SCANDALE AND SWEDEN BBIDGE. 63 



the stranger's face is turned towards the recesses of 

 the hills. The path is here extremely rough. The 

 Scandale slopes sweep upwards to the right, partly 

 bare, and partly scrubby with bushes which afford 

 some shelter to the sheep ; and down below, on the 

 left hand, the stream gushes along, making music 

 in its rocky bed. Its channel, partly overhung 

 with trees, is in some places so crowded with rocks 

 as to split the brook into a multitude of little 

 waterfalls, while elsewhere it leaves room for pools 

 tempting to the bather. The first green path 

 which tends towards the stream, leads to the 

 bridge ; — It is a wild walk up the cul-de-sac, 

 where nobody ever seems to go, except the shep- 

 herds after their flocks. A fold in ruins is seen 

 just above the bridge; and beyond it all is wild 

 rock and stream and scanty herbage, as far as the 

 ridges. The regular mode of return is by the way 

 one came : but some who do not mind a scramble, 

 and an occasional bog, with some difficulty in find- 

 ing the path, return by the other side of the stream. 

 It is a delightful walk, and particularly when the 

 open down is reached which commands another 

 view of the valley and its southern opening, as 

 well as the Rydal Pass. The path crosses a little 

 bridge at the farmhouse called the Nook, (where 

 the stream is as beautiful as any where,) and passes 

 between fences all the rest of the way, coming out 

 upon the church hill at Ambleside. 



V. The ascents by the other two becks need no 



detailed description, Stockghyll has been already 



siocKaHTLL noticed (p. 56). To ascend the heights 



AiTD wAwsFBtL. ^jjQ straugcr has only to follow the 



lane by which he arrived at tbe wood containing 



