A poor day on the tops of Cairn Gorm, with sleet or snow up high and the summit in cloud for most of the day.
Cairngorms 4000s weather forecast
Compare Cairn Gorm, Ben Macdui, Cairn Toul, Sgòr an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach in one forecast view.
Forecast comparison
Every summit is shown side by side. The combined grade gives extra weight to the weakest forecast.
A poor day on the tops of Ben Macdui, with sleet or snow up high and the summit in cloud for most of the day.
A poor day on the tops of Cairn Toul, with sleet or snow up high and the summit in cloud for most of the day.
A poor day on the tops of Sgòr an Lochain Uaine, with sleet or snow up high and the summit in cloud for most of the day.
A poor day on the tops of Braeriach, with sleet or snow up high and the summit in cloud for most of the day.
Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.
Moon for your challenge
Night before your chosen day: Tuesday 20 October 2026
Cairngorms
Area reference: Ben Macdui. Local mountain horizons will vary.
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 72%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 01:30 next morning BST
Moon up during darker hours18:40 BST to 01:30 BST next morning
Window: 20 Oct, 17:00 BST to 21 Oct, 08:00 BST
Night beginning Wednesday 21 October 2026
Cairngorms
Area reference: Ben Macdui. Local mountain horizons will vary.
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 80%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 02:54 next morning BST
Moon up during darker hours18:35 BST to 02:55 BST next morning
Window: 21 Oct, 17:00 BST to 22 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