Climbing in The British Isles. Vol. 1 - EnglandHaskett Smith, W. P. (Walter Parry)
History
Climbing in The British Isles. Vol. 1 - England
Haskett Smith, W. P. (Walter Parry)
Mountaineering -- England; Mountains -- England -- Guidebooks
_In Coledale._--These rocks are steep, but too much broken up to be
really worth a visit on their own account. However, after _Force Crag_
has been tried, these are conveniently near.
_In Newlands_ (C. sh. 70).--Among the rocks which flank Newlands on the
east much good material may be found. One is reminded a little of the
Wastwater Screes, but of course these are not on anything approaching
that scale. The greatest height of the craggy part is only about 400 ft.
=Eight-foot Drop.=--On the Pillar Rock is the passage from the ridge of
the _Curtain_ down onto the lower part of the _Steep Grass_. It figures
in some of the earlier accounts as a formidable feature of the ascent.
Nowadays it is known how much easier it is to keep on the flank of the
curtain, and only leave it when at the top of the chimney which runs up
from the head of _Steep Grass_. No 'drop' is, in fact, necessary; but
the climb, though not in any sense difficult, is generally regarded as a
good test of neatness of style.
=Ennerdale.=--For a valley which not only is one of the largest and most
impressive in the Lake country, but contains moreover a share of the
most perfect mountain in broad England--Great Gable--and all of the most
famous rock--the Pillar--singularly little is popularly known of
Ennerdale. But, when we consider that the place is one which is, or
should be, hallowed to all devout Wordsworthians as the scene of one of
the finest productions of their poet, the thing becomes
incomprehensible. To begin with, the guide-books have never done it
justice. In area of paper covered with descriptions of it English
Lakeland is probably many square miles ahead of any equal portion of the
earth's surface. But guide-book writers love to stand upon the ancient
ways; and any one who takes the trouble to compare West or Otley with
the works of to-day must admit that, except in matters of detail, the
advance has been incredibly small. The public are better judges of
accuracy than of enterprise, and what pleases the public pays. These
gentlemen, therefore, worthy and painstaking as they are, share to some
extent in the narrow aspirations of the hireling, and, indeed, we are
tempted to believe that their motives in shunning Ennerdale were not
wholly foreign to the character of him who 'fleeth because he is
afraid,' for they have brought up a terrible report of the dale. If,
however, this has been a wise precaution on their part, a means of
deterring any inquirer from exposing their want of energy, it has been
rewarded with a large measure of success. Here is an inviting prospect
for a timid traveller: 'Ennerdale Lake ... is so wild in the character
of its shores and in its position among the mountains as to have caused
more terrors and disasters to strangers than any other spot in the
district. At every house from Wastdale Head to Ennerdale Bridge stories
may be heard of adventures and escapes of pedestrians and horsemen in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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