ON RIGHT FROM AMBLESID. KESWICK, 16 Miles. From Keswick. From Ambles. ON LEFT FROM AMBLESIDE. Excavations of great size have 12 White Moss Slate Quarry. been made here. At this place the old road to Grasmere branches off. It is shorter, and to be preferred by those on foot, for the fine views it commands of Rydal and Grasmere lakes. It leads past "The Wishing Gate." One of these cottages was Wordsworth's dwelling for seven years, De Quincey afterwards resided in it for some time. Parties staying at Grasmere or the Swan, should visit Easedale, a recess of Grasmere. It contains a lonely tarn, sur: rounded by lofty rocks. 121 12 "Who does not know the fam- 113 ous Swan ?" A mile beyond the inn, a mountain road strikes off into Patterdale, climbing on the way a steep haws between Fair Field and Seat Sandal, and passing a desolate sheet of water, called Grisedale Tarn, lying between Seat Sandal, and Helvellyn. Along the margin of GRASMERE LAKE. Town End. Road on the left to Grasmere village, a sweet little place, near which is Allan Bank, Thomas Dawson, Esq., and the Cottage, Mrs. Orrell. Hollins and Lowther Hotel. Swan Inn, The ascent of Helvellyn is not unusually commenced here. Loughrigg Fell bounds the vale upon the left. 1 Through the meadows on the left, the Rothay flows, A tall straight oak, growing in the wall, is called "Lord's Oak " Pelter Bridge. The road over it divides into two on the other side, one leads back to Ambleside, the other to Grasmere, both extremely beautiful walks. 1 Loughrigg Fell here projects, and with a corresponding protrusion from Fairfield, called Rydal Knab, on the opposite side of the valley, leaves room for little more space than what is occupied by the road and the stream flowing from Rydal Mere. This lake is only about threequarters of a mile long, by scarcely a fourth of a mile broad. It has two small islands, upon one of which there is a heronry, belonging to Lady le Fleming, the owner of the lake. 2 The road here winds round a projecting rock. Grasmere Lake suddenly breaks upon the view beyond the projection. This lake is one mile and a quarter in length, and one-third of a mile broad. It has a single island in the centre. The hills 3 around are happily disposed. 4 4 The view from the road near the head of the lake, looking forward, is extremely fine. Silver How is seen over the southwest angle of the water; right onward, is Helm Crag, the summit of which is strewn with large blocks of stone, presenting many eccentric forms. Green thought he saw a likeness to a lion and a lamb. West, to a mass of antediluvian remains, and Otley says, that viewed from Dunmail Raise, a mortar elevated for throwing shells into the valley, is no unapt cornparison. The road is seen to pass over Dunmail Raise, a depression between two hills, that on the left, is Steel Fell, the other, Seat Sandal. The road is too near the foot of Helvellyn to allow any notion to be formed of that mountain's immense height. Armboth House, W. Jackson, Esq., on the west shore. Half way down the lake on the right, are some houses called Fisher's Place, near which are some pretty cascades formed by a stream flowing off Helvellyn. Pedestrians frequently cross Armboth Fell to the village of Watendlath, proceeding thence to Keswick. Splendid views of Derwentwater are obtained in the descent. Near the foot of Thirlemere, one extremity of the vale of St. John is passed. The views along it, with Saddleback beyond, are very fine. The celebrated "Castle Rock" stands at the entrance on the right. "From a field on the eastern side of the road, and a little short of the tenth milestone, the view of the vale of St. John presents a most singularly interesting assemblage of the wild and the lovely."-Green. Naddle Fell. 102 9 Toll Bar. The road rises gradually until it attains the height of 720 feet, at the pass of DUNMAIL RAISE. Enter Cumberland. Steel Fell on the left. Seat Sandal on the right. 84 Horse's Head, Wytheburn. The village, called locally "the city," is half a mile distant on the left. THIRLEMERE LAKE, called also Wytheburn Water and Leathes Water, washing the base of Helvellyn. 