is crossed. At a short distance from the place where this stream joins the lake, is the island called Ling Holm. On the opposite margin, the Storrs promontory is seen projecting into the lake. Two miles beyond is the village of Graithwaite, in the vicinity of which is Graithwaite Hall, (J. J. Rawlinson, Esq.) From this place to Newby Bridge the road passes through a woodland section of the country, consisting chiefly of coppices. As the foot of the lake is approached, it narrows rapidly and becomes truly "Wooded Winandermere, the river-lake." Landing, (John Harrison, Esq.,) is passed on the left shortly before reaching Newby Bridge, at which there is a comfortable inn. The stream which issues from the lake takes the name of the Leven. From this place to the principal towns in the neighbourhood, the distances are:-Ulverston, eight miles. Kendal, by way of Cartmell Fell, ten miles-by Levens Bridge, fifteen miles. Ambleside, by the road we have described, fifteen miles. Bowness, nine miles. On crossing the bridge, Mr Machell's neat residence is seen on the right, and further on, Fell Foot, (- Starkie, Esq.,) is passed on the left; a short distance beyond, Town Head, (Wm. Townley, Esq.,) is near the road on the left, about two miles from Newby Bridge. The road passes under an eminence of the Cartmell Fell chain, called Gummer's How, which forms a conspicuous object in all views from the upper end of the lake. Six miles from Newby Bridge is Storrs Hall, the mansion of the late John Bolton, Esq. (now Rev. T. Stanaforth), seated amongst fine grounds which extend to the margin of the lake. It was built by Sir John Legard, Bart., but extensive additions were made by its late owner. Here Mr Canning was wont to pay frequent visits, withdrawing for a time from the cares of public life to breathe the fresh air of nature.* The road The second clear'd the chancel wide, The third he was at Wycliffe's side. * While yet the smoke the deed conceals, • The following passage from Mr Lockhart's Life of Scott graphically describes one of these visits, to which the presence of Wordsworth, Southey, Scott, and Professor Wilson gave peculiar interest. "A large company had been assembled at Mr Bolton's seat in honour of the minister-it included Mr Wordsworth and Mr Southey. It has not, I suppose, often happened to a plain English merchant, wholly the architect of his own fortunes, to entertain at one time a party embracing so many illustrious names. He was proud of his guests; they respected him, and honoured and loved each other; and it would have been difficult to say which star in the constellation shone with the brightest or the softest light. There was high discourse,' intermingled with as gay flashings of courtly wit as ever Canning displayed: and a plentiful allowance on all leading from Kendal to the ferry is next crossed, and soon afterwards Ferner Green (George Greaves, Esq.), Burnside (G. A. Aufrere, Esq.), and Belle Field, (Mark Beaufoy, Esq.), are successively passed immediately before Bowness, the termination of our perambulation of twenty-nine miles is regained. AMBLESIDE. [Inns-Salutation; Commercial; White Lion.] AMBLESIDE, a small and irregularly built market-town of 1592 inhabitants, is situate on steeply inclined ground, a mile from the head of Windermere, upon or near to the spot formerly occupied by the Roman Station-Dictis. Lying immediately under Wansfell, and surrounded by mountains on all sides, except towards the south-west the situation is one of great beauty, and consequently during summer it is much frequented by tourists, who make it their abode for Bome time. There are several inns; two of which, the Salutation and the Commercial, are excellent establishments. The chapel is a modern structure, having been rebuilt in 1812. In a field near the edge of the lake, are the indistinct remains of Roman fortifications, where coins, urns, and other relics, have been frequently discovered. Numerous excursions may be made from Ambleside ; and the interesting walks in the immediate neighbourhood are still more abundant. The valley of Amblezi le, on the border of which the town 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, shortly be fore entering Windermere. Upon STOCK GILL, a tributary to the Rothay, there is a fine fall, or force, in a copsewood, about 700 yards from the Market Cross, the road to which passes behind the Salutation Inn. The fall, or rather falls, for there are four, are 70 feet in height. Portions of all four are visible from the usual stand; but the views may be pleasingly varied by descending the bank to the stream, or proceeding farther up the Gill. LOUGHRIGG FELL, a rocky hill which rises opposite to the town, to an eleva tion of 1000 feet above Windermere, commands extensive prospects