IN NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE. 149 



the valleys of some of the streams already mentioned. The 

 Dove, and the Manifold, and the Churnet meet this observa- 

 tion at once. The great charm of these valleys consists 

 in the intimate union of rock, water, and wood. 



It may be said, "Yes, there are hills and dales and 

 rocks and water in North Staffordshire, but the elevation 

 is insufficient to produce falls. Waterfalls are inseparably 

 associated with mountainous countries." In reference to 

 this suggestion I may say here that in speaking of " Water- 

 falls," I have merely in my mind those smaller gems of 

 beauty which fill up the charm of our island in Wales 

 and Scotland and in the Lake district of Cumberland and 

 Westmorland, and form points of attraction for the tourist 

 and excursionist ; and, undoubtedly, although those districts 

 comprise points and lines of watershed of much greater 

 elevation than any in Staffordshire, nearly all these falls 

 occur at heights above the sea level, inferior to the elevation 

 of Staffordshire towards its northern boundary. 



Take, for example, falls probably known to most visitors 

 to Llandudno the Fall of the Conwy on the old Shrews- 

 bury and Holyhead road a few miles above Llanrwst ; 

 and the Swallow Fall (Rhairdr y wenol) on the Llugwy, 

 on the road between Bettws y coed and Capel Curig ; and 

 the Fall at Aber, between Conwy and Bangor (a momentary 

 glance of which may be caught from the passing train) ; 

 or that most graceful of North Wales Falls Rhairdr ddu 

 (the Black Cataract) near Maentwrog in Merionethshire ; 

 or the highest fall in Wales Pistil Rhairdr in Denbigh- 

 shire (within the drainage of the Severn). In all these 

 cases the tumble of the water occurs at a very few hundred 

 feet above the sea level. The same observation applies 

 to the Falls at the Devil's Bridge, and in the Vale of Neath 



