Breast High in a Wrangler
Breast High Road in Cumbria is one of the lanes that I had should’ve driven long before it was graded, as by all accounts it was challenging and fun. However, it was getting pretty bad, and some 4x4 owners were driving off-piste in an attempt to avoid the worst sections and consequently making the surrounding area a right mess. So it was no surprise that the Lake District National Park decided to earmark it for extensive repair work.
Together with other user groups including TRF and GLASS, major repairs included complete restructuring of several parts of the route plus reinstating and improving drainage. There are also two new bridges in areas that were considered unsafe, and the gateway next to Borrow Beck has been set back toward the Fell allowing for easier access and dry feet.
Better late than never, as people say, I decided to take the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon I had on test up for a drive to see what all the fuss was about.
To find the start of Breast High Road, on the east side, I used Trailwise2, then opened what3words, clicked Breast High Beck and pressed navigate - don’t you just love modern technology?
Driving from east to west, Breast High Road runs along both Bretherdale and Breast High Beck, the ground is solid, the becks are beautifully clear and scenery is stunning.
Jumping back into the Rubicon after opening the first gate I got a whiff of manure, I then noticed a smearing of it on the steering wheel, the internal door handle and on my hands - lovely. What had happened was cow dung had been kicked up from the Rubicon’s tyres, up the side of the drivers door and onto the door handle. The joys of not having mud flaps.
Fortunately I’d brought along a microfibre cloth in the Thule Powershuttle, and after a good soaking in a nearby stream I was able to wash it off, then give it all a once over using some hand sanitiser gel that I still have in abundance from Covid!
With a clean steering wheel I trundled on, and it doesn’t take long for the road to climb, so it was time to engage low box. Not that it was gnarly, but the new surface was loose and I simply wanted to take my time.
I was fortune to choose a nice day as the views were simply stunning. After driving over the two new bridges (the old ones were considered unsafe), Breast High Road continues to rise and I passed the section that once had an exposed pipe that was fairy tricky to negotiate, it’s now unrecognisably flat.
After a couple of corners the road becomes steeper, and because the new surface was laid with little or no binding material it’s quite loose underfoot - or tyre. If you have an older 4x4, like a series Land Rover, momentum would be required along with a steady throttle, otherwise you could easily find yourself digging in and getting yourself cross-axled.
With plenty of traction aids and BFG KM3s, the Jeep managed this first section with ease.
Once through the top gate you have to contend with a tight-ish, and steep S bend. This is the only section of Breast High Road that you need half decent ground clearance as there are a few steps to negotiate. Easy in the Rubicon, but you would have to watch your wheel placement in something smaller, like a Dacia Duster, say.
Once you reach the plateau the views are simply incredible, even more so when you begin the descent towards the water crossing.
The next tricky section is the right hand corner that heads downwards. I wouldn’t want to guess the amount stone the LDNP used to fill the hole that was once there, and although it’s now flat, it suffers the same difficulty as previously mentioned in that the surface is now quite loose, and a tap of the brakes could result in disaster. So like any steep descent, it’s second gear, low-box letting the engine do the braking.
I don’t want to use the word ‘sanitised’, but looking at photos of the lane prior to grading and it’s totally unrecognisable. Don’t get me wrong I’m not criticising the repairs, as it’s evident that a huge amount of hard work (and materials), have been used to maintain and keep this lane open for everyone.
Half way down and there’s a new gate navigate through with an impressive new stone surface over a stream, then it’s a fairly straight forward run down to the often fast flowing Borrow Beck.
I’ve always been advised that if the water is flowing over the rocks then don’t bother as it’s too deep. Today it wasn’t, so I went for it, and going by the video I took it wasn’t as deep as it initially looked.
With nowhere else to be, I decided it would be rude if I didn’t drive back over, and this time I grabbed my tripod with the intention to video it all. I also wanted to see how the Rubicon coped with the ‘corner’ as the surface was still quite loose. As you can watch on the video, with the rear locker engaged it was a walk in the park.
Whilst at the top I pulled over to let a few 4x4s pass, and figured I’d might as well make myself a brew before completing the road and heading back to the M6 via Tebay services.
The more Breast High Road is driven the more compact the stones will become, and my thoughts are that the majority of 4x4s will manage it, though I wouldn’t attempt it if you have an SUV with road tyres and you could quite easily slice a sidewall.
If you want to watch my video driving Breast High Road from west to east, it’s here in full Technicolour!