^cafell 311 



Then let him explore the hidden grandeurs of Peers Gill, 

 and, after clambering up the bed of the ravine to the water- 

 fall, or farther should he be athletic enough to find it prac- 

 ticable, let him take to the mountain-side, careful to do so 

 on the right bank of the ravine, and, keeping sufficiently 

 close to the edge of the chasm, use it as a guide, till it fades 

 away to nothing, leaving him with one smart climb to the 

 Col directly above, where he joins what may be called the 

 carriage-drive up Scafell Pikes, whence the road is unmis- 

 takeable. 



Three or four hours may be well spent in making the 

 ascent ; the intelligent traveller will be so often tempted to 

 linger, contemplating the works of the mighty forces of 

 nature, roches moutonnees, indicating pre-historic glaciers, and 

 the huge scar in the face of some tall cliff, which reveals 

 the ravages of yesterday's storm. No other route takes one 

 so immediately into the heart of the mountains. Here will 

 be found no sandwich papers, empty bottles, or tgg shells, 

 to obtrude the incongruous image of the outer world ; the 

 only visible " appanage to human kind " is the numerous 

 sheep, who express their displeasure at having their solitude 

 disturbed by a sound between a hiss and a whistle peculiar 

 to mountain breeds, and quite in harmony with the cruel 

 croak of the raven and the harsh scream of the buzzard, 

 which will, probably, be the only accompanying voices. 

 At an altitude of about 2,000ft., the ravine divides into two; 

 the smaller, Strait ©ill running immediately to the highest 

 point of ^ingmcll, which is worth ascending if only for 

 the sake of enjoying the noble sport of rolling stones down 

 a precipice, under the most favourable circumstances. The 

 main-stream which flows down Peers Gill, henceforth runs 

 almost at right angles to its course lower down. Imme- 

 diately before reaching the angle formed at this junction, 



