Not even the breathtaking vistas of the forested drive to Champawat District from Kathgodam can prepare you for the beauty that greets you in Abbott Mount. After long stretches of moss-covered deodar forests you finally reach Lohaghat on the banks of the Lohawati river. Soon Lohaghat’s crowded bazaar is left behind and, 6 km ahead at Marorakhan, the road climbs dramatically up through the clouds over a 3 km road to the tiny settlement of Abbott Mount. There are just 13 cottages spread across this hill, all built pre-Independence by John Harold Abbott of Jhansi, who named the hill for himself.

The cottages are unchanged since the time Abbott first built it. Deodars and pear trees grace the grounds, and the Himalayas stretch across the horizon. Beneath your feet, the bowl of the Soar Valley is filled with clouds. It was for this special view that Abbott chose this particular mount that towers above the neighbouring hills. And which affords the visitor the pleasure of sipping tea in a garden while watching the clouds beneath float by.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

The panoramic view will dominate your time in Abbott Mount, for every cottage and the cricket pitch, where everybody congregates, has been oriented towards the mountains. There’s little to distract you from your contemplation of the purity of Nanda Devi’s white coat, save for the occasional woodpecker. There are several walking trails, some accompanied by streams that run all across the forested hill. Wear shoes that have a good grip or you can slip on the mossy trails.

The Mount

Visit Abbott Mount’s cricket pitch on the summit of the hill. At just under 7,000 ft, Abbott Mount’s is reputed to be the world’s second highest cricket pitch. At the eastern end of the pitch, follow the trail down to the tiny church where JH Abbott lies buried, forever facing his beloved mountains. The church, sadly, is slowly but inexorably falling into ruin.

Angling

Abbott Mount is visited as a base for Pancheshwar, a pleasant 36-km drive away via Lohaghat. This village oversees the confluence of the Kali and Sarda rivers, both rich with mahseer. Carry your equipment along. Abbott Mount Cottage and quite a few of the operators here offer angling packages for Pancheshwar.

Restaurant in Kalmatia Sangam
Restaurant in Kalmatia Sangam
Courtesy Kalmatia Sangam Himalaya Resort

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT

Abbott Mount Cottage (Cell: 09811704651, 09312206571; Tariff: ₹3,500-8,000, entire cottage ₹8,000 per day) is one of Abbott’s lovely heritage cottages.

When to go Year round. Snow falls only for a couple of weeks in winter Location At 6,800 ft in the Kali Kumaon region of southeast Uttarakhand, 36 km from Pancheshwar on the Kali river, which separates India from Nepal Air Nearest airport: Pantnagar Rail Nearest rail: Kathgodam