick, 
 though not so pleasant to the eye, is 
 by Whitehaven and Cockermouth. 
 
 I 2 
 
S8 
 
 From what has been said about the 
 carriage road to Wast Water, it will 
 be evident that the same ground must 
 be gone over from Keswick as from 
 Ambleside, but in what direction to 
 the best advantage will not be easily 
 discovered; Coniston Water, Lowes 
 Water, and the road from Coniston 
 to Broughton would induce the tourist 
 to go south about, but that part of the 
 road which lies between Ambleside and 
 Keswick may, perhaps, throw the pre- 
 ponderance into the other scale. 
 
 The rout, on foot or horseback, from 
 Keswick to Wast Water, is by the inn 
 at Buttermere, Scale Force, (which 
 leave on the left) and over the moun- 
 tains by Fluttering Tarn to Ennerdale 
 Water, Ennerdale Bridge, Calder 
 Bridge and Abbey, Gosforth, Nether 
 Wastdale, and Wast Water; from 
 which return by Wastdale Head, Sty 
 Head Tarn, Seathwaite, Rosthwaite, 
 Bowder Stone, Grange, Lowdore, and 
 
'^9 
 
 Barrow, to Keswick ; and the traveller, 
 though his guide should propose to 
 proceed through Borrowdale rather 
 than Buttermere, must take the latter 
 way, because as the object of this 
 journey is to see Wast Water, he 
 would, if he went through Borrowdale, 
 pass from the head of the lake to its 
 foot, which is not so desirable as the 
 reverse. 
 
 But should the Scale Force road be 
 objected to for horses, the tour may 
 be made by Scale Hill, Lowes Water, 
 and Lampleugh, meeting the road 
 first spoken of at Ennerdale bridge. 
 
 Wast Water is four miles long, and 
 about three quarters of a mile over in 
 the broadest part ; on the Screes or 
 eastern side it is of a tolerably straight 
 line, but the opposite shores are 
 irregular, and appear beautifully em- 
 bayed when seen from the higher 
 2;rounds ; the road is up the western 
 side of the lake, often on its margin, 
 
 I 3 
 
90 
 
 and seldom more than one hundred 
 yards from it. 
 
 Wast Water has, in its composition, 
 more of the sublime than any other of 
 the English lakes, the mountains are 
 not only higher than the other moun- 
 tains of the country, but swelling 
 proudly above their intersecting bases, 
 each has a distinct and characteristic 
 appearance. 
 
 Mountains frequently appear high 
 or low proportionably to the quantity 
 of surface disclosed to the eye; thus, 
 Gable, which is only outtopped by 
 Scho-fell, from the highest houses at 
 Wastdale Head, does not appear a 
 high mountain, because a line drawn 
 from the eye of the spectator to its 
 summit will subtend with the surface 
 of the mountain a very acute angle, 
 perhaps not more than ten degrees; and 
 were it not for perspective diminution 
 and atmospheric density, Jpable would 
 not appear higher than any other moun- 
 
tain, having its altitude in any part of 
 the line drawn from the eye to the 
 summit of Gable. 
 
 Ascend from this place to Sty Head, 
 which is a great height, and here 
 Gable, displaying more superficies, 
 appears much higher than it does from 
 the houses; but rise to the top of 
 Sprinkling, and it will appear to the 
 spectator's horizon much higher than 
 it did even from the Sty ; though the 
 Sty is perhaps not more than half the 
 perpendicular height of Sprinkling 
 above the level of the valley. 
 
 View any scene from the surface of 
 an horizontal valley, and the mate- 
 rials will appear confusedly huddled 
 together; ascend one of its circum-^ 
 jacent mountains, and you see, distinctly, 
 every object contained in that valley: 
 Such choice will not suit the feelings 
 of an artist, nor of the lover, whose 
 stands for beauty will generally be of 
 ^moderate degree of elevation, and 
 
02 
 
 such as to produce the best possible 
 arrangement of the materials before 
 him. 
 
