23 August 1915 – 29 August 1915

Am spending my summer holidays in the Lakes at Coniston with G---- and R----.... I am simply consumed with pride at being among the mountains at last! It is an enormous personal success to have arrived at Coniston!

Climbed a windy eminence on the other side of the Lake and had a splendid view of Helvellyn--like a great hog's back. It is fine to walk over the elastic turf with the wind bellowing into each ear and swirling all around me in a mighty sea of air until I was as clean-blown and resonant as a sea-shell. I moved along as easily as a disembodied spirit and felt free, almost transparent. The old earth seemed to have soaked me up into itself, I became dissolved into it, my separate body was melted away from me, and Nature received me into her deepest communion--until, UNTIL I got on the lee side of a hedge where the calm brought me back my gaol of clay.