92 
THE EISHING GAZETTE 
[Eebutjaet 11, 1893 
to visit that beautiful corner of the earth. Just 
at the time of the year when— 
“ The wild rose, epflantine, and broom, 
Are wasting round their rich perfume. 
While birch trees weep in fragrant balm, 
And aspens sleep beneath the calm, 
And silver light with quivering glance 
Plays on the water’s still expanse.” 
I am not “ booming ” Lake Windermere, or the 
lake district either, but I want to tell English¬ 
men generally, and Scotsmen in particular, 
especially those Border reivers—I mean those 
poachers, who have for so long a period 
“ snatched ” yon lovely river ayont the Border— 
what kind of a splendid fishing district is that 
which will soon be brought into being, and which 
lies about midway between the big village and 
.John o’Groats’ house. The area is certainly 
limited, but the various attractions are superb, 
and the scenery unsurpassed. On the Elleray 
estate alone, where Professor Wilson once resided, 
a visitor may familiarise himself with the features 
of rugged mountain scenery, and at the same 
time be looking over as rich a foreground as any’ 
that Devonshire can boast of. Looking northward 
up the lake, the chief mountains of the district 
can be seen. The flat-topped Fairfield is on the 
left, close to it is Red Screes, which in shape 
resembles a hedgehog, and Gummer’s How, the 
loftiest summit south of Bowness, which is sis 
and a half miles from Lakeside, then Caudale 
Moor, and lastly, the High Street range, of which 
the most conspicuous is Ill Bell. The district 
teems with antiquities ; an old Roman Road which 
ascends by the left of Ill Bell, and then con¬ 
tinuous along the ridge in the direction of Pen¬ 
rith, supplies its name to High Street. The little 
islet of Blake Holme, clothed with oak-scrub and a 
sprinkling of firs, is the next interesting object. 
Passing Storrs Hall and Rawlinson Nab, a capital 
view of the Lancashire Fells is obtained, then a 
little beyond, the Ferry is reached, one of the 
loveliest spots on Windermere; and one of Ihe 
most glorious sights on the lake is the beautifully 
wooded hill behind the Ferry Hotel. Between 
the Ferry and Bowness lies another stretch of 
sylvan luxuriance, and although the port of 
Bowness is in close proximity, its charm is not 
impaired. Windermere village is an attractive 
old hamlet, 250 feet above the lake and three 
quarters of a mile from its shore. Rigg’s Winder- 
mere Hotel is the only first-class hotel there, and 
possesses a well-earned reputation. Bowness is a 
genuine old Westmoreland town of a very ancient 
pattern. The visitor with a spare half-hour 
would do well to climb up Biscay How, a little 
height rising behind the town, from which 
can be seen a large portion of the lake ; Scawfell 
and Bowfell are in view from this point, and also 
the “Lions” of Langdale. All this end of the 
lake is marked by beautifully wooded shores and 
hill-flanks of low elevation, but gracefully broken 
outline; look where you will there is not a bare 
spot. The upper reach of Windermere is without 
doubt the most striking example of diversified 
beauty in the British Isles—winding shores 
wooded to the water’s edge, a trio of charming 
valleys, hills covered to their summits with crag 
copse-wood and bracken, the whole being encircled 
by a noble array of mountains, form a matchless 
combination. Beyond the pier at Bowness there 
is a green hill surmounted by a flag-staff, called 
Adelaide Hill, from a visit which the Queen 
of William the Fourth paid to the spot. Close at 
hand is the historical islet. Lady Holme, on which 
w-as once a chantry or chapel dedicated to the 
Virgin Mary, and supposed to have been part of 
the conventual domains of Furness Abbey. It 
was standing in the reign of Henry the Eighth, 
but there are now no traces of it. Then another 
beautiful little hill looms in sight called Trout- 
beck Tongue. 
Troutbeck district is famed for the sturdy 
independence of its “ statesmen,” as the small 
farmers of the district are called. The father of 
Hogarth, the painter, was a Troutbeck “states¬ 
man.” The Troutbeckers are a stalwart race 
of men, and at “ putting t’ stean ” are unrivalled. 
Here Tom Longmire, t’ champion “rustler” of 
England, lived many years. Not long ago seven 
farmers from the neighbourhood of Troutbeck 
met at a horse fair, tlie least of whom stood 6ft. 
