314 ^uttetmere district 



minutes up this stream and the principal road to the Pikes 

 is reached ; but the preferable course is to strike for Peers 

 Gill Head, reversing the former route. 



* An exceedingly pleasant day's work is to surround the 

 Pikes (speaking somewhat Hibernice) by Sty Head and 

 Sprinkling Tarn to Esk Hause, then down by the side of 

 the infant Esk, under the fearful cliffs of Broad Crag and 

 Long Crag, which are not seen at present by three tourists 

 in a season, (about that number come down this valley yearly 

 by reason of loosing their way,) till the battlemented front 

 of Scafell appears to bar the way, and the stream, on which 

 there is a first-class waterfall, (that is among the lake water- 

 falls), descends from X^Elicfeletiore. In the direction indicated 

 by this stream it is very pleasant and easy climbing to the 

 ridge of Mickledore. I was for many years at a loss to 

 account for the terrific account given of the Eskdale side 

 of Mickledore, in Black's Guide, till last year I happened 

 to find a tour in the Lakes in an early vol. of the Penny 

 Magazine, which is clearly the rough draft from which the 

 Guide was afterwards developed. I found the well-remem- 

 bered words, but applied to a very different matter, " the 

 bastion cliffs of Scafell above Mickledore." (This account 

 of the Lakes is well worth reading. I think the vol. is for 

 1837). To the descent of these the account fairly applies; 

 but in ascending there is no risk ; if the right spot is hit 

 upon and the initial difficulty surmounted,* the rest is plain 

 sailing ; if either of these conditions be unfulfilled, it is bet- 

 ter to remain in safety on the ridge. From Mickledore, 

 Wastwater is just visible, and, skating down one of the 

 heaps of Screes which flow on either hand, threading a path 

 through the scattered boulders called Hollow Stanes, which 

 at one time must have marked the end of a glacier, and 

 taking a moderate run down Brown Tongue, and a pleasant 



