A pleasing walk of four or five miles may be obtained thus: Pursue the road to Ambleside until it enters that from Kendal (this portion of the walk will be particularised presently): turn to the right, and keep on this road for about a mile. The Wood, St. Catherine's, and Elleray, are passed on the left. The last is the property of Professor Wilson, of Edinburgh, and was recently occupied by Thomas Hamilton, Esq., the author of Cyril Thornton," of a "History of the Peninsular Campaigns," and of "Men and Manners in America." The house is perched upon the hill-side, and beautiful views of the surrounding scenery are obtained from its windows. It is thus alluded to in one of the poems of its owner: 66 "And sweet that dwelling rests upon the brow As if it smiled on Windermere below, 66 "The scene around," says Mrs. Hemans, " is in itself a festival. I never saw any landscape bearing so triumphant a character. The house, which is beautiful, seems built as if to overlook some fairy pageant, something like the Venetian splendour of old, in the glorious lake beneath." A narrow lane branches off from the Kendal Road, near Orrest Head, to Bowness, one mile and a half distant. The more distant excursions will include the valley of Troutbeck, the ascent of High Street, the circuit of the two sections of Windermere, Esthwaite Water, and Coniston Lake. These are but a few of the rambles which an inspection of the chart will suggest. Lastly, we shall describe the road from Bowness to Ambleside. The stately woods of Rayrigg are entered three-quarters of a mile from the former place. A bay of the lake is then seen to project almost to the road. Rayrigg House,* (thought by some persons to resemble *This house was, for several years, the summer residence of the estimable William Wilberforce. In 1788, the last year in which it was occupied by him, he thus writes:-"I never enjoyed the country Ferney, Voltaire's residence near the Lake of Geneva,) stands on the left, near the water's edge. Shortly before emerging from the wood, the road ascends a steep hill, and then pursues a level course, affording from its terrace a magnificent view of the lake-a view. " to which," says Wilson, "there was nothing to compare in the hanging gardens of Babylon. There is the widest breadth of water-the richest foreground of wood-and the most magnificent background of mountains, not only in Westmorland, but-believe us-in all the world." Our old acquaintances, the two Pikes of Langdale, are easily recognised. On the left is Bowfell, a square-topped hill, between which and the Pikes, Great End and Great Gable peep up. On the left of Bowfell the summit of Scawfell Pike is faintly visible. The road is intersected, two miles from Bowness, by the Kendal and Ambleside road, at a place called Cook's House, nine miles from Kendal. A road, commanding fine views of the upper portion of Windermere and the adjacent mountains, proceeds into Troutbeck, in a line with the one over which we have been conducting the tourist. Taking the road to the left, from Cook's House to Troutbeck Bridge is almost a mile. From this place a road conducts by the west bank of the stream to the village of Troutbeck, the nearest part of which is a mile and a half distant. Continuing our progress towards Ambleside, Calgarth, embosomed in trees, is passed on the left. The late Bishop Watson built this mansion, and resided here during the latter years of his life. Two miles beyond is Low WOOD INN, which, standing pleasantly on the margin of the lake at its broadest part, more than during this visit, when, in the early morning, I used to row out alone, and find an oratory under one of the woody islands in the middle of the lake." He frequently invited his friend William Pitt to share the delights of country life with him here; but the Premier invariably found an excuse in the absorbing engagements of government. Another reminiscence of Wilberforce's visits to the lake country is preserved in a letter of Canning, written in 1814:- "Here I am, on Windermere lake, not far from the inn at Bowness, where in old time, I am told, you used to read aloud all night to the great dis-, turbance of the then landlady and her family." is an excellent station for those who are able to devote a few days to the beauties of the neighbourhood. Most of the excursions recommended to be made from Ambleside may, with almost equal advantage, be performed from this place. On the opposite shore, a large residence has been lately erected by Mr. Dawson, of Liverpool, who has named it Wray Castle. Close at hand is Dove's Nest, the house Mrs. Hemans inhabited one summer. Her description of the place, taken from her delightful letters, will not be deemed uninteresting:"The house was originally meant for a small villa, though it has long passed into the hands of farmers, and there is, in consequence, an air of neglect about the little demesne, which does not at all approach desolation, and yet gives it something of touching interest. You see every