'I'wo were 6ft. 2.jin. and 6ft. Jin. respectively, 
and, at another fair, four horse “ coupers ” hailing 
from the same district were observed standing 
together, the shortest one being 6ft. -tin., and 
each weighed over 17 stone. 
But in a five-mile circle, in the neighbouring 
county of Cumberland, tw’enty men can be found 
all topping 6ft. lin., and each over 16 stone in 
weight. These ai-e “ sons of Anak ” with a 
vengeance, and the kind of people anglers visiting 
Lake Windermere will shortly be rubbing 
shoulders with. This, however, is a digression. 
Scawfell Pike, the monarch of English moun¬ 
tains, and Bowfell now frown on the wondering 
tourist, who soon finds himself on the old 
pack road that leads to Whitehaven. This was, 
in the good old days, a favourite route with 
smugglers, and from the highest point upon 
it, where stand the Three Shire Stones, 
marking the convergence of Westmoreland, 
Cumberland, and Lancashire, the excisemen had 
a good vantage point from which to descend upon 
the breakers of the law. One day a party of 
smugglers were run to earth at Fell Foot, a 
favourite halting-place at the bottom of tbe pass. 
The landlady invited the officers to an upper 
chamber, and, seated wdth tbe wide-spreading 
skirts of the period on the cask which they well 
knew contained the contraband liquor, engaged 
them in conversation. Secure of their booty, 
they allowed the good dame’s tongue to wag for 
a considerable time before they made known their 
business, and requested her to move. As .she did 
so the cask upset, and on being vigorously 
thumped emitted a hollow sound. Downstairs 
they rushed ; the room below was empty, but in 
the ceiling was a hole—the smugglers had bored 
it while the gossip was holding forth upstairs, 
drawn off the liquor, and decamped. Low Wood 
Hotel, sacred to honeymooners, is the next place 
of interest; and further on, peering out of the 
slope of Wansfell, stands Dove Nest, once a 
temporary residence of Mrs. Ilemans. Before 
reaching Ambleside let us call at Fox How, 
at one time the abode of Dr. Arnold; also, we’ll 
look in at the “ Travellers’ Rest,” on the top of 
'he Kirkstone I’ass, reputed to be the highest 
house of entertainment in the country, with 
the exception of the “ Cat and Fiddle,” near 
Buxton. We are now at Ambleside, whicb is a 
place of considerable antiquity. Its name in 
olden times was written first, Amelsate, and 
afterwards Hamelside. The Roman station, 
Dictis, stood in its vicinity, near tbe shore at the 
head of the lake, and can still be faintly traced. 
Stock Gill Force is the next point. The total 
height of the falls is about 70ft. Two miles 
further on, Rydal Falls are reached, and half a 
mile up the glen is situated the Higher Fall, the 
finest of tbe lot. A distance of four miles divides 
Ambleside from Grasmere, which can be travelled 
either by coach or omnibus. Most of the con¬ 
veyances start from Waterhead, and are in con¬ 
nection with the steamer. The route is very 
picturesque. Those who wish for the best view 
of Grasmere should quit the conveyance at the 
far end of Rydal Lake, and walk by Red Bank 
over a path which gains a little crest, and then 
the whole Grasmere lake and valley comes into 
view, and continues in sight for several 
hundred yards. The lake lies a few hundred feet 
below. What a sight ! ’Tis magnificent, indes¬ 
cribable ! The village of Grasmere and church 
are a little beyond the far end of the lake, 
and up the valley, the massive bulwarks of 
Helvellyn are in sight; but its grandest side 
is turned towards Patterdale. Nearer still 
is the famous Helm Crag, crowned by a rocky 
protuberance, which, from one point of view, is 
something “like a whale”; then Silver How, 
rising from the west side of the lake, completes 
the mountain girdle, and assists in forming one of 
the loveliest scenes in all Lakeland, Ambleside ! 
What reminiscences of the past does not the very 
name conjure up. It was here, in 180‘.h that 
“ Christopher North,” then residing at Elleray— 
Tennyson’s “ Crusty Christopher ”—who, when 
reviewing the budding Laureate’s first efforts 
in verse “ mixed blame with praise ”—at least, 
so complained Tennyson. It was at Amble¬ 
side that “ Kit North,” the grand and lion-like 
old professor, busied himself in promoting the 
favourite athletic exercise of the brawny youths 
of AVestmoreland and Cumberland, and, by his 
liberality and example, caused better prizes 
to be offered than had ever been given before. 