6 Road on the right through St. John's Vale. 43 cr. Smeathwaite Bridge over St. John's 53 6 73 Fair Field. Seat Sandal. "They now have reach'd that pile of stones, Heap'd over brave King Dun mail's bones, He who once held supreme command, Last king of rocky Cumberland; His bones, and those of all his power, Slain here in a disastrous hour." Wordsworth. Thirlemere is in view. The ascent of Helvellyn from this inn is shorter, but steeper, than from any other place. Opposite the inn, is the chapel which Wordsworth describes las "Wytheburn's modest house of prayer, As lowly as the lowliest dwelling." Eagle Crag is seen hanging over the upper end of the lake, a sheet of water, environed by frowning precipices, two and a half miles long, 500 feet above the level of the sea, and about 100 feet in depth. There is a small island near the shore at its foot. It is so narrow as to allow a wooden bridge to be thrown across its middle. To obtain some picturesque views, the lake should be crossed by this bridge, and the road on the west shore taken, which joins the turnpike road, a little be10 yond the twelfth mile-stone. Raven Crag is a fine object near the foot. This lake is the property of T. S. Leathes, Esq., whose residence, Dalehead House, is in the neighbourhood. 11 Shoulthwaite Moss, backed by a rocky hill called Bend. A farm-house on the left, shaded by wood, is named Causey Foot. When the pedestrian reaches a piece of open ground in the descent, he is advised to enter one of the fields on the left, to obtain a view of the whole expanse of Derwentwater. WHITEHAVEN, 38 Miles. ** The whole of this route is seldom travelled continuously; but as most of it will be traversed in detached portions, it has been thought better to place the total distance under one description, from which the Tourist may select the sections he requires. In consequence of there being no inn at which posthorses are kept between Ambleside and Calder Bridge, carriages cannot pursue this route. From this summit there is a magnificent view of Scawfell 25 that lone camp on Hard- Whose Guardians bent the knee to The mountains encircling 244 AMBLESIDE. cr. Rothay Bridge. Clappersgate vill. On thebanksof the Brathay, cr. Skelwith Bridge. cr. Colwith Bridge. Re-enter Westmorland. Fell Foot. The road winds steeply to the summit of WRYNOSE, (Pronounced locally Raynuz.) Enter Lancashire. Descend to Summit of HARD KNOT. Descend into ESKDALE. cr. Esk Bridge. From mbles. 4 18 1 3 7 ON LEFT FROM AMBLESIDE. A road on the left, leading to Hawkshead, crosses the Brathay and enters Lancashire. Sweeter stream scenery, with richer fore and loftier back grounds, is no where to be seen within the four seas.-WILSON. Road deviates between the two bridges, passing on the east of Oxen Fell through Yewdale to Coniston. A little above the bridge in a deep dell near the road is a fine waterfall called Colwith Force, 70 feet in height. One mile beyond, Little Langdale Tarn is perceived. Wetherlam, a stupendous mountain, rises on the south of the tarn." Mountain road through Tilberthwaite to Coniston,5 miles. The toilsome ascent of Wrynose is commenced at this place. The retrospective views are fine. Wansfell Pike is seen in the distance. The Carrs, and Coniston Fells. Traces of a Roman road over both Hardknot and Wrynose are yet remaining. 10 The Duddon bends at this place; and, passing through the beautiful vale of Seathwaite, enters Morecambe Bay, near Broughton. The distancel between Cockley Beck and 12 Broughton by the road is 12 miles. The pedestrian is strongly advised to traverse this valley, unsurpassed in picturesque and retired beauty by any other in the Lake district. It may be approached from Coniston by the Walna Scar road. There is an inn at Newfield, 4 or 5 miles down the valley. The Duddon is the subjectof a series of sonnets by Wordsworth. 