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Below are the Top 10s for
Saunterings (a set of reflections based upon walks around the counties of
Cumbria, Lancashire and
North Yorkshire in North-West England). Various features of North-West England (as defined in the
Preamble) are ranked according to
manifold criteria – much too mani to be mentioned here – which have been combined in a devilishly
complex formula – much too complex to specify here – to derive a single coefficient, the Worth-visiting
Coefficient (WC). If this thoroughly scientific methodology does
not convince, I am open to persuasion, preferably monetary.
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  Drakkar Top photo: The western Howgills from Dillicar;
Bottom photo: Blencathra from Great Mell Fell
Saunterings:  Top 10s
Only features mentioned so far in Saunterings
are listed. As new features are mentioned
they may be added below, at the risk of stimulating unbridled excitement. I've also sprinkled a few Top 10s
that cannot be visited at all, such as of people who are no longer with us.
(As in the Index, a bold number indicates that the item
was a main focus of a saunter and an italicised number indicates that the item
was shown in a photograph.)
Ancient Sites; 
Beaches; 
Becks; 
Birds; 
Bridges; 
Cafés; 
Castles; 
Caves; 
Crags; 
Dales; 
Geological Sites; 
Halls; 
Lakes; 
Men; 
Moors; 
Mountains; 
Mynopes; 
Nature Reserves; 
Reservoirs; 
Rivers; 
Tarns; 
Tourist Attractions; 
Viewpoints; 
Villages; 
Waterfalls; 
Ways; 
Women; 
Woods
Top 10 Ancient Sites of North-West England
      Including stone circles, Roman forts, old earthworks, and so on.
Top 10 Beaches and Bays of North-West England
      Some of these are on the sea coast; others at a lake side.
Top 10 Becks of North-West England
      Only becks that are called Becks or Brooks are considered here.
Top 10 Birds of North-West England
      Birds don't always stay put, but I've indicated where they might be spotted.
Top 10 Bridges of North-West England
      Including bridges, aqueducts and viaducts over rivers or roads.
Top 10 Cafés of North-West England
      I list only establishments that I've visited on my
saunterings - and I only visit them occasionally, in order to while away some time, waiting for
a bus, perhaps. Of course, I haven't carried out a thorough
review of all such establishments - who could? I base these rankings not on culinary qualities -
one cappuccino is much like another -
but on the general pleasantness of the place.
Top 10 Castles of North-West England
      I don't include castles that are closed to visitors.
Top 10 Caves, Caverns and Potholes of North-West England
      After the first few, which can be entered by anyone (after payment), the rest are assessed on their surface
properties only.
Top 10 Crags of North-West England
      Including crags, cliffs, scars, etc. that aren't considered as
Mountains or Viewpoints.
Top 10 Dales of North-West England
      Including dales that aren't called dales.
Top 10 Geological Sites of North-West England
      Some of these may appear under other headings as well.
Top 10 Halls of North-West England
      A Manor, Villa, Grange, House, and so on that is not called a Hall is not included.
Top 10 Lakes of North-West England
      Lakes, meres and waters (and pools, ponds and puddles, if good enough).
Top 10 Men of North-West England
      Men who have helped make North-West England what it is today!
Top 10 Moors of North-West England
      I include Commons here too: I'm not sure of the precise difference between
a Moor and a Common.
Top 10 Mountains of North-West England
      Considering their appearance, the appeal of walking upon them, and so on.
Top 10 Mynopes of North-West England
      An eponym lends their name, for example, Adam to Adam's apple.
There doesn't seem to be a word for the recipient of the name - mynope, perhaps.
The following mynopes pinch our place-names.
Top 10 Nature Reserves of North-West England
      Including nature reserves, SPAs, SACs, SSSIs and so on.
Top 10 Reservoirs of North-West England
      The reservoirness of the body of water must be apparent for it to qualify here.
Top 10 Rivers of North-West England
Top 10 Tarns of North-West England
      For a discussion of what a 'tarn' is, see 65.
Top 10 Tourist Attractions of North-West England
      Of course, I don't go sauntering in order to visit tourist
attractions, so I refer you to the official list given in 69.
Top 10 Viewpoints of North-West England
      Excluding those from hill-tops higher than 500m.
Top 10 Villages of North-West England
      For their prototypical villageness.
Top 10 Waterfalls of North-West England
      Including only those that are publicly accessible (although I might delete those you're supposed
to pay to see). I don't seem to have sauntered to any Lake District waterfalls yet!
Top 10 Ways, Paths and Trails of North-West England
      If a Way extends outside the North-West England region then that part
is ignored by the WC assessment.
Top 10 Women of North-West England
      I haven't met enough women on my saunterings.
Top 10 Woods and Forests of North-West England
      Considering only those woods that can be walked in.