 From the borders of the lake, Scho- 
 fell and Gable do not much altar 
 appearance, but Scho-fell from the 
 enclosures at Wastdale Head, displays 
 a strikingly different contour, and if 
 seen at a proper distance from its base, 
 is a sublime object : Yew-barrow, if not 
 like the camelion in colour, assumes 
 a decidedly new form from every part 
 of the valley. 
 
 The Skrees stretch from the head to 
 the foot of the lake on its eastern side, 
 and, from the feet of the monstrous 
 crags which often overhang their bases, 
 the mountain is one continued surface 
 of loose stones, which occasionally 
 shiver into the water; nay, the rocks 
 themselves have been known to fall, to 
 the terror and dismay of their peace- 
 ful neighbours, and so much in volume, 
 as to shake the very foundations of the 
 
mountains. — They are now at rest, 
 except in frosty weather, when, some- 
 times a large stone is detached from 
 the rest, and hurled to the lake. 
 
 In the writer's memorandum-book 
 is the following passage : " 1S03, July 
 520, Went from Mr. Fletcher's, at Wast- 
 dale Head, to the foot of the lake, 
 crossed the outlet, and got about 
 half a mile up the side of the lake 
 under the Screes; the morning was 
 uncommonly hot, and suddenly, and 
 unexpectedly, came on the most 
 tremendous storm of thunder, lightning, 
 and hail, I was ever witness to ; though 
 for a long time sheltered under a thick 
 holly bush, I was free from the hail, yet 
 when the rain began to pour down, the 
 ,bush was more injurious to me than 
 servicable ; and before I could get to 
 the foot of the water, my clothes were 
 as completely saturated with wet, as if 
 I had been dragged for an hour in the 
 lake : I got to Mr. Lancelot Porter's, 
 
94 
 
 whose Avife is sister to Mrs. Fletcher, 
 there I was kindly treated. It was in 
 this house my friend W— — and I were 
 hospitably fed when first, in the year 
 1800, we visited Wast Water. — My 
 friend H did not go from home 
 
 that day, but made some admirable 
 studies of dogs and sheep." 
 
 The writer, when under the bush, 
 was not without his apprehensions, for 
 though for years no great quantity of 
 crag had fallen from the Screes, yet 
 the dread of such a circumstance, in 
 some degree, annoyed him. Notwith- 
 standing the torrents of rain, he had 
 the curiosity to examine the hailstones, 
 many of which were as large as a 
 moderately sized walnut, and the con- 
 tents, a globe of congealed snow 
 inserted in a cone of transparent ice. 
 
 This storm was partial, its diameter 
 not being more than half a mile; it 
 stretched half way down the vale of 
 Langdale before it had spent itself, but 
 
95 
 
 there it did great injury by breaking 
 windows, and by the destruction of 
 whole fields of corn. 
 
 The artist's port folio, carried under 
 his coat, till his coat was as wet inside 
 as outside, was almost dissolved, and 
 the drawing paper much injured ; the 
 afternoon was of a delightful tempe- 
 rature, and after refreshing, patching, 
 and repairing, the business of an artist 
 was resumed till the coming on of 
 night. 
 
 Latter-barrow begins to rise about a 
 quarter of a mile from the foot of the 
 lake, and Wast Water is very fine from 
 various points on Latter-barrow: From 
 the sides of the Screes above Mr. Por- 
 ter's are likewise other excellent stands. 
 
 The views on the travelled side of 
 the lake certainly deserve great atten- 
 tion; the one here given is about a 
 mile from its foot ; and the road, which 
 is of a fine elevation above the water, 
 is seen meandering among the rocks 
 
96 
 
 to a good distance : Yew- barrow lies on 
 the left, and under it, the enclosed 
 lands of Bowderdale ; part of the Screes 
 are on the right; Wastdale Head at 
 the end of the lake, by its enclosures, 
 serves as a scale whereby to judge of 
 the vastness of the mountains ; and 
 over them is Great Gable, so called from 
 its resemblance to the roof of a house: 
 between Gable and Yew-barrow see a 
 part of Kirk Fell, and between Gable 
 and the Screes, Lingmell, from which 
 rises Scho-fell, the summit of which 
 cannot be seen from this place. 
 
