The day on the hill
Frequent summit cloud on Ben Starav: summit wind broadly 20-35 mph, with gusts 40-50 mph at times (strong winds).
Wind & exposure
Much calmer lower down - generally 10-20 mph in the valley, rising towards the tops.
Cloud & views
Cloud base around 500–800 m in the morning, lifting to 1000–1300 m around midday. The top is likely to drift in and out of cloud, with the best chance of a view during the afternoon.
Cloud-height uncertainty could put the summit in or out of cloud. Clear spells may be difficult to time.
Cloud may hang lower on western slopes and lift somewhat on the eastern side, but local terrain can differ. Sunny spells are possible away from summit cloud, but may not reach the top while it is in cloud.
Rain & temperature
The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain. Little or no rain is forecast.
Cold on exposed tops: air temperature broadly 2 to 6°C, feeling around -6 to -2°C in the wind.
Forecast confidence
Cloud height remains uncertain, especially where it is close to summit level. Keep windproof and warm layers readily available.
Buffeting may affect balance on exposed ground, particularly near ridges and edges. Cloud-height uncertainty could put the summit in or out of cloud, even where forecasts agree on the wider cloud cover.
Cloud-free timing: Around 5% early, improving to around 55% later.
Sunshine context Model-grid estimate, not summit sunshine
The surrounding model grid indicates 2.3 h of sunshine. This is not a forecast of time in sunshine on the summit. Use the cloud and views outlook above for the conditions on this mountain.
Cloud may obscure this summit even while the surrounding model grid indicates sunshine. The low cloud-free summit estimate is a reason to be cautious about expecting views.
- Early
- Less than 1 hour
- Midday
- 1.3 h
- Later
- Less than 1 hour
Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaGusts near 30 mph make meaningful shelter important. 76/100Good · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full overnight outlook
Open-hillside camping looks promising overall around 600 m (76/100). A lower pitch near 300 m looks more comfortable. Conditions are less suitable by 900 m. Open-ground gusts may reach about 30 mph. Seek meaningful shelter. Peak gusts range from about 20 mph at 300 m to 30 mph at 900 m. Wind direction may change substantially during the night. Shelter that works at dusk may be less effective later. Around 1.6 mm is forecast, including rain around pack-up. Pitches near 900 m may spend part of the night in cloud, bringing damp conditions and poor visibility while cloud is present. The coldest temperature falls from about 7°C at 300 m to 5.4°C at 900 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 70%
- Moonrise
- 17:49 BST
- Moonset
- 23:51 BST
Extensive cloud may limit moonlight. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 20 Sep, 17:00 BST to 21 Sep, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 13 mph / 22 mph
- Typical / low
- 7.8°C / 7.0°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
- Wind / gust
- 16 mph / 26 mph
- Typical / low
- 7.8°C / 7.0°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
- Wind / gust
- 19 mph / 30 mph
- Typical / low
- 6.1°C / 5.4°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 47% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
Warmth planning: As a broad starting point, consider a 3-season bag with an ISO/EN comfort rating at or below about 4°C. Allow more margin if you sleep cold or expect fatigue, and use an adequate insulated mat. Dampness is possible, so keep the sleep system dry and ensure its insulation remains effective if damp.
Open-hillside reference. A sheltered pitch may be calmer; cols and ridges may be much windier. Tent design and the exact pitch still matter. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.
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Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaRock may be damp or still drying. Gusts near 45 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. Poor0/100 View detailsHide details
Full climbing & scrambling outlook
Conditions for exposed scrambling look very poor (0/100). Recent rain may leave seepage and damp rock, especially on shaded sections. The mapped summit rock is Monzogranite (Central Monzogranite Facies, Starav Intrusion). Generally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery. Gusts may reach about 45 mph. Crosswinds can make exposed ridges substantially more serious. Cloud may also make route-finding and retreat harder.
Generally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery. Summit-point mapping plus representative BGS bedrock samples along available GPX routes. These are not continuous geological surveys; contacts, superficial deposits and the exposed rock on individual holds may differ.
Rock groups along the sampled routes
These are mapped rock groups, not separate weather forecasts or a ranking of route safety.
Ben Starav and Glas Bheinn Mhòr
granite, gneiss or gabbro
Generic exposed scrambling terrain; mapped summit-point bedrock is included where available, but route grade, exact rock, polish, drainage and escape options remain unresolved. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling forecast.
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Overnight · Aurora, stars & meteorsAfter darkBetaCloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. View forecastClose forecast
After dark: aurora and stargazing
Night beginning 2026-09-20. All times are UK local time.
Stargazing
Poor sky conditions during the best available spell: 21 Sep, 02:00 BST to 03:00 BST.
Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky.
Moon-free dark sky: 20 Sep, 23:40 BST to 21 Sep, 04:50 BST.
Sky conditions through the night
| Time | Viewing conditions |
|---|---|
| 20 Sep, 21:35 BST to 22:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 20 Sep, 22:00 BST to 23:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 20 Sep, 23:00 BST to 21 Sep, 00:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 00:00 BST to 01:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 01:00 BST to 02:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 02:00 BST to 03:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 03:00 BST to 04:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 04:00 BST to 04:50 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
Moon, darkness and meteor showers
Gibbous moon, about 69% illuminated.
Moonrise around 20 Sep, 17:55 BST.
Moonset around 20 Sep, 23:40 BST.
Full darkness: 20 Sep, 21:35 BST to 21 Sep, 04:50 BST.
Moon times assume an open horizon. Hills can hide the Moon sooner. Moon-free does not mean cloud-free.
Southern Taurids are active on this night. Activity may be much lower away from the peak.
- Draconids: peak around 9 October 2026.
- Southern Taurids: peak around 10 October 2026.
- Orionids: peak around 21 October 2026.
- Northern Taurids: peak around 12 November 2026.
- Leonids: peak around 18 November 2026.
- Geminids: peak around 14 December 2026.
- Ursids: peak around 22 December 2026.
Dates from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Activity dates do not guarantee visible meteors. Look across a broad, dark sky, not only north.
Darkness of the surroundings
Estimated darkness rank 303 of 980 assessed peaks (1 is darkest), based on surrounding artificial light in 2021. This is not a measurement of tonight’s sky.
2021 artificial-light baseline, not measured sky brightness or a Bortle class. Changes to lighting, blue-rich LEDs, terrain screening, atmospheric scattering and cloud-reflected light are not resolved. Similar ranks are not meaningfully distinct. Darkness is not a recommendation to climb a summit at night.
VIIRS nighttime lights: Earth Observation Group, Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines. Reprocessed by OpenGeoHub/OpenLandMap. Cropped and ranked by Mountain Weather.
Sky-weather grades exclude light pollution, terrain and thin haze. They are not mountain safety ratings. Check the mountain and camping forecast separately. Accessible lower viewpoints may be a better choice than summits.
Recommended kit for this dayWeather-aware packing prompts, plus your core hillwalking kitView kit
For a day hillwalk, not a complete route-specific checklist. Carry navigation and backup you can use, warm and waterproof layers, suitable footwear, food and water, a headtorch, emergency shelter, first aid and a way to call for help. Snow, ice, technical terrain and overnight trips need additional equipment and skills.
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