A summer sunrise on Helvellyn
The church clock struck one as we gently closed the door behind us and stepped out into dim deep-blue stillness, wondering whether enough light would be vouchsafed to make our way clear. A corncrake called at the bridge, but the beck was silent, and the quiet brooding over the dale was so complete that it gave us a curious sense of possession. The night was ours.
No one seemed to be sharing the soft breeze that gently swept over the fields standing high in hay-grass, or the scents it brought. As we passed up the rough path with Tongue Ghyll murmuring below us, though a black wall of fell rose ahead we had the feeling we were walking towards the light. Now and again we seemed to be moving through pockets of warmer air, charged with scented fern and the indescribable sweetness that rises when dew has fallen on sun-baked sheep-nibbled turf. We crossed the beck that divides Seat Sandal from the Tongue, the stepping stones shining whitely, and began to climb up the long grassy slope. Two green glow-worm lights, almost startling in their beauty, shone at our feet, then another, and another, till we realized the ground beyond the beck on our left was dotted with scores of these tiny, stedfastly-glowing lamps.
We crossed the rocky knoll that for so long had loomed up before us, dropped down to the hollow, and climbed up to the Hause Gap. Every moment the light increased, and even gave us sight of the saxifrages starring the bog near the rock where the Wordsworth brothers had their memorable parting.
There was a hint of coming beauty in the roseate glow that was stealing over the sky to north-east. The top of Helvellyn, now only a few hundred yards distant, looked miles away. The black, jagged outline of Striding Edge appeared and disappeared. We waited, and there was a brilliant radiance behind a bank of clouds: then arrows of flaming rose, molten edges, dim forms and gleams, veiled pinnacles of fire, the whole panoply of world mystery shimmering as the great giant came forth from the uttermost part of the heaven. Imperceptibly colour came all round us. An hour later, just as we ended our walk, the sun appeared above the eastern rampart of fell and flooded the dale with glory.
Explore 200 years of history as it appeared in the pages of The Times, from 1785 to 1985: thetimes.co.uk/archive
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Moment 'air scooter' bids to fly across English Channel
Franky Zapata, 46, attempted to cross the English Channel in his AirScooter as part of a bid to impress investors in the US and market it to a whole new audience across the Atlantic This is the moment an "air scooter" crashed into the water during a failed bid to cross the English Channel. A French start-up tried to make history on Friday by crossing the Channel using vertical take-off and landing craft. Franky Zapata, 46, hopped in his AirScooter in Sangatte, near Calais, in a bid to complete the 21-mile journey across the Channel toward Kent. He zoomed across the water but decided to turn back after 17 minutes. Just nine minutes later, the craft slowly nosedived into the sea as observers watched on from a nearby boat. The AirScooter team said an "electric parachute" had slowed the descent and prevented a freefall. Team members are now looking to recover the air scooter. Before the flight, Zapata said he was not "100 per cent sure" the craft would reach Dover, in Kent. He added: "We've been rehearsing the flight for months and months. "It's relatively good but it's still new. Sometimes everything goes well and sometimes not so well." Zapata had hoped a Channel crossing would be a massive opportunity to market the craft to American investors. The US currently has fewer regulations on ultralight aircraft compared to counterparts in Europe, including France and the UK. But the crash now indicates Zapata will need to examine the product to iron out any possible flaws with its design. The Times reported Zapata wants wealthy out-of-town homeowners "who want to fly to the neighbours' for a barbecue on a Sunday." He latter conceded, "they won't be able to use them over towns." The craft weighs about 115kg (253lbs) and was said to be able to fly about two hours and reach a speed of 62mph. The aircraft is estimated to cost about £149,000 and Zapata has announced he intends to open a flight centre in Las Vegas in 2028, that will give people the opportunity to try it out. Zapata crossed the Channel on a hoverboard n 2019, which cemented his reputation. He went on to be asked to fly over the Champ Elysées avenue in Paris for the Bastille Day parade about a year later.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Direct trains from UK to top European city with €4 beers set to start soon
A deal has been signed for an expansion on rail travel from the UK to a popular European destination - making it easier than ever for people to go on city breaks For those looking for a quick city break - there's a new European destination that will now be easily accessible via train. Britain and Germany have just signed a landmark deal that will "fundamentally change how millions of people travel". Named The Kensington Treaty, the agreement will hopefully be in place in the early 2030s and marks a shift in relations between the two nations. It was sealed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's on his first official visit to the UK on July 17. One of the key elements of the deal - as outlined in the UK goverments Plan for Change is the commitment to provide a long-distance direct passenger rail service between the two capitals according to The Times. It's expected travel time from London to Frankfurt is likely to take about five hours and London to Geneva is expected to take five hours and 20 minutes. Eurostar and other train operators had an eye on expanding the number of destinations served by the Channel Tunnel since the original service was launched in the 1990s. It also allows there to be easy travel to other German cities including Frankfurt. The joint UK-Germany transport taskforce will now explore the infrastructure, border and security needs to be able to create the route. As well as looking into the commercial and technical requirements such as safety standards and what is needed from rail operators to make the direct service happen. Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: 'We're pioneering a new era of European rail connectivity and are determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent. "The Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie - in just a matter of years, rail passengers in the UK could be able to visit these iconic sights direct from the comfort of a train, thanks to a direct connection linking London and Berlin." "This landmark agreement - part of a new treaty the Prime Minister will sign with Chancellor Merz today - has the potential to fundamentally change how millions of people travel between our two countries, offering a faster, more convenient and significantly greener alternative to flying.'" It comes after Eurostar has since announced plans to launch direct services to Frankfurt and Geneva in the early 2030s, as well as working on a direct route to Berlin.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Beaulieu lauded as among the UK's prettiest mini-breaks
Beaulieu was featured in the list from The Times, which was looking at the villages with special appeal for a short stay. The publication shared: "Whether your ideal village is veering towards a hamlet or one with a rom-com-worthy collection of trendy shops, we've got you covered in this list of the UK's 25 prettiest — all with a gorgeous place to stay." The full list of the UK's 25 prettiest mini-breaks can be found on The Times website here. Why is Beaulieu among the UK's prettiest mini-breaks? Beaulieu was praised for its beauty, posh restaurants and gorgeous architecture among other features. The Times wrote: "This New Forest village is a place of pilgrimage for posh petrolheads, thanks to its National Motor Museum, but there are plenty of other things to see. "On one side of the River Beaulieu are the 13th-century ruins of its abbey plus Palace House, where the car-minded Montagu family have lived since 1538 (£30; "Beaulieu village is on the other side and with its melange of half-timbered and Georgian buildings, is regularly voted one of Britain's most beautiful villages. "Travellers have been arriving at the Montagu Arms since the 17th century. "There are now 33 rooms and suites, a posh restaurant and a pub, Monty's Inn (and, handily, plenty of car parking)." Earlier in the year, Beaulieu was also named as one of Britain's poshest villages for 2025, according to the Daily Mail. Recommended reading: The publication shared: "This Hampshire village hits the posh quota with its sixteenth-century high street and artisan shops. "It's also on the doorstep of both the New Forest and Buckler's Hard, part of the 9,000-acre Beaulieu estate, for those wishing to picnic along the riverside." Its high street offerings and proximity to beautiful countryside definitely make it stand out as a great spot for a break in the county.
