A very wet day on Mount Battock

Hill: Mount Battock

Type: Corbett

Height:778m

Mount Battock is the most easterly Corbett and has been on my list for a while. It is straightforward and has extensive views, really, probably but certainly not today.

According to the weather forecast a low pressure front was due to hit just after lunch. So, with the prospect of a morning weather window I had an early breakfast and was ready for walking for 9am.

Lovely start but snap taken on descent when rain off

Problem was nobody had told the weather that there was a dry spell as it was bucketing down. No cuckoo calling a bad omen. 

The ford well flooded luckily a bridge nearby

This will be one of the shortest blogs as not much to say and not many snaps, scared of ruining phone and camera.

Mount Battock through the middle somewhere

Was expecting hill track but actually goes round the side can just be seen

The ascent followed a standard estate track almost all the way to the summit. This is a huge grouse estate so when the visibility is bad like today all you can see either side is heather along with the sound of springing grouse, lots of them.

Side track still no sign of Battock

About a third into the walk I was carrying my poles and realised a leg had fallen off one. This scuppered my planned horseshoe so I returned the same way but surprisingly did not see it, an odd one.

It was the grimmest ascent I have made for yonks. Solid rain all the way. Head down looking at my feet listening to  the rain drumming on my hood. As the track zig zagged fine at your back but into your face constantly trying to adjust the hood to stop the water entering, why do these hoods never stay tight?

Grouse butts so know I am getting close to the top

Visibility was as expected on the ascent with some views of the trail until around 2000ft then visibility came down to 20-30yds maximum. On the descent the clouds lowered further and it was around 1300ft before I could see anything around me. 

Getting the eye, took me by surprise

Solidly built grouse butts appear from time to time and this one made me look up twice lol.

Summit

There is a flat area at the top from the Wester Cairn but this was like walking on a light flood plain, splashing and squelching every step to the summit, a trig and a double sided cairn, which despite its size just appeared out of the gloom. Extensive views, nope, just happy to see the fence to get me back the way down.

I did not hang about on the top, damp and cold I just wanted back to the car. The things we do to bag a hill but the trip had been booked and planned, the weather you just have to take.

Heading back can finally see but how could I not find pole end on this sandy track

Spirits rose when I exited the gloom and the rain went off allowing me to take in the moorland views back down Glen Esk.

Looking down to the ford and the small bridge

Far from the walk that I hoped for so I will probably return to see them one day but not tomorrow! 

Lots of squirrel feeders but none spotted

At least I got changed in the dry and it was a very fast walk, no hanging about today.

Ascent: 751m

Distance: 15.9km

Time: 3.33

Wildlife: Red Legged Partridge (1st of year); Sand Martin (1st of year); Red Grouse; Curlew; Peewit; Skylark; Meadow Pipit; Buzzard; Mallard.