240 ^esbjfck district 



Those who are making the circuit of the lake by land 

 turn over the bridge ; our way is straight forward through 

 the gate, and onto the ]]©otot(£r j©toine — a fallen rock, 

 standing on its edge, and about thirty feet high and sixty 

 long. There are steps for the ascent to the top ; but it is 

 well seen from below. The weight of this enormous stone 

 has been computed to be 1900 tons. 



From this point to the village of ]Ei0St{)iXJaite, the way is 

 close to and almost parallel with the river, richly-wooded * 

 hill and rock rising steeply on each side. Rosthwaite is 

 beautifully situated near the centre of the dale, and at the 

 confluence of the two mountain-brooks which form the 

 Derwent. 



The traveller is now standing in the middle of that far- 

 famed Borrowdale of which so many curious tales are told. 

 Its inhabitants were once considered as primitive as we now 

 consider those of Watendlath ; and a good deal more, if 

 the current stories be true. It is said that an old Borrow- 

 dale man was once sent a very long way for something very 

 new, by some innovator who had found his way into the . 

 dale. The man was to go forth with horse and sacks (for 

 there were no carts, because there was no road) to bring some 

 lime from beyond Keswick. On his return, when he was 

 near Grange, it began to rain ; and the man was alarmed at 

 seeing his sacks begin to smoke. He got a handful of water 

 from the river ; but the smoke grew worse. Assured at 

 length that the devil must be in any fire which was aggra- 

 vated by water, he tossed the whole load over into the river. 

 That must have been before the dalesmen built their curious 

 wall ; for they must have had lime for that : — Spring being 

 very charming in Borrowdale, and the sound of the cuckoo 

 gladsome, the people determined to build a wall to keep in 

 the cuckoo, and make the spring last for ever. So they 



