button to main menu   West's Guide to the Lakes, 1778/1821

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Page 155:-
Opposite to Watermillock, a cataract descends down the front of Swarth-fell, in Martindale-forest. At Skelling-nab, a bold promontory, the lake is contracted to a span, but it soon spreads itself again both ways, forming a variety of sweet bays and promontories. After a reach of three miles, it winds with a grand sweep round the smooth breast of Place-fell, and making a turn directly south, advances with equal breadth towards Patterdale. The western shore is various. Drawing near the second bend, the mountains strangely intersect each other. Behind many wooded hills rises Stonecross-pike, and over all, steep Helvellyn shows his sovereign head. On the western side, Yew-crag, a noble pile of rock, fronts Place-fell, where its streams tumble in a cataract to the lake. Gowbarrow-park opens with a grand amphitheatre of shining rock, the floor of which is spread with soft green pasture, once shaded with ancient oaks, to which many decayed roots bear witness, Scattered thorns, trees, and bushes vary the ground, which is pastured with flocks, herds of cattle, and fallow deer. The road winds along the margin of the lake, and at every turn presents the finest scenes that can be imagined. At the upper end of Gowbarrow-park, the last bend of the lake, which is by much the finest, opens, scattered with small rocky islands. The shores are bold, rocky, wooded, and much embayed. Pass
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gazetteer links
button -- Gowbarrow Park
button -- Swarthbeck Gill
button -- "Ulls Water" -- Ullswater

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