The professor was a great athlete, and, in those 
days, used to have a bout with the chamjiion 
at the conclusion of the sports held in the 
Lake Country. His daughter, Mrs. Gordon, in her 
memoirs of “ Christopher North,” tells us that, 
“ In 1807, John Wilson concluded his university 
career, the brilliancy of which for many years 
gave his name a prestige worthy of long remem¬ 
brance within the academic walls of Oxford. He 
loved the beautiful fields of England, and with 
all the world before him where to choose a place 
of rest, be turned his steps from his Alma Mater 
to that lovely land where cluster the fair lakes of 
Cumberland and Westmoreland.” Let me con¬ 
clude with a brief extract from the writings of 
Professor Wilson anent Windermere : “Not only 
can tbe eye take in, but tbe imagination, in its 
awakened power, can master all the competent 
elements of the spectacle. The charm lies in its 
entirety, its unity, which is so perfect, so seemeth 
it to our eyes, that ’tis in itself a complete world, 
of which not a line could be altered without dis¬ 
turbing the spirit of beauty which lies recumbent 
there, wherever the earth meets the sky. There 
is nothing here fragmentary; and had a poet been 
born and bred here all his days, nor known aught 
of grand or fair beyond this liquid vale, yet had 
he sung truly and profoundly of the shows of 
Nature.” 
I have said little or nothing about the fishing, I 
am, at present, more concerned about the beauti¬ 
ful district and its people. Those, however, who 
are interested in the angling prospects of Lake 
Windermere are referred to the Fishing Gazette, of 
Oct. 2!), page 258, and Nov. Ifi, pages 416-7. 
iEotes anil terUs 
Mr. J. C. Bedwin, of New Cross, fishing near 
Maidstone on the 7th, killed a pike of 131b. in 
very fine condition. _ 
It is the excellent custom of the Piscatorial 
Society to publish many of the papers read at 
their meeting. AVe notice they are about to issue 
“ Some Foreign Reminiscences of an Old Angler,” 
by Thomas Ransom Sachs, read at a meeting of 
the Piscatorial Society on March 11, 1891. 
Sometimes some of our readers ask us if we 
know of any vacant situation for a river-keeper. 
In our columns this week a Head River-keeper is 
advertised for, for a South of England water, by 
F. M. Halford, Esq., 6, I’embridge-place, London, 
AV. It is a capital chance for a good keeper 
preference being given to one with a wife who 
c.an cook. _ 
Steel S.^lmon Trace. —Mr. Richardson, fishing 
tackle maker, 77, Finsbury-pavement, London, 
sends us one of the best wire traces we have yet 
seen. It is four feet long, has two good swivel.s, 
and a swivel lead; the price, with Mr. Geen’s 
patent lead, is Is. Id., post free, or, with ordinary 
lead, lOd, post free. The wire is enormously 
strong and yet much finer and less visible in the 
water than salmon gut. AVe understand from 
many anglers who use these steel traces, both 
for salmon and pike fishing, that they prefer them 
in every way to the far more expensive salmon 
gut traces. It must be borne in mind that there 
are various kinds of steel wire; that supplied by 
Mr. Richardson was specially selected by an 
expert after many experiments. 
NEW PATENTS. 
The following is a list of piscatorial patents, which is 
supplied to us by Messrs. Hughes, Eli and Hughes, 
Registered Patent Agents, and Attorneys for British, 
Colonial, and Foreign Patents, Designs, and Trade 
Marks, 70, Chancery-lane, Holborn, AV.C. All inquiries 
answered by them free of charge to our readers : 
Samuel Allcock, of Bedditch, for Improved Envelope 
for carrying or holding mounted fish hooks and 
tackles. 
Thomas S. Porter, of London, for Improvements in 
Fishing Tackle. 
If you are Interested In Books 
scnil ‘Jh. (m 1. in stamps for a copj- post free every week for 
.'i numilis of ■■ The PDULisiiKKS’ Cuici lar and Booksei.i.eks' 
UECi>r.D,'' St. Dunstau's House, Eetter-lane, Fleet street, 
l.UIRlull. 