 Wast Water is not fine when en* 
 lightened by a meridian sun from a 
 cloudless sky, for then the mountains 
 on the north and west are uniformly 
 illuminated ; nor is it better at three, 
 for then the sun's rays dart down the 
 middle of the vale. In cloudless wea- 
 ther, the evening and the morning will 
 be better than the mid-day or after- 
 noon ; but cloudy weather, with occa- 
 
97 
 
 sional gleams of the sun, will exhibit 
 Wast Water to great advantage — Hiists 
 and clouds travelling the surface of 
 the rocks, sometimes, displaying their 
 huge forms as if hung in vapour, alter- 
 nately light, and of the deepest air 
 tints, will not fail of giving great 
 pleasme to all who are capable of 
 being moved by the wonders of God 
 in the works of his creation. 
 
 Those who delight in the beautiful 
 rather than the sublime, or in its mix- 
 ture. Wast Water, it is feared, will not 
 satisfy. Wastdale is seldom seen to 
 advantage, and those who view it under 
 unfavourable circumstances, will, per- 
 haps, return disgusted. 
 
 Those who go on foot or on horse- 
 back to see this lake, travel much less 
 ground than those who visit it in car- 
 riages; besides which, the short lines 
 display a much greater proportion of 
 fine scenery than the long lines. 
 
 The account here given of Wastdale 
 
 K 
 
95 
 
 is more at large than was intended by 
 the writer, the subject having grown 
 upon him in attempting to give some 
 account of the lake, and of the roads 
 to and from it. Pedestrians of good 
 bodily strength and spirits, will gene- 
 rally be gratified by their tour, and 
 they will occasionally deviate from the 
 beaten roads ; even three or four ladies, 
 with a guardian, a guide, and a couple 
 of horses, might occasionally walk and 
 ride, and make such a gipsying 
 extremely pleasant ; the retrospect of 
 such an excursion over stubborn rocks 
 and wild mountains, furnishing pretty 
 conversation for the winter's drawing- 
 room. 
 
 Foot and horse people may perform 
 their journey in two days; those from 
 Ambleside sleeping at Nether Wast- 
 dale, or Wastdale Head ; those from 
 Keswick, at Calder Bridge. 
 
 Carriages must run the round with 
 the same horses, from Ambleside, or 
 from Keswick ; for no post horses are 
 
99 
 
 kept at the other houses on this rout, 
 and a carriage tour will cost, at least, 
 four or five days. 
 
 By those who travel in carriages, 
 and have little time to spare, the Wast- 
 dale expedition had better be declined ; 
 near Keswick and Ambleside such 
 persons will find abundant subject for 
 their amusement. 
 
 No. 48. 
 
 STANLEY GILL. 
 
 When the traveller is in Eskdale, 
 and about sixteen miles from Amble- 
 side, on his road to Wastdale, he will 
 be near an ancient building called Dale 
 Garth Hall; and if he should have the 
 curiosity to see Stanley Gill, he may 
 have access to it by applying at the 
 hall : the waterfall part of the Gill, 
 is more than half a mile on the left. 
 
 The late Stanley, Esq. of Pon- 
 
 sonby (to whose son this property now 
 
 K 2 
 
100 
 
 belongs) ma^e an excellent foot road 
 pn the banks of the Gill, which road 
 three times changes sides by three 
 bridges crossing the Gill; and this, 
 with other improvements, are highly 
 creditable to the late proprietor. — The 
 ,<?hasm is awfully sublime, the rocks 
 rising almost perpendicularly over their 
 bases, from the grisly sides of which, 
 impend trees in the rishest wildness. — 
 The mountains of Eskdale and Wast- 
 dale are fine distances, as seen out of 
 the chasm on returning to the Hall; 
 Scho-fell is the principal. 
 
