314 A bout Wooler. 



Castle, Chillingham Castle, Coupland Castle, and many 

 another scene of blood are within the compass of a 

 forenoon's ride. . . . All day we shoot, fish, walk, and 

 ride, dine and sup on fish straight from the stream, 

 and the most delicious heath-fed mutton, barn- door 

 fowls, poys (pies), milk-cheese, &c, all in perfection." 



To those who are interested in cattle a visit to 

 Chillingham to see the wild cattle there will be most 

 enjoyable. It is an easy matter from Wooler, being 

 only six and a half miles off. The poet has thus 

 enforced the attractions of such a visit in May : — 



" The wild bull his covert in Chillingham wood 



Has left, and now browses the daisy-strewed plain ; 

 The mayfly and swallow are skimming the flood, 



And sweet in the hedge blooms the hawthorn again.'' 



I left Wooler to proceed up the glen, beloved of 

 fishermen. It becomes more and more picturesque 

 and nicely wooded as you advance into it, the views 

 being here and there very varied and extensive. At 

 one point you look over ranges and ranges of hills rising 

 in wave-like forms, till you catch the high flat head of 

 Cheviot himself overlooking all, and, unless in the heat 

 of summer, you will see the streaks of snow still linger- 

 ing on his higher ridges. Very faithful and very 

 beautiful is the picture which Story, the shepherd-poet 

 of Lanton, has sketched of the hills as seen from his 

 abode on Lanton Hill : — 



" ' These mountains wild,' began the maiden, ' claim 

 Each for itself a separate local name. 

 We stand on Lanton Hill. Not far behind, 

 The verdant Howsden woos the summer wind ; 

 That mountain with its three wild peaks before 

 Is styled by dwellers near it Newton Torrj 



