Old Cumbria Gazetteer

---

	placename:-	Keswick to Buttermere
	other name:-	Buttermere to Keswick
	parish:-	Keswick parish, once in Cumberland
	parish:-	Above Derwent parish, once in Cumberland
	parish:-	Buttermere parish, once in Cumberland
	county:-	Cumbria
		route; road
	10Km square:-	NY22
	10Km square:-	NY21
	10Km square:-	NY11
	descriptive text:-	Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843)
		Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by William Ford, published by Charles Thurnham, London, et al, 1839; published 1839-52.
		Page 168:-
		...
		XII. KESWICK TO BUTTERMERE, THROUGH BORRODALE.- 23 M.
	date:-	1839
	period:-	19th century, early; 1830s
	descriptive text:-	Otley 1823 (5th edn 1834)
		Guidebook, Concise Description of the English Lakes, later A Description of the English Lakes, by Jonathan Otley, published by the author, Keswick, Cumberland, by J Richardson, London, and by Arthur Foster, Kirky Lonsdale, Cumbria, 1823 onwards.
		goto source.
		Page 125:-
		KESWICK TO BUTTERMERE.
		goto source.
		An excursion through Borrowdale to Buttermere may be made on horseback, taking the road as before described as far as Bowder Stone: a mile beyond which, at Rosthwaite, is a small public-house. A little further, a road on the left leads by Stonethwaite, over the steep mountain pass called the Stake, to Langdale. ...
		At Seatoller, about eight miles from Keswick, a road on the left leads to the black-lead mine, and to Wast Water; and here the Buttermere road, turning to the right, ascends, by the side of a stream broken into pretty waterfalls, up a steep hill; from which there are some fine retrospective views of the upper parts of Borrowdale; and Helvellyn soon begins to shew his head over the mountains of Watendleth. In passing the hause, (which rises 800 feet above the level of Derwent Lake,) Honister Crag in majestic grandeur is presented to the view;
		goto source.
		Page 126:-
		between which and Yew Crag, the road now sharply descends. Both these rocks are famed for producing roofing slate of the best quality; and the edges of the road are beautifully tufted with Alchemilla alpina. Gatesgarth dale, through which the road now goes, (twice crossing and recrossing the stream,) is a narrow valley strewed with large blocks of stone, fallen from the rocks above; and solemnly shaded by the lofty Honister, which towers to the height of 1700 feet above the valley at its foot. We now re-enter upon same soft clay-slate rock, which we parted from at Grange, and the change is soon apparent in the smoothness of the road.
		Opposite to the farm of Gatesgarth, which is two miles from the inn at Buttermere, a shepherd's path leads over the mountain, by a pass called Scarf-gap, ... The crags on the left of Scarf-gap are, from their form, called Hay-stacks; and to the right, three adjoining summits are called High-crag, High-stile, and Red-pike. The two first are composed of what some would call a porphyritic greenstone rock, the third of a reddish sienite: and between the second and third lies Burtness Tarn.
		The road, after passing Gatesgarth, touches upon the margin of Buttermere Lake, and a little further upon the left is the neat sheltered cottage of Hase-
		goto source.
		Page 127:-
		[Hase]ness. From Keswick to the inn at Buttermere by this route is 14 miles.
		goto source.
		Page 134:-
		... the carriage road from Scale Hill; along which there is a pleasant view of the vale of Lorton; and also a fine view of the vale of Keswick in descending the hill from Whinlatter. ...
	date:-	1823
	period:-	19th century, early; 1820s
	old map:-	Crosthwaite 1783-94 (But/Cru/Low)
		Series of maps, An Accurate Map of the Matchless Lake of Derwent, of the Grand Lake of Windermere, of the Beautiful Lake of Ullswater, of Broadwater or Bassenthwaite Lake, of Coniston Lake, of Buttermere, Crummock and Loweswater Lakes, and Pocklington's Island, by Peter Crosthwaite, Kendal, Cumberland now Cumbria, 1783 to 1794.
		Keswick to Buttermere via Honister Pass.
		In the title text:-
		... The distance from Keswick to the Village of Buttermere, by Borrowdale and Gates-garth, is 13 Miles. ...
		road
	date:-	1783=1794
	period:-	18th century, late; 1780s; 1790s
	old map:-	Crosthwaite 1783-94 (But/Cru/Low)
		Series of maps, An Accurate Map of the Matchless Lake of Derwent, of the Grand Lake of Windermere, of the Beautiful Lake of Ullswater, of Broadwater or Bassenthwaite Lake, of Coniston Lake, of Buttermere, Crummock and Loweswater Lakes, and Pocklington's Island, by Peter Crosthwaite, Kendal, Cumberland now Cumbria, 1783 to 1794.
