button to main menu   Ford's Description of the Lakes, 1839/1843

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Page 36:-
Pikes of Langdale overlook the low, cultivated ridge of land, that forms the northern boundary of this small, quiet, and fertile spot.

  The Langdales
LANGDALE AND THE PIKES.

'We started - and he led towards the hills,
Up through an ample vale, with higher hills
Before us, mountains stern and desolate;
But, in the majesty of distance now
Set off, and to our view appearing fair
Of aspect, with aerial softness clad.
And beautified with morning's purple beams.'
The chief excursion, and one accomplished with most advantage from this station, is that to the two Langdales, and the Pikes. The best views are looking up the vale, that is, in a westward direction. You pass through Clappersgate, leaving Brathay Bridge on the left, the river flowing towards you, flanked on either side by the Tilberthwaite and Langdale mountains. Having proceeded two miles, the road divides, the one on the right to Great Langdale, the left, which you pursue, leading to Little Langdale by Skelwith Bridge. Here there is a superb view of Elter Water with Lingmire.
  Skelwith Bridge
  Skelwith Force

A little above the bridge is Skelwith Force, remarkable not so much for height as for the body of water which forms the spectacle. The river is here contracted between a chasm in the bed of rocks, forming a crooked trough, into whose abyss the waters are flung from a height of twenty feet; the Pikes again compose fine distances.
  Colwith Force
The next and perhaps finest of fall, is Colwith
gazetteer links
button -- "Colwith Force" -- Colwith Force
button -- "Langdale Pikes" -- Langdale Pikes
button -- "Loughrigg Fell" -- Loughrigg Fell
button -- "Loughrigg Tarn" -- Loughrigg Tarn
button -- "Skelwith Force" -- Skelwith Force
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