 No. 49. 
 
 GOLD-UILL CRAG, ON THE RIVER 
 DUDDON. 
 
 The river Duddon divides Lanca- 
 shire and Cumberland, from the county 
 stones on Wry nose, to its junction 
 with the Irish sea; consequently, the 
 scene before us is in both counties. — ► 
 
101 
 
 This view is down the river ; the left 
 hand rock is in Lancashire, and Gold- 
 rill Crag, which is on the right, is in 
 Cumberland. 
 
 The Lancashire side of this river, 
 from Broughton to Cockley Beck 
 Bridge, which bridge is on the road 
 from Ambleside to Wastdale, is chiefly 
 the township of Seathwaite, a district 
 deeply but charmingly entrenched 
 among the mountains: Cockley Beck 
 Bridge is four miles above Seathwaite 
 chapel, and Goldrill Crag is half 
 way between them. 
 
 No. 50. 
 
 VALE OF LANGDALE, FROM BAYS 
 BROWN. 
 
 Bays Brown is a farm house, and 
 the capital of a little manor, of which 
 Mr. Atkinson is the lord; it lies in 
 Langdale, on the opposite side of the 
 valley to the chapel. — Pavey Ark is 
 
 K 3 
 
102 
 
 that sublime rock which rises above 
 Stickle Tarn : The houses between the 
 trees are called Oak How, on a green 
 hill above which, the next view, No. 
 51, is taken. 
 
 Langdale is visited with greater 
 advantages from Ambleside than from 
 any other place in the country, and the 
 vale of Langdale is considered by some 
 people of taste, as the finest valley in 
 the north of England. 
 
 There are two Langdales, Great and 
 Little ; and those who make this day's 
 excursion, must pass up one valley, 
 and return through the other ; but as 
 each of these vallies is viewed most 
 to the gratification of the mind, by 
 looking at their heads respectively, 
 those who have leisure, and a relish 
 for such scenery, must see them in 
 both directions ; but where one day 
 only can be spared for a sight of the 
 Langdales, the approach must be by 
 Little Langdale. 
 
103 
 
 From Ambleside the tour is com- 
 menced by Rothay Bridge — pass 
 through Clappersgate, leaving Brathay 
 Bridge on the left, to Skelwith Bridge, 
 over the same river into Lancashire ; 
 enter a mile farther again into West- 
 morland, by passing Col with Bridge, 
 a little beyond which, on the left, is 
 Colwith Force ; proceed from Colwith 
 Bridge to Fell Foot, and instead of 
 ascending Wrynose, turn to the right: 
 Langdale Pikes displaying vast gran- 
 deur, are soon in view ; and between 
 the Pikes and the eye, a little lake, 
 called Blea Tarn, if unagitated, will 
 reflect them ; look back from the head 
 of the lake on the Tilberthwaite moun- 
 tains, which are composed of very 
 elegant lines; proceed a little farther 
 and look down to the head of Great 
 Langdale on a scene of extraordinary 
 sublimity and beauty — a bottom of 
 rich enclosures, pleasantly scattered 
 over with trees, and apparently encir- 
 
104 
 
 cled b}' mountains, of which, Bow 
 Fell is the principal ; and Langdale 
 Pikes, though not the highest, com- 
 posed of the best arranged lines : 
 descend to Well End, the highest 
 house on that side of the valley, and 
 from thence to Mill Beck. 
 
