NOETHTTMBERLAJfD AND DURHAM. 105 



ravine, with its never-ending roar of waters, in front the cataract 

 with its ceaseless rush and cloud of misty spray, at the bottom 

 the dark foaming stream flowing rapidly amongst thickly-strewn 

 boulders, margined in the open space below the cliffs with a grove 

 of fantastically shaped juniper bushes, shut in above by its wood- 

 covered slope and ledges of dark crag, can scarcely be desired. 

 Between the High Force and Eglestone, a distance of 9 miles, four 

 streams join the Tees on the north, the bums of Ettersgill, Bow- 

 lees, Hudshope, and Eglestone, but the hollows are scarcely more 

 than mere moorland glens. There is a waterfall in the first 

 called Hell Cleft, which is worthy of a visit. Between the High 

 Force and where the Lune on the Yorkshire side joins the Tees 

 the fall is 40 feet [per mile. The river-channel is here consid- 

 erably deeper than above the High Force, and especially during 

 the first 2 miles, past Lower Cronkley Bridge and "Winch Bridge 

 there are rapids in the stream, and its banks are craggy and pre- 

 precipitous, and often margined with brush- wood and unculti- 

 vated moory gTound. Above Newbiggin the ridge is 2200 feet 

 in height, and the limestone full 500 yards. Above Eglestone 

 extensive fir-plantations stretch from the town to the top of the 

 moor. East of Kewbiggin the limestone falls rapidly, and at 

 Eglestone is lost from the bottom of the dale to reappear below 

 Barnard Castle. The fells now decline to 1000 and 900 feet, but 

 keep their height well up towards the river. E'orth of Barnard 

 Castle a stream rises on the edge of the moors at Langley Dale 

 and flows through Eaby to unite with another brook at Streatlam 

 and join the Tees at Gainford. Below Barnard Castle, past Greta 

 Bridge and Wycliffe, the Tees is again bordered by cliffs of lime- 

 stone. IS'one of the principal collieries fall within this drainage- 

 tract. From Cockfield Fell, the ridge of hill which separates the 

 Auckland from the Eaby hollow, a dike of basalt runs south- 

 eastward towards the Tees. At Pierce Bridge the Magnesian 

 Limestone shows itself, trending north-eastward, with usually an 

 escarpment towards the north-west, by way of Aycliffe and Ferry- 

 hill towards the Wear. The highest point which it reaches is at 

 Ptaisby Hill, near Trimdon, 606 feet in elevation, and 17 miles 

 north of the Tees in a direct line. Here rises the Skerne, which 



