The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1920-01-29


favorite resort of American
tourists, not only because of its nat
ural attractions, but also on account
of its literary associations.
First among recorded tourists to
Lakeland was Gray, the poet, author
of the ''Elegy in a Country Church
yard" says Country Life. He visited
the Westmoreland and Cumberland
lakes in 1869, the year before Words
worth, the most outstanding among
the lake school of poets, was born.
He discovered the lakes, alike in a
touring and literary sense, and being
essentially of the eighteenth century,
he fled from them and the grandeur
of their scenery in dismay. For not
then had the picturesque been in
vented. The beauties of wild nature
were not appreciated, and had they
been the roads of that age and the
lack of proper accommodation were
powerful deterrents.
But for close upon a century Lake
land has been a greatly appreciated
loullhS Slodiu- SICutlt lIe III
erary associations with Wordsworth.
Southey, Coleridge. De Quincy and
their circle, have attracted every type
of holiday maker. First came the
vacation reading parties of university
students, then the honeymoon couples,
to whom the Low Wood hotel Amble-
side, was once, in d sense sacred
and then the railways brought tour
lists from far and near. But not until
the automobile came upon the roads
was Lakeland comfortably or thor
oughly to be explored.
The tourist by motor car here has
choice of every kind of road, or no
road, and may, if he will, take his
sport in transforming with the most
adventurous, or take his sightseeing
along roads as good as any in this
country. 1t is all a matter of taste
and inclination. The ideal way of
seeing Lakeland is undoubtedly that
of selecting some central spot at which
to stay and taking from it daily, out
and home, excursions. This is so for
several reasons; chief among them
that of the somewhat limited area of
the lake district, which may be stated
at about thirty miles square. The
lakes figure so largely in popular i'm
agination that this will seem scarcely
credible; yet any reference to maps
will prove the truth of it. But it does
not follow from this sheer matter-of-
fact measurement that this region is
easily seen or soon exhausted.
Grasmere in the Center.
Exactly in the center of the lake
district is Grasmere, central geOgraphi-
cally, and in its interest, for it was
Wordsworth's home, and in its church
yard he lies.
There are five recognized centers for
tourists in these regions: Windermere.
Ambleside and Grasmere. about equi-
distant, some four miles from one an
other; keSWick, thirteen miles further
north, and Coniston, somewhat iso-
lated, seven miles southwest Of Am
bleside. 1t would be thankless task
to declare any preference among
these, but we will take Grasmere as
the very focus of the lakes
Grasmere village is a sweet and gra-
cious place. Here Wordsworth resided
for more than fifty years. His later
homes here are not accessible, but
Dove Cottage, where he wrote his
earliest and best, has been preserved
as it was in his day, and is the resort
of literary pilgrims, while the unpre-
tending church beside the River
ROtha is much the same as he knew it.
That is an interesting day trip along
excellent roads, which takes us north
to CockermOuth, the old market town
at the extreme nOrtherly edge of Lake
land, where his birthplace, in Main
street, is still shown.
The way runs by Dunmail Raise to
Wythburn, whose little church, one of
the smallest in England, is neighbored
by the Nays Head Inn, where the old
daiesmen and their wives put up their
horses while attending service in olden
times. The road then runs alongside
Thirlmere, with the imposing noun
Tall, IIclNSllyIl, OHIO 1ttl, Oh tight.
keswick town comes next; a consid-
cradle place for this part of the coun-
try, and with an oddly foreign appear
ance, caused chiefly by the church
like building Greatly the town halD in
the middle of. the street. The chief
industry is the making of lead pen
ellis.
perWentwater Loveliest Lake.
But Derwentwater itself is the real
reward of the journey. 1t is generally
considered the loveliest of all the
lakes, and it is also the most accessi-
bic, a good road encircling it. Beyond
KesWick We pass Greta Hall, once the
home of Southey. and come to Bas-
senthwaite Water. Preferably taking
the left-hand road, Skiddaw, 1854 feet
is seen across the water. Cocker
mouth is some six miles further.
CLEANED The p0IS0NS