To the west of the London and North-Western Eailway, after it has surmounted the incline of Shap Fells, lies the valley of the Eiver Lowther, which eventually flows into the Eamont, whichinturn drains into the Eden. The Lowther, flowing in a general northerly direction, receives the drainage of three important streams, coming from the south-west. The first of these flows through the valley of Wet Sleddale, just north of the Fells, which exhibit the exposures of the Shap Granite. It is lettered W.S.inFig. 1. The second, Swindale (S. Fig. 1), the subject of this paper, joins the Lowther stream at Kossgill Hamlet, about two miles north of Shap Village, whilst the third, Haweswater Beck (H.B. Fig. 1), flows out of Haweswater (H. Fig. 1) and joins the Lowther at Bampton.

Proceeding up Swindale from Eossgill, we follow the road over Eossgill Moor, a barren tract of country occupied by Skiddaw Slates, to Swindale Foot, near which the Borrowdale Volcanic Group appears, and causes the fine cliff scenery which marks the upper part of Swindale.