vision the rocks, in sullen grandeur, shine through the pellucid medium which intervenes, while the white foam, produced by the dashing waters which lave their feet, sparkles in its milky dancings with exhilarating lustre.

The upper fall, viewed individually, is fine in all seasons; the stream is here much contracted, and tumbled down a perpendicular wall of rock into a deep black bason.

There is a bench near the fall from which the receiving gulph cannot be seen, and as something hid is always food for the imagination, this deficiency puts the mind agreeably on the stretch. From the bed of the river, at the top of the lower fall, the upper fall is a scene of considerable interest.

Nook End Bridge.

To all lovers of the picturesque, the bridge at Nook End, half a mile from Ambleside, will be a grateful sight. Some years ago, the bridge and the accompanying woods, were in elegant association, but there is now such a redundancy of the latter, that the rustic masonry is obscured, and the beauty of the scene much impaired.

Sweden Bridge.

The road to Sweden Bridge, up Scandale Lane, is steep for more than half a mile, but

Windermere, in retrospect, and Ambleside, as if shaken from the clouds, with a fine scene of Rydal Water on the left, will compensate the walker for his laborious ascent. After losing sight of Rydal Water, the prospect has less to interest, till the traveller arrives within two or three hundred yards of Sweden Bridge, when Scandale Beck, in wild beauty, is seen below the road on the left. Sweden Bridge is a rude but small specimen of rustic architecture, with trees growing out of the interstices of the stone. Here, crossing the bridge and slanting on the left up the hill to a beaten track, on which a delectable view of Windermere in front and of Rydal (by looking over the wall) on the right, rewards the ascent, and thence a path drops down to Nook End Bridge, and to Ambleside.

Fairfield.

Fairfield is the high mountain, closing on the north the domains of Rydal, and an excursion to Fairfield is always considered a treat, even to the native dale landers, who sometimes go there in large parties, but in the opinion of the writer, it has not so much of interest as either the walks to Wansfell Pike, or the various stands on Loughrigg already mentioned. Some commence their ascent at Ambleside, others at Rydal; but whether at Ambleside or Rydal, a guide will generally be necessary.

From Rydal the ascent is on the road between Rydal Hall and Rydal Mount, beyond

which, there is on the left, a green lane that leads to the common, whence it is a steep and scraggy scramble to Nab Scar: from a certain point on Nab Scar, there is an exquisite and almost circular view of the country, which is composed of mountains, lakes, rivers, woods, and buildings. Eight lakes are seen from this stand, namely,-Windermere, Blelham Tarn, Esthwaite Water, Rydal Water, Coniston Water, Elter Water, Grasmere Lake, and Easedale Tarn.

The river Rothay in all its beautiful Windings from Grasmere to the lake of Windermere, the villages of Ambleside, Ryda!, and Grasmere, numerous Yorkshire, Lancashire, Westmorland, and Cumberland mountains, Milnthrope Sands, Morecambe Bay, Ulverston Sands, and the Irish sea beyond the Isle of Walna, close the view. Proceeding north, appear the mountains of Eskdale, Borrowdale, Wastdale, and Ennerdale, and from the highest part of Fairfield, Grizedale Tarn, the lake of Ulls Water, Penrith, and the neighbouring country, as far as Cross Fell, and all the lofty mountains about Martindale and Haws Water; but this elevation, from which so much might naturally be expected, is not so fruitful in rich bird's-eye view prospects as many lower stands, and infinitely less so than Ivy Crag and Round Knott on Loughrigg Fell, Wansfell Pike, and even Nab Scar, and the High and Low Pikes, soon to be reached, all near Ambleside; and from Latrigg, Causey Pike, Catbells, and Castle Crag, near Keswick.

The line described by the tourist, keeping the ridge of the hills, from Nab Scar by Fairfield, to Nook End Bridge, in Ambleside, resembles a parabola.

On turning southward from Fairfield, there is presented on the left, first, a grand rocky, dizzy view into Deepdale, next, one into Hartshope, from which to the High Pike, it is over a round topped hill.

The pedestrian marks the division of the townships of Ambleside, and Rydal, while he passes the sharp summits of the High and Low Pikes, from which he will see the valley of Ambleside, the lake of Winderemere, with the far distant flats and seas most elegantly associated, and producing many pleasant, though gradual, changes on his return to Ambleside, over the Nook End Bridge.

The Gale.

The Gale is a field above that in which appears the stately row of fir trees, at the south end of the market-place, and the most pleasant way of approaching this field, is to pass the trees on the left, and by the circular wall at Gale House to the Gale Field.

A pleasant foretaste of this charming scene, is at the gate, where may be observed Green Bank, and the top of the new house, at the place called High Gap; on crossing the stile,

the scene improves at every step, and it is perhaps the best when about two thirds over the field. The buildings nearest the eye compose the market-place, but others appear in picturesque irregularity beyond them. Green Bank and High Gap, are the most remote. Rydal Hall and Rydal Mount partially appear, between which and Ambleside, the trees are spread over the verdant undulations in a fantastic but elegant wildness: looking back, Gale House, the delightful residence of John Edmunds, Esq. is presented, and on each side, a little of Windermere, and the easy lands from Wray to Gilbert Scar, and from that rock, the whole of Loughrigg Fell (over the fir trees) to Holm Scar: Nab Scar, Fairfield, and the High and the Low Pikes rise finely above the village. On gaining the northern stile, the architectural disorder is increased, particularly on crossing, and rising by the hedge side about a dozen yards, where may be observed, the galleried Bedlam; and beyond it, a pretty house near the bridge: from this place the tourist may descend to the foot path, and to a sycamore tree below it, from the shelter of which he will see the buildings again, in a new combination, with High Gap, as an apex, aud the High and the Low Pikes rising grandly above those buildings. Here a glimpse of the church is obtained, and the only one, from the recommended stands, from the three last of which, although so near each other, the scenes are finely varied, and the novelty produced by them has repeatedly amused those elegant strangers, whose habits of life have rendered the more abrupt pedestrian rambles, in many instances impracticable.