Cairn Gorm1,245 mLimiting summit
100Excellent
A fine day on Cairn Gorm: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind4 mph SGusts 5 mph
Rain0.0 mm
Summit views97%
Cairngorms 4000s weather forecast
Compare Cairn Gorm, Ben Macdui, Cairn Toul, Sgòr an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach in one forecast view.
5 summitsAll five above 4,000 feet
Forecast comparison
Every summit is shown side by side. The combined grade gives extra weight to the weakest forecast.
SummitGradeForecast summaryWindRainSummit viewsDetails
Ben Macdui1,309 m
100Excellent
A fine day on Ben Macdui: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind7 mph SGusts 10 mph
Rain0.0 mm
Summit views97%
Cairn Toul1,291 m
100Excellent
A fine day on Cairn Toul: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind4 mph SGusts 5 mph
Rain0.0 mm
Summit views97%
Sgòr an Lochain Uaine1,258 m
100Excellent
A fine day on Sgòr an Lochain Uaine: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind4 mph SGusts 5 mph
Rain0.0 mm
Summit views97%
Braeriach1,296 m
100Excellent
A fine day on Braeriach: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind4 mph SGusts 5 mph
Rain0.0 mm
Summit views97%
Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.
Moon for your challenge
Night before your chosen day: Saturday 17 October 2026
Cairngorms
Area reference: Ben Macdui. Local mountain horizons will vary.
Moon information is unavailable for this night at this summit. An earlier night may no longer be in the current forecast.
Night beginning Sunday 18 October 2026
Cairngorms
Area reference: Ben Macdui. Local mountain horizons will vary.
First-quarter moon
- Illuminated disc
- 53%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 22:42 BST
Moon up during darker hours18:45 BST to 22:40 BST
Window: 18 Oct, 17:00 BST to 19 Oct, 08:00 BST
Approximate times in UK local time, for an open horizon. Moon-up periods are rounded to five minutes. Hills and cloud can hide the Moon. Illumination is the sunlit percentage of its disc, not how bright your route will be. Darker hours here begin after civil twilight. This almanac covers only the stated overnight window and does not change the weather grade. Take a headtorch and spare power regardless.
Planning the Cairngorms 4000s
The Cairngorms 4000s links five of Britain’s highest summits across a remote, exposed plateau and the Lairig Ghru. Even when the general pattern is settled, cloud, wind and temperature can differ across this large mountain area.
Use the challenge grade to compare dates, then inspect all five rows. The forecast does not account for river crossings, snow cover, navigation or the very substantial distance between summits.
Read Cairngorms 4000s route context