 Should the traveller wish to ascend 
 to the top of that Pike of Langdale, 
 which is called Stickle Pike, or to 
 Stickle Tarn, he must commence his 
 labours at Mill Beck. The Ambleside 
 guide, or a person from Mill Beck, will, 
 perhaps, take him by Dungeon Gill, 
 and from the top of the Dungeon, to 
 the top of the Pike or to the Tarn ; 
 but some parts of the road are so 
 steep as to be painfully unpleasant to 
 such as have not been much accustomed 
 to scrambling. The Tarn is a pretty 
 circular piece of water, having soft 
 turf on three fourths of its margin; 
 from the other fourth rises Pavey Ark, 
 which is, perhaps, the grandest range of 
 
105 
 
 rocks in Westmorland, and a good 
 point to view them from, is the outlet 
 of the lake ; which, beautifully clear^ 
 will serve to dilute the traveller's Cog- 
 .niacbrandy, or old Jamaica rum, a most 
 grateful potation after his labourious 
 ascent, or to wash down the hard eggs and 
 hung mutton presented by his hostess. 
 Leaving the foot of the Tarn on the 
 edge of the hill, a peat or turf road 
 soon appears, on which descend to 
 Mill Beck : the eye of the spectator, 
 whether directed up or down the 
 valley, is cheared all the way 
 with views of fields, richly bedecked 
 with wood, and encircled by high 
 tnountains. Dungeon Gill passes 
 through a deep cleft of the mountains, 
 the tops of which cleft so overhang its 
 basis, as nearly to meet ; there is, 
 indeed, a large stone stretching from 
 side to side, over which, some have 
 had the temerity to cross this hideous 
 gulph. 
 
106 
 
 As the peat road is a better ascent 
 to the Tarn, than by Dungeon Gill, 
 some will prefer it both for ascent and 
 descent. 
 
 From Mill Beck pass through the 
 meadows to Langdale chapel, between 
 which places take retrospective views, 
 and see Bow Fell and Langdale Pikes^ 
 which are excellent objects. — From 
 Langdale Chapel the road is by Gras- 
 mere and Rydal Waters (which leave 
 on the left) and over Pelter Bridge to 
 Ambleside. If these vallies are twice 
 to be visited it is scarcely necessary to 
 observe that the retrospective tour 
 must be from Ambleside by Pelter 
 Bridge. 
 
 No. 51. 
 
 LANGDALE PIKES, FROM OAK HOW. 
 
 Oak How is near six miles from 
 Ambleside. Mill Beck House is not 
 seen here, being hid by the foot of the 
 
107 
 
 mountain on the left; it is likewise 
 higher in the valley than the house 
 seen under the Pikes — Pavey Ark, in 
 the last range of distance, is over the 
 foreground rock on the right; and the 
 greatest part of the line traversed to 
 and from the Tarn, may be traced on 
 this print, by such as marked their 
 steps with attention ; it is chiefly the 
 beginning and end of this devious way 
 that cannot be seen from this point. 
 
 No. 52. 
 
 ROW HEAD, IN LANGDALE. 
 
 Row Head is on the opposite side 
 of the Langdale valley to Oak How, 
 and in the distance are the Pikes so 
 often spoken of before. 
 
 No. 53. 
 
 LANGDALE HEAD. 
 
 rhis view of the high end of the 
 
108 
 
 vale of Langdale, is taken near a farm 
 called Side House, which is about seven 
 miles from Ambleside : The pointed 
 distant summit is Bow Fell, and the 
 middle mountain on the right is the 
 base of Langdale Pikes. 
 
 No. 54. 
 
 GIMMER CRAG, IN LANGDALE. 
 
 This view of the Pikes is from the 
 common, a mile above Wall End, and 
 nine or ten miles from Ambleside — 
 Gimmer Crag is that grand surface of 
 rock which rises to an apex in the 
 middle of the distance. — This view of 
 Langdale Pikes bears a considerable 
 resemblance to the Screes on Wast 
 Water. 
 
 The road to Wastdale, over Lang- 
 dale Head, and to Borrowdale, by the 
 Stake, is between the foot of Bow Fell, 
 (which foot is the middle distance) 
 and the base of the Pikes. 
 
109 
 No. 55. 
 
 DOVE CRAG, IN HARTSHOPE. 
 
