[November, 1859.] 321 



CUMBRIAN BOTANY. 



Plants about Sea Scale, on the Cumberland Coast. By E. Green. 



Having made a fortnight's stay at the above-named place last 

 June, for the purpose of endeavouring to recruit my health, I 

 made, in promoting this object, a few short excursions in search 

 of what plants might turn up. Sea Scale is on the Whitehaven 

 and Furness railway ; I can designate it no better than as a 

 meagre scattered hamlet. There is, it is true, a tolerable hotel, 

 and a row of lodging-houses is in course of erection, and there 

 are a few farmhouses here and there at no great distance. It 

 possesses^ to my knowledge, no features of geological interest, 

 and the traveller, as he is whirled past on the railway, can see 

 nothing on the land side to interest him, excepting perhaps 

 some of the Lake mountains in the distance : on the other side, 

 however, is a fine open sea, with an extensive range of excellent 

 beach, where marine botany and conchology may be studied to 

 advantage. Many invalids resort hither during the summer 

 season to enjoy the pure fresh breeze, and the bathing ; and 

 doubtless the lately enlarged facilities for reaching the place, its 

 retirement, its reputed salubrity, and last, though not least, its 

 adaptability as a starting-point for Lake tourists, will annually 

 attract a steadily increasing number of visitors. Tourists visit- 

 ing the English lakes for the first time generally make direct for 

 the Windermere terminus ; and perhaps this is their best plan. 

 To such as have once " done '' the Lakes by the regular coach 

 route, but have left out of their programme Black Comb, Esk- 

 dale, Wastdale, Scafell Pike, Ennerdale, etc., I would say, when 

 you next go, strike off from the Lancaster and Carlisle railway 

 at Carnforth, across the head of Morecambe Bay by the new 

 railway. Visit, if you will, Furness Abbey (where Atropa Bella- 

 donna grows) ; proceed thence by rail to Sea Scale ; then, if you 

 are a botanist and the following notice of plants has any charms 

 for you, stay a night or two at the hotel : any of the above-men- 

 tioned " Lions " of the Lakes are easily accessible for pedestrians 

 from this point. You may even drive to Wastdale Head, and 

 enjoy scenery unsurpassed by any of its kind in the district. The 

 rugged rusty-iron- coloured Screes, rising majestically as you ap- 

 proach, strike the stranger as singularly impressive and give him 



N. S. VOL. III. 2 T 