		Road to Keswick
		The road via Newlands Hause.
		road
	date:-	1783=1794
	period:-	18th century, late; 1780s; 1790s
	old map:-	Crosthwaite 1783-94 (Der)
		Series of maps, An Accurate Map of the Matchless Lake of Derwent, of the Grand Lake of Windermere, of the Beautiful Lake of Ullswater, of Broadwater or Bassenthwaite Lake, of Coniston Lake, of Buttermere, Crummock and Loweswater Lakes, and Pocklington's Island, by Peter Crosthwaite, Kendal, Cumberland now Cumbria, 1783 to 1794.
		To Buttermere
		road
	date:-	1783=1794
	period:-	18th century, late; 1780s; 1790s
	descriptive text:-	West 1778 (11th edn 1821)
		Guide book, A Guide to the Lakes, by Thomas West, published by William Pennington, Kendal, Cumbria once Westmorland, and in London, 1778 to 1821.
		goto source.
		Page 129:-
		A morning ride up the vale of Newland, to
		BUTTERMERE.
		This ride remains hitherto unnoticed, though one of the most pleasing and surprising in the environs of Keswick. Company
		goto source.
		Page 130:-
		who visit the vale of Keswick, and view its lake from Castle-rigg, Latrig, Swinside, and the vicarage, imagine inaccessible mountains only remain beyond the line of this amazing tract. But whoever takes a ride up Newland vale, will be agreeably surprised with some of the finest solemn pastoral scenes they have
		goto source.
		Page 131:-
		yet beheld. Here present themselves an arrangement of vast mountains, entirely new, both in form and coloring of rock; ...
		The ride is along Swinside; and having turned the brow of the hill, and passed the first houses, through which the road leads, observe at the gate on the right, a view down a narrow vale, which is pleasing in a high degree.
		goto source.
		Page 132:-
		The road continues winding through a glade, along the side of a rapid brook, that tumbles down a stony channel with water as clear as crystal. At the hedge-row tree under Rawlingend (a brawny mountain) turn, and have a new and pleasant view of the vale of Keswick. The road has then a gentle ascent, and the rivulet is heard murmuring below. ... Above Keskadale, ... no traces of human industry appear. All is naked solitude and simple nature. The vale now becomes a dell, and the road a path. ...
		goto source.
		Page 133:-
		... In approaching the head of Newland-hawse, on the left, a mountain of purple-coloured rock presents a thousand gaping chasms, excavated by torrents that fall into a bason, formed in the bosom of the mountain, and from thence precipitating themselves over a wall of rock, become a brook below. In front is a vast rocky mountain, the barrier of the dell, that opposes itself to all further access. ...
		Whoever would enjoy, with ease and safety Alpine views, and pastoral scenes in the sublime style, may have them in this morning ride.
		goto source.
		Page 134:-
		The road, or rather track, becomes now [from Newlands Hause]less agreeable than it was, for a few roods, not from any difficulty there is in turning the mountain turf into good road, at a small expense, but from the inattention of the dalesmen, who habituate themselves to tread in the track made by their flocks, and wish for nothing better. It will not be labour lost to walk a few roods here, and see a new creation of mountains, as unlike those left behind, as the Andes are to the Alps. The contrast is really striking, and appears at once on the summit of the hill. ...
	date:-	1778
	period:-	18th century, late; 1770s
		photographs
		Keswick to Buttermere -- Keswick and Above Derwent etc -- Cumbria / -- Looking up towards Newlands Hause. -- NY20631866 (SW) -- 10.6.2005
		Keswick to Buttermere -- Keswick and Above Derwent etc -- Cumbria / -- Looking NE from Newlands Hause. -- NY19561772 (NE) -- 10.6.2005
		Keswick to Buttermere -- Keswick and Above Derwent etc -- Cumbria / -- Looking down Newlands Hause towards Buttermere, from the path up knott Rigg. -- NY19561772 (NE) -- 25.12.2005
		photographs
		Route via Honister Pass.
		Keswick to Buttermere -- Keswick and Above Derwent etc -- Cumbria / -- Looking up Honister Pass from the Buttermere side. -- NY21221479 (SE) -- 10.6.2005
	mapping:-	Keswick Newlands, Above Derwent Newlands Hause, Buttermere Buttermere
	mapping:-	Keswick Grange, Borrowdale Borrowdale Seatoller, Borrowdale Honister Pass, Buttermere Buttermere
	Old Cumbria Gazetteer - JandMN: 2008

  Lakes Guides menu.

---

©  Martin and Jean Norgate: 2010
  email:- JandMN@norgate.freeserve.co.uk
  Other projects

  Geography Department, Portsmouth University