96 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



teristic of, and lend such a charm to, the district 

 But neither of these will have any special interest 

 for him, for, with the exception of a few small trout 

 and perch in Low Water, they do not 'contain fish. 

 Having reached the summit a glorious prospect is 

 opened to the view. The head of Windermere is 

 seen to the east, and the whole reach of beautiful 

 Coniston stretches before him a silvery mirror 

 done in a setting of green and gold. To the east 

 is Esthwaite Water ; and, in different directions, are 

 not less than nine sheets of water. To the south 

 are the golden estuaries of the Kent, Leven and 

 Duddon when the writer last saw them, wrapped 

 in a purple haze of evening light. Lying off the 

 long line of coast is the Isle of Man ; and be- 

 yond, the north coast of Wales. Snowdon may 

 be seen on a clear day. To the north are Scaw- 

 fell, Bowfell, and Blackcombe ; and, nearer at hand, 

 a trout and char containing tarn, Gait's Water. 

 (See " Mountain Tarns.") 



To descend to the lake. Coniston has two 

 islands Knott Island and Peel Island but they 

 do not add much to the beauty of the lake. Knott 

 Island (on the east shore) has a picturesque group 

 of Scotch firs, but it loses much through being near 

 the mainland ; in fact, during times of drought, it 

 ceases to be an island. It behoves the angler when 

 flogging the strait to be careful, as there are a 

 number of jagged rocks near the surface. Peel 

 Island is further south, but is little more than a 

 picturesquely situated mass of rock covered with 

 trees and vegetation. 



To the angler the shores of an island are always 

 worth trying, as, having as a rule shallow water 



