34 CHURCH CONISTON. 



house and lands are more gloriously situated than 



almost any other in the region. The little town 



of Church Coniston, and the New Inn, 



conision. are a m *l e snor t of Waterhead ; and the 

 stranger must stop and look through 

 the place, while his early dinner is preparing. The 

 Old Man, eleventh in height of the mountains of 

 the district (2,632 feet), towers above him; and 

 the abodes of the people will shew him that he is 

 in the neighbourhood of a copper mine. There is 

 one some way up the mountain, and he may see 

 the winding road to it. Higher up, where there 

 is an evident hollow, he is told that he would find 

 a deep black tarn; and still higher, another. But to 

 climb the mountain is some hours' work, with much 

 doubt of success, (that is, of a clear summit,) and he 

 must to-day be satisfied with what is below. Yew- 

 dak , with its grey rocks, cushioned with heather up 

 to their summits, stretches away northwards from 

 the head of the lake, into a gorge where the moun- 

 tains overlap. One of the crags there is called 

 Raven Crag : and it is said that a pair of ravens is 

 living now, there or somewhere near. It is to be 

 hoped that, now that the eagles are gone, the last 

 ravens will not be destroyed or scared away by the 

 shot of the miners, or other rash sportsmen, who 

 are too apt to bring down every bird they see. 

 There are many picturesque dwellings in the area 

 which is between the heights and the lake : but the 

 best view of these is from a point to which we shall 

 direct the stranger presently. 



Coniston is so convenient and favourite a halting place, that we 

 must pause in our tour, to point out what the traveller may see, 

 should he be tempted to remain. Since the opening of the rail- 