13 This beautiful vale is watered by the Esk, which, after a course of about 16 miles, enters the sea near Ravenglass. The valley is narrow at the spot where it is entered, but it widens rapidly towards the west. It contains two or three hamlets and a few scattered houses. Great numbers of sheep! are pastured in it. N ON RIGHT FROM AMBLESIDE. From Whiteh. From Ambles. ON LEFT FROM AMBLESIDE. The Wool Pack, a small inn, 23 is a short distance from the road. The inn is a little to the 22 right of the road. At this place a mountain road leaves Eskdale,and passing Burnmoor Tarn, enters Wastdale Head between the Screes and Scaw-, fell, 6 miles. The latter moun tain may be ascended from Eskdale. On elevated ground, 4 miles south of Bout, there is a lonely tarn, with a rocky island in its centre, called Devoke Water. About half a mile from its foot are some ruins called Barnscar, which, according to tradition, were a Danish city. The 18 situation is marked by several small piles of stones. No record of such a place has, however, come down to us. A number of silver coins have been found, at it. Here a road diverges to 163 Strands, a small village, one mile from the foot of Wast Water. From Latterbarrow an eminence, under which the road passes, there is a fine view of the lake. Road to Strands, four miles. 13 6 cr. Calder Bridge. EGREMONT.* One mile above this bridge 10 are the remains of Calder Abbey, founded in 1134, for monks of the Cistercian order. The abbey stands on the grounds pertaining to Captain Irwin's ¡residence. Esq. Ingwell, Mrs Gunson. 21 25 Birker Force, a fine cascade, may be seen from the road amongst the cliffs. The rocks around are very grand. At the schoolhouse a road strikes off to the left, conducting to Dalegarth Hall, now a farm house, but formerly a residence of the Stanleys of Ponsonby, at which directions will be given to a noble waterfall, called Stanley Gill or Dalegarth Force. The stream is crossed three times by wooden bridges on approaching the fall. The chasm is exceedingly grand. Returning, the Eskdale and Wastdale mountains, with Scawfel amongst them, are seen in fine outline. Road to Ravenglass, a small town, 19 miles from Ulverston, and 16 miles from Whitehaven, seated in an arm of the sea at the confluence of the Esk, Irt, and Mite. A small coasting trade is carried on as well as ship-building and oyster fishing. Muncaster Castle, Lord Black Combe, a lofty hill, 7 Muncaster's seat, is near it. miles to the south of the town,] commands an extensive view of the coast. The Welsh mountains, and the Isle of Man, are within the boundary of the view. In the churchyard is a stone pillar of great antiquity, covered with illegible carvings. Ponsonby Hall, J.E.Stanley, Esq. Here there are two good inns. Spring Field, Robt. Jefferson Esq. Keekle Grove, F. L. B. Dykes 3 35 Linethwaite, George Harrison, Esq. Summer Grove, Major Sped ding. Hensingham House, Henry *Egremont is a neat market town, containing about 1500 inhabitants, seated at the distance of two miles and a half from the coast, upon the banks of the Ehen, the stream which flows from Ennerdale Lake. It is stated to have been a borough at the period when Parliamentary representatives were remunerated for their services; and that, to avoid the expense of a member, the burgesses petitioned to have the burgh disfranchised, which was accordingly done. The Parish Church is an ancient edifice, dedicated to St Mary. It was granted by William de Meschiens to the Cell of St Bees. Upon an eminence to the west of the town stand the ruins of Egremont Castle, formerly a place of great strength and importance. It was built by the above named William de Meschiens soon after the Norman Con quest. In the lapse of time it passed into the possession of the Lucy family. There is a tradition respecting the fortress whilst belonging to the Lucies, which Wordsworth has versified in some stanzas entitled, The Horn of Egremont Castle." General Wyndham is the present owner of both the Manor and Castle of Egremont. Large quantities of iron ore are excavated in the neighbourhood, which are conveyed to Whitehaven unsmelted, and thence shipped to South Wales. St Bees, at which there is a fine Conventual Church, is two and a half miles distant. A good road, of seven miles in length, conducts to the foot of Ennerdale Lake. The distances from Egremont to the neighbouring towns are,- Ravenglass, 11 miles; Broughton, 20 miles; Ulverston, 30 miles; Cockermouth, 13 miles; Maryport, 20 miles. |