 Those who visit Ulls Water from 
 Ambleside, on travelling seven miles 
 from that place, pass by Brother 
 Water, which is in Hartshope. The 
 torrent, some of which is here repre- 
 sented, falls into that little lake near 
 Hartshope Hall, about two miles below 
 the place from which this view was 
 taken — the grand rock in the back- 
 ground is called Dove Crag. 
 
 No. 56, 
 
 THE VALE OF PATTERDALE. 
 
 The vale of Patterdale lies on the 
 head of Ulls Water. 
 
 Ulls Water may be visited from 
 Penrith, from Keswick, or from Am- 
 bleside. 
 
 To those who approach the lake by 
 
no 
 
 Penrith, it will be conveniently seen 
 on their progress from that place to 
 Ambleside, which is twenty-four miles ; 
 eighteen or nineteen of this ride (from 
 Penrith to Brother Water) are by turns 
 ■beautiful and sublime. 
 
 Visitors from Scotland or the north 
 of England should take Ulls Water on 
 their road to Ambleside ; in this way 
 they face the best scenery of the lake — 
 if this journey is to be performed in 
 one day, the traveller must alight at 
 Gow-barrow Park, to see, from Lyulphs 
 Tower, one of the first-rate views upon 
 the lake : Ara Force, half a mile from 
 the tower, is worth observation. Those 
 who wish to spend more time at Ulls 
 Water, may discharge their horses at 
 Patterdale ; but as there are no post 
 horses there, when wanted, they must 
 l)e sent for to Ambleside. 
 
 Tourists from the south usually enter 
 this country by Kendal or Ulverstone, 
 and such will take the lake of Ulls 
 
Ill 
 
 Water with thj? mo^t cPDyenience from 
 Ambleside. 
 
 The road to Ulls Water, from Am- 
 bleside is wild and mountainous ; the 
 ascent from Ambleside is steep, with 
 little variation, to the top of Kirkstone. 
 This place takes its name from a sort 
 of cubical stone on the left, called 
 Kirkstone ; from which there is aa 
 interesting little peep at the lake of 
 Brother Water, which, at intervals, 
 displays itself during the descent into 
 the valley. ,, ^^^ 
 
 The views round Brother Water are 
 sublime, the vale is fertile and clothed 
 in wood, which diminishes in quantity 
 as it ascends the mountains, and is 
 generally in excellent distribution ; 
 from Brother Water to the inn at Pat- 
 terdale the road is good, and winds 
 pleasantly amongst trees, affording now 
 and then a gUmpse of the surrounding 
 country. 
 
 The head of Ulls Water lies south- 
 l2 
 
112 
 
 west of its foot, the lake is of ah 
 irregular figure, and composed of 
 tliree unequal reaches, the middle of 
 which is somewhat larger than the 
 northern one ; the shortest is seen from 
 the inn at Patterdale, and is not half 
 the length of either of the others : 
 Ulls Water is less unequal in its breadth 
 than the other lakes, it is in many 
 places not more than half a mile across, 
 but seldom exceeds three quarters; it 
 is less than Windermere, but larger 
 than the rest of the English lakes. 
 
 Ulls Water lies engulphed at the 
 feet of majestic mountains, which rise 
 sublimely from the valley : Place Fell 
 descends shivering into the lake almost 
 perpendicularly from a vast height ; it 
 skirts the lake from Birk Fell Force 
 higher than its head. The opposite 
 mountains are less uniform, their 
 summits are removed to various and 
 greater distances from the water, and 
 
113 
 
 the rocks project from their surfaces in 
 a style of superior grandeur. 
 
 Were these mountains divested of 
 wood, they would exhibit a vastness 
 and sublimity rivalled only by those of 
 Wast Water. 
 
 Nothing can exceed the dresses and 
 the decorations of this sublimity; the 
 whole space from Gow- barrow to the 
 inn at Patterdale is one rich scene 
 of vegetation; oak^ ash, birch, alder, 
 and other trees of stately growth, and 
 in the wildest luxuriance, undulating, 
 and impending over the rocky pro- 
 tuberances every where starting from 
 the mountains, render this the love- 
 liest ride amongst the lakes. 
 