where traces of love and care beginning to be effaced-rose-trees spreading into wildness-laurels darkening the windows with too luxuriant branches; and I cannot help saying to myself, 'Perhaps, some heart like my own, in its feelings and sufferings, has here sought refuge and repose.' The ground is laid out in rather an antiquated style; which, now that nature is beginning to reclaim it from art, I do not at all dislike. There is a little grassy terrace immediately under the window, descending to a small court, with a circular grass-plot, on which grows one tall white rosetree. You cannot imagine how much I delight in that fair, solitary, neglected-looking tree. I am writing to you from an old-fashioned alcove in the little garden, round which the sweet-briar and the rose-tree have completely run wild; and I look down from it upon lovely Winandermere, which seems at this moment even like another sky, so truly is every summer cloud and tint of azure pictured in its transparent mirror. I am so delighted with the spot, that I scarcely know how I shall leave it. The situation is one of the deepest retirement; but the bright lake before me, with all its fairy barks and sails, glancing like things of life' over its blue water, prevents the solitude from being over 6 shadowed by anything like sadness." Wansfell Holm (William Gregg, Esq.) is seen on the right, immediately before reaching the head of Windermere; and Mr. Brenchley's new house is conspicuous on a rock near the water's edge. The road for the last three or four miles has been alternately approaching to and receding from the margin of the lake, but never retiring further from it than a few fathoms. At Waterhead is the neat residence of Mr. Thomas Jackson, and, further on, Waterside (Mr. Newton), is passed on the left. Ambleside is then entered, six miles from Bowness, and one mile beyond the head of the lake. AMBLESIDE. [Inns:-Salutation; Commercial; White Lion.] [AMBLESIDE CONISTON-ULVERSTON.-It., ROUTE I.] KENDAL to AMBLESIDE.-Itin., ROUTE III.] [AMBLESIDE RYDAL-GRASMERE-THİRLEMERE KESWICK.-Itin., ROUTE IV.] [AMBLESIDE-LANGDALE-ESKDALE-EGREMONTWHITEHAVEN.-Itin., ROUTE V.] [AMBLESIDE-ULLESWATER-PENRITH.-It., ROUTE X.] AMBLESIDE, a small and irregularly built market village, of nearly 1000 inhabitants, is situate on steeply inclined ground, a mile from the head of Windermere. The valley, on the border of which the village stands, is well wooded, and watered by several streams; the principal river is the Rothay, which flows from Grasmere and Rydal Lakes, and joins the Brathay from Langdale, shortly before entering Windermere. Lying immediately under Wansfell, and encircled by mountains on all sides, except the south-west, the situation is one of great beauty, and, consequently, during summer, it is much frequented by tourists. Besides the numerous omnibuses in connection with the railway at Birthwaite, there are coaches, in the season, twice a day to Keswick, and daily to Broughton, to meet the Furness Railway, and to Penrith by way of Patterdale. The chapel was erected in 1812, on the site of an older building. An interesting ceremony takes place at Ambleside once every year, which the stranger may think himself fortunate in seeing, not so much for the mere sight itself, though that is pretty enough, as for its being the vestige of a very ancient observance. The ceremony alluded to is called the Rush-bearing. On the eve of the last Sunday in July, the village girls walk in procession to the chapel, bearing garlands of flowers (formerly rushes), which are there tastefully disposed. After service the day following, these are removed, and it is usual that a sermon, in allusion to the event, be preached. This observance is probably as remote as the age of Gregory IV., who is known to have recommended to the early disseminators of Christianity in this country, that on the anniversary of the dedication of churches wrested from the Pagans, the converts should build themselves huts, of the boughs of trees, about their churches, and celebrate the solemnities with religious feasting. In former times the rushes were spread on the floor of the sacred edifice, and the garlands remained until withered. Possibly the practice of covering the floors of buildings with rushes, by way of protection against the damp earth, may have had something to do with keeping the custom in existence, long after the origin of the institution had been forgotten. The ceremony of Rush-bearing has now fallen into complete disuse, except in a few secluded hamlets in Westmorland, and in one or two other places in the kingdom; nor can that disuse be much regretted, since what was founded as a religious act, every where degenerated into an occasion for unseemly revelry-in fact, into a sort of rustic saturnalia. And yet, when we look at this remain of the olden time, as observed at Ambleside, we are tempted to say with the poet,— "Many precious rites And customs of our rural ancestry Are gone or stealing from us: this I hope |