[Illustration: WINDERMERE FROM ORREST HEAD] THE ENGLISH LAKES DESCRIBED BY A. G. BRADLEY PICTURED BY E. W. HASLEHUST [Illustration] BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY 1910 Beautiful England _Volumes Ready_: OXFORD THE ENGLISH LAKES CANTERBURY SHAKESPEARE-LAND THE THAMES WINDSOR CASTLE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page Windermere from Orrest Head _Frontispiece_ Coniston Lake 8 Rydalmere 12 Grasmere from Loughrigg 16 Thirlmere and Helvellyn 20 Kirkstone Pass and Brothers Water 26 Ullswater 32 Bassenthwaite Lake and Skiddaw 36 Derwentwater from Friars Crag 40 Honister Pass--Dawn 44 Head of Buttermere and Honister Crag 48 Scale Force, Crummock Water 52 [Illustration: THE ENGLISH LAKES] WINDERMERE AND CONISTON The luxuriance of Windermere is of course its dominant note, a quality infinitely enhanced by that noble array of mountains which from Kirkstone to Scafell trail across the northern sky beyond the broad shimmer of its waters. The upward view from various points in the neighbourhood of Bowness, for obvious reasons of railroad transportation, has been the first glimpse of the Lake District for a majority of two or three generations of visitors, and this alone gives some further significance to a scene in any case so beautiful. Orrest Head, a few hundred feet above the village of Windermere, is the point to which the pilgrim upon the first opportunity usually betakes himself; for from this modest altitude the entire lake with its abounding beauty of detail, and half the mountain kingdom of Lakeland, are spread out before him.