 Those who post through this country 
 see little : Many travellers would fly 
 as on " the wings of the wind," unless 
 opposed by such stubborn bits of stuff 
 as Kirkstone and the Raise, or by 
 Whinlatter: with how much more of 
 refined pleasure would a tour be per- 
 
 h3 
 
114 
 
 formed, werie they occasionally to 
 alight and " range the fields," either 
 as directed, or at pleasure, where, on 
 some commanding knoll, they might 
 watch the progress of the clouds upon 
 the face of the mountains, or their 
 inverted summits as reflected in the 
 crystal mirror ; or see the declining sun 
 with his warm rays, gilding the rocks 
 and trees, which, gradually losing their 
 brilliant hues, sink, at length, into com- 
 plete obscurity. 
 
 What enjoyment can be derived by 
 such as, lolling in their coaches or their 
 chariots, are confined to the vision of 
 their windows ! Many so bevehicled 
 have passed from Keswick to Amble- 
 side, and from Ambleside to Penrith, 
 uniformly leaving the finest views 
 behind them. 
 
 A sociable is a better conveyance, 
 unless it be on the barouche seat, than 
 a coach or a post chaise ; and as heavy 
 carriages are unfit for rough roads, 
 
11.0 
 
 the lake innkeepers ought to accommo- 
 date their guests with, not only socia- 
 bles, but carts on the sociable con- 
 struction ; the carts to be drawn by 
 single horses, and managed by drivers 
 well acquainted with the country. 
 
 Human ingenuity cannot devise a 
 method by which the monotonies of 
 life would be more pleasantly diver- 
 sified than by such occasional jaunting: 
 On any little eminence, a tent might 
 be planted in a moment, and from the 
 larder and bins of the cart refreshment 
 procured ; at the pleasure of the party, 
 plaintive solos on the clarionet or 
 flute would have a fine effect among 
 the rocks, which, during intervals of 
 rest, would echo back in soft reverbe- 
 ration, the melancholy notes, and pro- 
 duce on the mind an union of the most 
 pleasing sensations. 
 
 For such excursions, ten or twelve 
 hours would be little enough for most 
 people. 
 
116 
 
 The mountains on the immediate 
 head of the water are not so steep as 
 those which border it on the sides half 
 way down, but they are rich in wood. 
 St. Sunday, or St. Sundian Crag, swells 
 sublimely above them, and is a fine 
 object from many parts of the valley ; 
 from Gow-barrow on one side, and 
 Place Fell on the other side of the 
 lake, the mountains gradually diminish 
 into little hills, and from a gigantic 
 rugged ness, to a soft and verdant mea- 
 dow and pasturage. 
 
 Those who see Ulls Water from 
 Ambleside, and have only one day 
 to spare for that purpose, must go 
 upon the lake, and not neglect the 
 Furse, which is a little bay near the 
 house called Blawike, House Holm, 
 and Lyulphs Tower, from each of which 
 places the head of the lake, with the 
 intermediate matter, is in grand 
 arrangement. 
 
 From Lyulphs Tower the party may 
 
117 
 
 return to the inn at Patterdale on foot, 
 but if in a carriage, it must meet the 
 party at the tower ; in preference to 
 this, none must be persuaded to adopt 
 a retrograde movement. At Powley 
 Bridge, which is at the foot of the 
 lake, there is a respectable inn : Pow- 
 ley Bridge is seven miles north of the 
 foot of 
 
 HAWS WATER, 
 
 which is three miles long : it lies 
 deeply intrenched among the moun- 
 tains ; its banks are sprinkled with 
 trees as wildly as if shed from the 
 heavens: footmen (not the party 
 coloured gentlemen, for they would 
 scorn such a meanness) may make 
 charming excursions, by passing from 
 Kendal through Long Sleddale, over 
 Harter Fell, by Chapel Hill, to Haws 
 Water; and from thence by way of 
 Powley Bridge, tills Water, and Pat- 
 terdale to Ambleside — there is a plea- 
 
118 
 
 sant road up the southern side of U lis.; 
 Water, from Powley Bridge to Patter-; 
 dale, but this is only a horse and foot- 
 road; it is not, however, a very safe; 
 horse road under Place Fell. 
 
