Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/36

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A GUIDE TO

well accommodated, and meet with the utmost civility from the Woods, who keep the inn, particularly from Mrs. Wood, who is an exceeding good woman.

The guide charges five shillings a day for his attendance, besides the hire of his horse. If you can ride on horseback, you will be able to see that fairy land far better than in a carriage.

Do not omit going to Watenlagh; it is the most beautiful mountain vale that can be seen; it is literally a valley upon a high mountain, with mountains again rising from it, infinitely higher than the vale. It lies at the top of Lodore Fall, having the rivulet, which is precipitated over the rocks at Lodore, running through it from a small lake at the village of Watenlagh.

Go through Borrowdale, and over the Hawse into Gatesgarthdale. In Gatesgarthdale you will pass under Honister Crag to the left, where are fine slate quarries. From the top of Honister Crag is a prodigiously fine view of the lakes below, and the heaps of mountains all around. The descent from the crag, on the sharp and rocky ridge of it, near to the houses of Gatesgarth, is somewhat tremendous; but it was descended, in 1796, by a female. The head of