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some parts affords little more footing than the ridge of a house,
while its sides are far steeper than an ordinary roof. A less
difficult way is to leave the tarn on the left hand, ascending
Swirrel Edge, which is comparatively smooth; yet here is a little
rocky scrambling to gain the top of the precipice; in the midst
of which it will be well to halt, and take a view of
Bassenthwaite Lake with its environs; which cannot be seem from
the highest part of the mountain.
The ground towards the summit forms a kind of moss-clad plain,
sloping gently to the west, and terminated on the east by a
series of rocky precipices; and here the prospect on every side
is grand beyond conception. Considerable portions of the lakes of
Ullswater, Windermere, Coniston, and Esthwaite, with several of
the mountain tarns, are to be seen. Red Tarn is seated so deeply
below the eye, that, compared with its gigantic accompaniments,
it would scarcely be estimated at more than half its actual
dimensions. To the right and left of Red Tarn, the two narrow
ridges called Striding Edge, and Swirrel Edge, are stretched out
in the direction of the lamina of the slaty rock, of which this
part of the mountain is composed; other parts being of chert or
hornstone, resting upon porphyritic greenstone. Beyond Swirrel
Edge lies Keppel-cove Tarn; and at the termination of the ridge
rises the peak of Catsty-cam, modernized into Catchedecam, or
Catchety-cam. Angle-tarn, and the frothy stream from
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