Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/102

 [ 90 ]

lane thickly shaded by trees, but admitting frequent peeps at the lake, and the opposite rude and lofty mountains. Though the scene be confined, it yet affords considerable variety, and many points of view of great interest. Of the lower part of the lake the character is for the most part that of beauty and softness, its features consisting of a steep declivity, mantled with young wood to the left, and a verdant rising ground sprinkled with a few cottages to the right. But as we proceed to- wards the head of Haweswater, the face of Nature is changed; she now assumes a rude appearance, and moulds her mountains into harsher forms. Black precipices and naked crags, usurping the place of wooded declivities and verdant downs, present an impenetrable barrier against the bold intruder who should dure to penetrate to the sacred fountain- head of the lake. Haweswater is nearly three miles long, and about four or five hundred yards over in the widest part.

Returning by Yanwath-Hall to Penrith, which made our excursion about twenty miles, we con- sumed the remaining part of the day in a visit to Brougham-Castle, three miles from Penrith on the Appleby road; a ruin, which though it have no- thing picturesque in its form, consisting of bare vails thrown into right angles, vet blending with

�� �