of the vale and surrounding mountains, as well as of Windermere, Grasmere, and Rydal Lakes, Blelham, Loughrigg, and Elterwater Tarns, with the towns of Ambleside and Hawkshead. sides of those airy transient pleasantries in which the fancy of poets, however wise and grave, delights to run riot when they are sure not to be misunderstood. There were beautiful and accomplished women to adorn and enjoy this circle. The weather was as Elysian as the scenery. There were brilliant cavalcades through the woods in the mornings, and delicious boatings on the lake by moonlight; and the last day, Professor Wilson (' the Admiral of the Lake,'as Canning called him,) presided over one of the most splendid regattas that ever enlivened Windermere. Perhaps there were not fewer than fifty barges following in the Professor's radiant procession when it paused at the point of Storrs to admit into the place of honour the vessel that carried kind and happy Mr Bolton and his guests. The three bards of the lakes led the cheers that hailed Scott and Canning; and music, and sunshine, flags, streamers, and gay dresses, the merry tum of voices, and the rapid splashing of innumerable oars, made up a dazzling mixture of sensations as the flotilia wound its way among the richly-foliaged islands, and along bays and promontories peopled with enthusiastic spectators," From the summit of WANSFELL PIKE, (1590 feet in height,) which stands on the east, the mountains have a highly imposing appearance, and thence may be seen the whole expanse of Windermere, with its islands; but on account of the altitude of the spectator, the view is not so fine as that from another part of the Pike, called Troutbeck Hundreds, a little to the south. The village of RYDAL, supposed to be a contraction of Rothay-Dale, is placed in a narrow gorge, formed by the advance of Loughrigg fell and Rydal Knab, at the lower extremity of Rydal Mere, one mile and a quarter from Ambleside. Here, in the midst of a park containing great numbers of noble forest trees,* stands Rydal Hall, the seat of Rev. Sir R. Fleming. The celebrated falls are within the park, and strangers desirous to view them, must take a conductor from one of the cottages near the Hall gates. The fall below the house is beheld from the window of an old summer house. Amongst the juvenile poems of Words worth there is a sketch of this cascade. "While thick above the rill the branches close, In rocky basin its wild waves repose, Inverted shrubs, and moss of gloomy green, Cling from the rocks with pale wood-weeds between; On wither'd briars, that o'er the crags recline, Sole light admitted there, a small cascade Illumes with sparkling foam the impervious shade; Beyond, along the vista of the brook, Where antique roots its bristling course o'erlook, Half grey, half shagg'd with ivy to its ridge." The chapel, from its prominent position, arrests the stranger's notice the moment he arrives at the village. It was erected by Lady le Fleming in 1824, at her own expense. Rydal Mount, for many years the dwelling of the poet Wordsworth, stands on a projection of the hill called Knab Scar, and is approached by the road leading to the Hall. It is, as Mrs Hemans in one of her letters describes it," a lovely cottage-like building, almost hidden by a profusion of roses and Ivy." The grounds, laid out in a great measure by the hands of the poet himself, though but of circumscribed dimensions, are so artfully, whilst seeming to be so artlessly planned, as to appear of considerable extent. From a grassy mound in front," commanding a view always so rich, and sometimes so brightly solemn, that one can well imagine its influence traceable in many of the poet's writings, you catch a gleam of Windermere over the grove tops,-close at hand "The sylvan, or say rather the forest scenery of Rydal Park, was, in the memory of living inen, magnificent, and it still contains a treasure of old trees. By all means wander away into those old woods, and lose yourselves for an hour or two among the cooing of cushats, and the shrill shriek of startled blackbirds, and the rustle of the harmless glow-worm among the last year's red beech leaves. No very great harm should you even fall asleep under the shadow an oak, while the magpie chatters at safe distance, and the more innocent squirrel peep. upon you from a bough of the canopy, and then hoisting his tail, glides into the obscurity loftiest umbrage."