15 miles. The inns at Manchester are dismal and dirty.
From Manchester to the Duke of Bridgwater's Canal, is only a morning's drive. The country about that canal is very pretty, and the tunnel through the rocks was a great effort of human talent in conceiving, and industry in the carrying it into effect.
From Manchester to Fourlanends, 11 miles; an alehouse only.
To Chorley, 11 miles; a shocking inn.
To Preston, 10 miles; the inn large, but extremely dirty.
To Garstang, 11 miles; the inn rather bad, but beds tolerably clean.
To Lancaster, 11 miles; inns very uncomfortable and dirty.
To cross the sands to Ulverston is 22 miles; which cannot be well performed without four horses, and horses too which are used to ford deep rivers; for there are two to be forded. For most part of that journey the sands are as hard, and somewhat resemble, stucco, upon which the horses hoofs scarcely make an impression; but near the rivers that you are to ford, there are spots which apparently shake; and it is known, if a cart, or carriage of any sort, were to stop upon those places, it would sink, and there would be great difficulty in getting it out of the sand, were it not absolutely lost; therefore it is not only necessary to have a guide on horseback, but drivers too, who have been used to cross the sands. It is certainly a matter of curiosity to cross them; but unless you could have a choice of time and weather to go over them, (neither of which you can have), it is hardly worth the trouble and danger of undertaking it; besides you are, for the most part of the way, at such a distance from land, that all the beauties of the shore are only very faintly seen.—Another thing is to be considered, should any unforeseen accident happen to your carriage or horses, while on the sands, the sea might return and overwhelm you, before you could remedy the accident and escape. A thick fog too might come on in the space of three or four hours, and render it impossible for you to find your way over the sands, or through the rivers upon them. Many market carts, and people in them, have been lost between Lancaster and Ulverston.
If you do not cross the sands, proceed to Burton, 11 miles. On the road from Lancaster to Burton, look on the left, at a distance, and you will see the sands, and Warton Crag, with villages hanging beautifully on its sides. At a very short distance from Burton is a noble crag, called Farleton Knot; it is said to resemble the rock of Gibraltar.
From Burton, by Milthorp, (and be sure to go to Milthorp) to Kendal, 12 miles. When at Milthorp, walk to Betham Mill, if not too far, through Mr. Wilson's park at Dallam Tower; the Beela river, which falls at Betham Mill, here joins a very broad part of the Kent; and, thus united, they form one of the rivers that are forded on the Lancashire sands. These rivers, when united, and viewed through the trees at Dallam Tower, appear like an arm of the sea, bounded by the rough sides of Whitbarrow Scar.
Proceed to Leven's Hall; it belongs to Lady Andover: it was built about Queen Elizabeth's time. It is the river Kent which runs by it. If at Leven's Hall you can get a key to go through Leven's park, you will have a beautiful drive, and be able to see a very picturesque fall of the river. If you cannot procure a key to go through the park, you must go on by Sizergh Hall; which is also a very ancient building, in a very pretty park.
Kendal is situated on the side of a sloping mountain, upon the banks of the river Kent.
The King's Arms is not a good inn, and Masterman, the mistress of it in 1796, was an impertinent fine lady, and unaccommodating to strangers.
From Kendal to Bowness, 9 miles, where there is a very neat inn. I would advise a traveller by all means to approach the Lakes from Kendal to Bowness.
There cannot be a finer view of Winder Mere, than that from the descent to Bowness.
From Bowness go to Newby Bridge, at the foot of the lake, keeping to its bank on the Westmoreland side. Not far from Newby Bridge is a fine water-fall, and the country all around is beautiful. Go on to Ulverston, which is in Lancashire, and then to Furness Abbey, one of the finest ruins in the kingdom. You must return to Ulverston, and go to Coniston Water.
From Ulverston, by Coniston Water, to Low-wood, is 24 miles.
Coniston Mere is seen to much greater advantage in going from Ulverston than the contrary way; because you come to the foot of the lake first, which is the tamest part, and approach by degrees to its utmost grandeur, at its head. You will afterwards go round the head of Winder Mere, and arrive at Low-wood inn, a very neat comfortable house; and the Wrights, who keep it, are very civil good people. You ought to make Low-wood your head quarters for some days.—While at Low-wood, go to see Elta Water, near Skelert Bridge, and from thence to Cullert Fall.
See Sir Michael Le Fleming's, at Rydal Hall. See also the Ambleside Fall, within half a mile of the town; the road up to it is by the inn door.
There is a fine pass over Kirkstone, and through Patterdale to Ulswater; but the road of late has been, by violent rains, rendered impassable for a carriage.
From Low-wood to Keswick, 18 miles; one of the finest drives in the world: in that road observe Rydal Water, and the rocky romantic pass between it and Grassmere, where you will be introduced into the land of soft, pastoral, calm delight. Admire the mountains as you ascend from Grassmere; by the road's side, at the top of that ascent, is a heap of stones, and there ends Westmoreland, and Cumberland begins. The ridge of mountain on the right is Helvellyn, 3324 feet above the level of the sea, which is somewhat higher than Skiddaw, and it retains the snow upon its top much longer than Skiddaw. In a rainy day, innumerable torrents rush down its sides to the road, and run to the Lakes. About midway between Low-wood and Keswick there is a lake, called Leathes Water; which, though bare of wood, is notwithstanding beautiful. The outline of Leathes Water, the hills around it, and the promontories that run into it, render the tout ensemble striking. You will pass through part of Saint John's Vale before you come within sight of Keswick: the mountains which bound that vale are very fine. Of your own accord you will stop to admire, and almost adore, when you first look upon Keswick Vale, Derwent Water, Bassenthwaite Lake, and the surrounding mountains.
At the Queen's Head, at Keswick, you will be 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 Buttermere is close to the village of Gatesgarth, and you will ride very near that lake all the way to the village of Buttermere; where is an alehouse, at which you can get admirable ale, and bread and cheese, perchance a joint of mutton.
Few people will like to sleep at the Buttermere alehouse: but, with the help of my own sheets, blanket, pillows, and counterpane, I lodged there a week very comfortably.
From Buttermere I one day walked to the Wad Mines, or blacklead mines, and returned over the top of Honister Crag. Another day, I walked over the mountains by Gatesgarth into Innerdale, and through it to Inner Bridge, on the whole, sixteen miles. If possible Innerdale should be seen, for it is beautiful, particularly about Gillerthwaite, at the head of the lake; and again at the foot of the lake, looking up the vale towards its head. At the alehouse at Inner Bridge, I was obliged to pass the night in a chair by the kitchen fire, there being not a bed in the house fit to put myself upon. The next morning I returned