hollow the Countess of Derwentwater effected her escape when the Earl was arrested for high treason, carrying with her a quantity of jewels and other valuables. It has ever since borne the name of the Lady's Rake ("rake" being the term applied in this country to openings in the hills like this). One mile and three quarters from Keswick a road strikes off across Barrow Common to Watendlath, a narrow elevated glen with a tarn at its head. It is well worth a visit; the few fields are richly green, and the rocks on each side, though not very lofty, are fine, and picturesquely plumed with trees. Near the head of the glen a road climbs a ridge and descends to Borrowdale. It is not unusual for pedestrians to cross the Armboth Fells from Watendlath to Thirlemere, and vice versa. The station selected by the artist for his view of Derwentwater is near the entrance to Barrow Common. By pushing up the hill-side the tourist will obtain an exceedingly fine prospect. Bassenthwaite Lake is seen in the distance with Dodd, a process of Skiddaw on the right, and the hills of Braithwaite and Thornthwaite on the left. Over Stable Hills, the first promontory in Derwentwater, Lord's Island, Derwent Island, Friar Crag, and the Isthmus, are seen in beautiful array. Barrow House (J. P. Senhouse, Esq.) stands two miles from Keswick, on the left of the road. Behind the house there is a fine cascade, 124 feet in height, which may be seen on application at the lodge. One mile beyond Barrow, the road having passed under Thrang Crag, is the little inn of Lowdore, the view from the front of which is sketched in one of the outline engravings. Behind the inn is the celebrated Lowdore Cascade, not one but a thousand falls. The grandeur of the rocks around the stream render the scene impressive, whatever may be the state of the weather; but the cascade itself is, of course, dependent in a great measure for its effect on the quantity of water. After heavy rains, the noise of the fall may be heard as far down the lake as Friar Crag. The masses of rock which lie in the bed of the torrent are very large. Gowder Crag rises on

the left, Shepherd's Crag on the right, of the Waterfall. If the stranger will take the pains to ascend to the top of the waterfall, he will view an exquisite picture, set in a frame of natural rock. A safe path will be pointed out, by which he may reach the spot whence this magnificent vista is beheld, comprising Derwentwater, with Derwent Island and Skiddaw for a background, Crosthwaite Church reposing at its foot. A peep of Bassenthwaite Water is also obtained. A rough footpath through the wood and under the splendid rocks overhanging the stream, may be found into the Watendlath Glen, from Lowdore.

One mile further, Grange Bridge, spanning Borrowdale Beck, is attained. Should the tourist desire to see the curious mass of rock called BowDER STONE, the road into Borrowdale must be continued for a mile further. This immense block, which has evidently rolled from the heights above, stands on a platform of ground, a short distance to the left of the road. A branch road has been made to the Stone, which rejoins the Borrowdale road further on. It is sixty-two feet long, thirty-six feet high, eighty-nine feet in circumference, and it has been computed to weigh upwards of one thousand nine hundred tons. Its summit may be gained by means of a ladder which has been affixed to it for the use of strangers.

66

'Upon a semicirque of turf-clad ground,

A mass of rock, resembling as it lay

Right at the foot of that moist precipice,

A stranded ship, with keel upturn'd, that rests
Careless of winds and waves."

WORDSWORTH.

Close to Bowder Stone, but on the opposite side of the river, from the bank of which it suddenly rises, is an elevation clothed with wood, called Castle Crag, so termed from a Roman fortification having once occupied the summit, faint traces of which were visible a few years ago. Some of the relics found here are shown in one of the museums at Keswick. At the foot of Castle

Crag there is merely room for the road and the river, and this is one of the most beautiful spots in England.

Returning to and crossing Grange Bridge, the village of Grange is passed, and one mile beyond is a house called Manesty, near which is a small medicinal spring. Passing under the summit styled Cat Bells, the road enters the pretty village of Portinscale, (four miles and three quarters from Grange Bridge,) near which are many elegant villas. Keswick is but a mile and a quarter beyond.

VALE OF NEWLANDS.

The Vale of Newlands is usually visited either in going to or returning from Buttermere. Though in some places the road is steep, its surface is good, and carriages may be taken along it. The Cockermouth road must be pursued as far as Portinscale, and then a turn to the left will be made. Causey Pike, to be recognised by a peculiar hump on its top, here becomes conspicuous When the road next divides, that to the left must again be taken. At Stair, where there is a woollen mill, the stream is crossed, and at a bridge a little higher up, two narrow glens, bare of wood, come into view. The mountain Robinson stands on the right of the first; Hindscarth is between the two; and the upper end of the second is closed in by Dale Head; Maiden Moor fencing it from Derwentwater. The upper part of the valley is very bare, and is called Keskadale. The road commences a long ascent, and near the summit of the Haws, a stream is seen to make several white falls in dashing down the hill side. The descent to Buttermere is occasionally very steep, and the road overhangs at a great height a stream flowing to Crummock Water. Whiteless Pike stands on the other side of the stream. The distance from Keswick to Buttermere by this road is about nine miles.

VALE OF ST. JOHN.

An agreeable excursion of thirteen miles and a half may be made from Keswick into the famous VALLEY OF ST. JOHN. The Penrith road must be pursued for four miles, to the village of Threlkeld. This road, lying almost the whole way on the banks of the Greta,* passes under the mountain masses of Skiddaw and Blencathara. The old hall at Threlkeld has long been in a state of dilapidation, the only habitable part having been for years converted into a farm-house. This was one of the residences of Sir Lancelot Threlkeld, a powerful knight in the reign of Henry VII., step-father of the "Shepherd Lord." He was wont to say that "he had three noble houses-one for pleasure, Crosby in Westmorland, where he had a park full of deer; one for profit and warmth, namely, Yanwith, nigh Penrith ; and the third, Threlkeld, on the edge of the vale of Keswick, well-stocked with tenants to go with him to

*

Upon the river Greta, Wordsworth has composed the following

sonnet :

"Greta, what fearful listening! when huge stones
Rumble along thy bed, block after block;

Or, whirling with reiterated shock,

Combat, while darkness aggravates the groans :

But if thou (like Cocytus, from the moans

Heard on this rueful margin) thence wert named
The Mourner, thy true nature was defamed;

And the habitual murmur that atones

For thy worst rage forgotten. Oft as spring

Decks on thy sinuous banks her thousand thrones-
Seats of glad instinct and of love's carolling-

The concert, for the happy, then may vie
With liveliest peals of birth-day harmony-

To a grieved heart the notes are benisons."

The channel of the Greta, immediately above Keswick, has, for the purposes of building, been in a great measure cleared of the immense stones which, by their concussion in high floods, produced the loud and awful noises described in the sonnet.

The scenery upon the river (says Dr. Southey), where it passes under the woody side of Latrigg, is of the finest and most rememberable kind.