-PROFESSOR WILSON. are Rydal Hall, and its ancient woods,-right opposite the Loughrigg Felis ferny, rocky, and sylvan, and to the right Rydal Mere, scarcely seen through embowering trees, whilst just below, the chapel lifts up its little tower." the The walk to Rydal, on the banks of the Rothay, under Loughrigg Fell, is extremely delightful. Though more circuitous than the highway, it presents fine! combinations of scenery. The tourist, intending to take this round, should pursue the road to Clappersgate for half a mile to Rothay Bridge, and having crossed the bridge, enter the first gate on the right. The road leads alongside the river, passing many handsome villas, to Pelter Bridge, 24 miles. Rydal Hall, with its park, and Rydal Mount, will be frequently in sight. Behind, Amble side, backed by Wansfell, has a picturesque appearance. On the right are the heights of Fairfield and Kirkstone. By crossing the bridge, the Keswick road will be gained, and the tourist can then either return to Ambleside, or proceed to Rydal, which is 300 or 400 yards further. Those who are fond of long walks ought to abstain from crossing the bridge, but, keeping to the left, pursue road behind the farm house, called Coat How, which leads along the south-west shore of Rydal Mere. This mere being passed, the road ascends the hill side. steeply for some time, until it reaches a splendid terrace, overlooking Grasmere Lake, with its single islet, and then, climbing again, joins on Red Bank the Gras mere, and Langdale road.* Here the tourist has the choice of returning to Ambleside by Loughrigg Tarn and Clappersgate, or proceeding to Grasmere village, in doing which he will pass in succession Tail End, the Wyke, and the Cottage. The village is a sweet little place, at the head of the lake, 4 miles from Ambleside. In the churchyard are interred the remains of the poet Wordsworth. An excellent hotel (The Lowther and Hollins) has recently been opened on an eminence overlooking the high road from Ambleside to Keswick. Allan Bank, the residence of Thomas Dawson, Esq., stands on a platform of ground behind the village. This house was, for some time, the abode of Wordsworth. The house, however, in which he lived for many years. This is by far the best station for viewing the Lake and Vale of Grasmere. Probably it wa this very view that called from Mrs Hemans her sonnet entitled A REMEMBRANCE OF GRASMERE. Still, still unchanged, may one sweet region wear and in which he composed many of his most beautiful pieces, is at Grasmere Town End. The singularly shaped hill, called Helm Crag, is conspicuously visible from Grasmere. Its apex exhibits so irregular an outline, as to have given rise to numberless whimsical comparisons, Gray compares it to a gigantic building demolished, and the stones which composed it flung across in wild confusion. And Wordsworth speaks of "The ancient Woman seated on Helm Crag." The narrow valley of Fasedale, a dependency of Grasmere, lying in a recess between Helm Crag and Silver How, deserves a visit for its picturesque and secluded beauty. "The spot was made by nature for herself." It contains a large tarn, and a small cascade, called Sour Milk Gill. The me lancholy fate of John and Sarah Green, who lived in this vale, is now pretty generally known through Mr De Quincey, who published an account of it in Tait's Magazine for September 1839. About a mile from Grasmere, on an eminence, over which the old road to Ambleside passes, and exactly opposite to the middle of the lake, is the Wishing Gate. It has been so called, time out of mind, from a belief that wishes formed or indulged there have a favourable issue. Apart from any adventitious interest, the gate is an excellent station for viewing the lake. A pleasing excursion, of ten miles, into the retired side-valley of TROUTBeck, may be conveniently taken from Ambleside. As the latter part of the route is practicable for horsemen and pedestrians only, those who take conveyances will be compelled to return by the road they went, as soon as they arrive at the head of Troutbeck, unless they proceed by way of Kirkstone to Patterdale. The tourist must pursue the Kendal road for two miles, and take the first road on the left when he has passed Low Wood Inn. From the eminences of this road, many exquisite views of Windermere are obtained; and, perhaps, the finest view of the lake that can be had from any station, is that from the highest part of it. The mountains in the west present an admirable outline, and the whole length of the lake stretches out before the spectator, • The whole valley of Grasmere, in fact, teems with memorials of Wordsworth. There is scarcely a crag, a knoll, or a rill, which he has not embalmed in verse. To this cottage at Town End, which is now partially hidden from those on the highway, by the intervention of some later built cottages, Wordsworth brought his bride in 1802. Previous to his departure to fetch her, he composed his Farewell, in which these lines occur, "Farwell, thou little nook of mountain ground, Of that magnificent Temple, which doth bound The loveliest spot that man hath ever found !” |