MOOCH - Exploring with a Compass Pt.2

Last month I regaled you with how well the Compass Trailhawk 4xe managed on one of the most challenging lanes in Cumbria. There was plenty of wheel-lifts and a bit of scrambling here and there, but on the whole the mid-sized Jeep handled it very well.

As I was still up in the Lakes, despite it being a little late in the day, I decided that it would be rude of me not to include another couple of lanes, so once I was back on the A590 I took a sneaky left and headed towards Bouth for my next lane.

Lane 1 - SD3186-05

If you’re tackling this cracker from the south, then straight away you’re faced with a steep climb.

Although it has a solid base, it’s also scattered with loose stone and dirt, and the trickiest bit is the diagonal trench that spans across the lane not far from the top.

Learning my lesson from the last tricky lane, I switched the Compass to low-box and Rock mode. With a good approach angle and very grippy All Season Contact Continental tyres, the Compass did a fine job and made it feel much less of a challenge than it actually was. Sorry, no photos, this section is quite narrow.

Once you reach the top SD318605 is straight forward and twists its way through the trees until you arrived at the first gate.

There’s a homemade sign on gate requesting that folks stick to the track, which is fair enough, and it must do the trick as there was no evidence of off piste activity, which makes a very pleasant change.

Through the gate and there’s a 90º right hand turn made up of loose stone that gently rises to above the tree line that offers more lovely views. The base remains rocky, but easy enough for most AWDs. With lush grass on either side, it’s always pleasant to stop, have a brew and take in the beauty of your surroundings.

A few hundred yards further along and you reach a fork in the lane; turn left onto SD3186-07 and within a couple of hundred yards you’ll find yourself at the end of the lane. Turn right onto SD3186-06, and after a few switchbacks the lane changes dramatically, so I opted for the latter.

Lane 2 - SD3186-06

It can be a bit rocky in places, but relatively easy, and after a few of the aformentioned switchbacks you arrive at another gate. According to Trailwise 2, access to this next section was hampered recently by trees that had come down due to recent storms, but thankfully they had all been cleared.

The latter section is what can only be described as a forest track that winds through, well, a forest. There’s the odd muddy puddle, but in the main it’s a solid base and in places can be a bit scratchy.

I had a few more lanes in mind, but as I reached the end of SD3186-06 the Jeep’s fuel light began to flicker, so I decided to head back towards the A590 and the nearest services then head home. After feeding it £25 (which will probably be more like £50 as you are reading this) I decided to explore one last lane.

Lane 3 - SD6314-05

Belmont Road isn’t that far from Muddy Towers and I hadn’t driven it for a few years as I believed it was closed.

Recognising the lane from a few recent posts on Facebook I asked the question on my local GLASS page, and low and behold, it’s open to traffic.

Belmont Road isn’t challenging and in the past I’ve driven it in small 2wd SUVs, but it does offer some spectacular views, you can even see Blackpool Tower on a clear day.

Sadly there’s quite a lot of evidence of off-piste driving which spoils the atmosphere a bit.

At the next gate you reach the Pigeon Tower, then the lanes changes to Georges Lane (SD6413-04). Again, the surface is hard packed stone and suitable for most vehicles.

That said, there’s a section that was damaged by heavy vehicles whilst working up there a few years ago and there’s now a deep rut that runs straight across the lane, ready to remove front bumpers off the cars of unsuspecting motorists.

Further along there’s a large rain channel that’s been formed over many years of torrential storms, it’s a regular spot of mine to test 4WD systems and pose for a bit of 3 wheeled action (you may have noticed over the last 39 issues). There haven’t been many 4x4s that have failed to negotiate this at an angle, and the Compass drove in and out without a fuss, as I expected.

Overall I had a cracking day out, and the Compass Trailhawk 4xe proved to be worthy of the Trailhawk badge, in fact I enjoyed it so much that I even asked Jeep if there was a chance of borrowing one for a longer period! Watch this space…