 One of the most interesting views 
 of the vale of Patterdale, is given in 
 this print, which is taken from the side 
 of Place Fell, a little above the horse- 
 road, which parts with the carriage- 
 road at Hartshope, meeting it again 
 at Goldrill Bridge near the inn; the 
 oak tree growing out of the rock is an 
 accurate portrait: The church with; 
 several buildings are seen here, and, 
 amongst other mansions, that on the 
 western side of the water, lately erected 
 
 by the Rev. Askew, Eector of 
 
 Greystock : Patterdale Hall, the seat 
 of I Mouncey, Esq. cannot be 
 
 seen from this place. — Hall Bank is 
 the hill seen over the church, and 
 beyond Hall Bank the entrance to 
 
119 
 
 Glenridden, above which, rises Gleri- 
 ridden Dod ; a little indication of Sty- 
 barrow Crag, which is near the lake, 
 may be discovered at an equal distance 
 from the islands; on the same side of 
 the lake, but lower, see a part of the 
 park at Gow- barrow; something of 
 Place Fell, but not its grandest part, 
 is seen beyond the oak tree. 
 
 No. 51, 
 
 PATTERDALE CHURCH. 
 
 This view of Patterdale Church, 
 with the Glenridden mountains, was 
 taken from a window of one of the 
 lodging rooms at the inn at Patterdale, 
 excepting the foreground of rocks, 
 which was brought from the back of 
 the house. 
 
120 
 
 No. 58. 
 
 YEW TREE IN PATTERDALE 
 CHURCH-YARD. 
 
 This Yew Tree, picturesque in 
 ruin, is said, formerly, to have shaded 
 considerably more ground than it does 
 at present, which is probable from its 
 trunk bein^ somewhat disproportioned 
 to its branches ; the church and the 
 tree are about a quarter of a mile from 
 the inn on the road to the lake. 
 
 No. 59 and 60. 
 
 GLEN COIN. 
 
 Glen Coin is a farm house, belong- 
 ing to His Grace the Duke of Nor- 
 folk. 
 
 The building itself is well formed 
 for the purpose of an artist, and age 
 has given more of interest to that 
 form, by planting mosses and other 
 
121 
 
 vegetables upon it; the hand of time 
 has likewise been judiciously at work 
 with his pencil, his palette being set 
 with all the hues of nature. By the 
 side of tliis building runs a brook 
 dividing Westmorland from Cumber- 
 land, and over the brook is a pic- 
 turesque bridge, which bridge is repre- 
 sented in the last of this series of 
 prints. From the valley^ in which 
 this house is placed, the mountains 
 rise precipitously and high, and in 
 every direction form fine back grounds : 
 The house is rich in its accompani- 
 ments of wood, for the trees in some 
 situations spread over it with an un- 
 common mixture of wildness and 
 elegance; and this old building, sur- 
 rounded as it is by all that is grand 
 and picturesque, is, of its kind, a 
 better place for study than any other 
 known to the artist. 
 
 Glen Coin is two or three hundred 
 yards out of the road, from the inn 
 
 M ' 
 
122 
 
 at Patterdale to Lyulphs Tower, and 
 between two and three miles from the 
 former place. 
 
 About half the land which borders 
 UUs Water on the western side is 
 the property of the Duke of Norfolk, 
 who, feeling for the beauty of his pos- 
 sessions, will not allow of indiscrimi- 
 nate extermination. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 I«ndoa: Printed by J. BAnFiisx.i^« 
 Waidoui-Street, Suho.