SKELGHYLL. 67 



the mountain groups beyond. Almost every path 

 leading up from the left of the old road betvveen 

 Ambleside and Waterhead leads into the woods : 

 but the best is that which turns off and upwards^ 

 just opposite a group of houses, in one of which 

 lives Dove the fishmonger. All such paths are 

 rough and wet: but this one is full 



TO SSELGHTLL. f" l l •, , , 



01 charms when once it enters the 

 wood. The earliest anemones abound there, and 

 many other wild flowers ; the brooks are clear and 

 sparkling ; the rocky masses which crop out above, 

 tufted with mosses and ferns, are an endless treat 

 to the eye ; while the scene below and above is 

 surpassingly fine ; — the views up both valleys, and 

 along the lake, and into its bays and coves, all alive 

 with boats ; or, in some seasons, as still as a mirror, 

 reflecting even the distant mountain tops ; and far 

 away the clustering peaks and graduated ridges 

 of a little world of mountains. Step by step the 

 scene varies, as the path follows the prominences 

 or recesses of the hill side. It runs above Dove- 

 nest, and then strikes back from above the road, 

 passing through some fields, and issuing in the lane 

 which leads down from Troutbeek to the mailroad 

 at Lowwood. This Skelghyll walk is a great fa- 

 vourite with residents ; and it would be a pity that 

 strangers should not enjoy it. It can be well com- 

 bined with the ascent of Wans Pell from Lowwood. 



X. The best way of ascending Wansfell is from 



Skelghyll. Having pursued the path described in 



the preceding paragraph, the stranger 



WANSFELL. j;j^ug^ t\xYn to the left, in the field before 

 he reaches Skelghyll Farm. He will pass an old 

 lime kiln, and almost immediately above it will find 

 E 2 



