The day on the hill
A mixed day on Sgiath Chùil, with the summit in cloud for most of the day.
Wind
On the summit expect a south-easterly wind of 10–25 mph for most of the day, with gusts of 25–35 mph at the windiest. Lower down on the open hillside it will be more like 5–15 mph. Gusts like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.
Cloud and visibility
Expect the summit to be in cloud for most of the day. The cloud base could be as low as 600–900 m mid-afternoon. In cloud you'll be finding your way without landmarks, so carry navigation you trust and know how to use, with a backup such as a spare battery or a map and compass.
Rain and ground
Drizzle sets in during the early afternoon.
Warmth and kit
On the tops it will be around 0 to 4°C, feeling like -6 to -2°C in the wind. The freezing level is above the summits. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer.
Daylight
A short day, with only about 9 hours of daylight. Sunset is around 4:25pm, so allow time to get off the hill before dark, and carry a head torch.
Forecast confidence
Cloud height is hard to pin down, so the summit could be in or out of cloud at short notice. Things could still change through the day, so keep an eye on the sky.
Sunshine context Model-grid estimate, not summit sunshine
The surrounding model grid indicates 0 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.
- Early
- 0 h
- Midday
- 0 h
- Later
- 0 h
Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaA mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind: gusts of about 30 mph. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full overnight outlook
A mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. Gusts reach about 30 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the southeast. Dry to pitch, then a little rain overnight, easing by morning, though the tent may still be wet. Up around 900 m you'd likely be in cloud for part of the night: damp, and hard to find your way if you need to move. The air is damp at every height we checked (300-900 m), so expect heavy condensation. Leave the vents open. A cold night, down to about 2°C around 900 m. A warm 3-season or 3–4 season bag rated to about 0°C comfort, and a warm mat, should do. Allow more if you sleep cold.
Moon overnight
Waning crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 11%
- Moonrise
- 04:15 next morning GMT
- Moonset
- Outside this window
Extensive cloud may limit moonlight. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 5 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 6 Nov, 08:00 GMT. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 14 mph / 21 mph
- Typical / low
- 3.8°C / 3.7°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
- Wind / gust
- 17 mph / 26 mph
- Typical / low
- 3.8°C / 3.7°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
- Wind / gust
- 20 mph / 30 mph
- Typical / low
- 2.5°C / 2.3°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 100% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
Warmth planning: As a broad starting point, consider a warm 3-season or 3–4 season bag with an ISO/EN comfort rating at or below about 0°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 & scramblingBetaVery poor conditions for exposed scrambling: gusts of 25–35 mph. Poor10 View detailsHide details
Full climbing & scrambling outlook
Very poor conditions for exposed scrambling. The rock is likely to be wet and slippery through the day. Gusts of 25–35 mph could throw you off balance on exposed moves and ridges. Cloud on the tops may make route-finding and retreat harder. The rock around the summit is mostly schist, a flaky, mica-rich rock that splits into layers. It has only fair grip when dry and is slippery when wet, as the mica gives it a greasy sheen. It splits easily along its layers, so flakes and ledges can be loose, and it is often grassy and vegetated. On the usual routes up you may also cross granite, which has excellent friction when dry and clean and is fair when wet, but greasy where there is lichen or moss. On the usual routes up you may also cross psammite banded with schist, which grips well on the harder bands when dry and is slippery on the mica-rich layers when wet. These are general notes for each rock type, taken from geological maps around the summit, so the rock on your line may differ.
Schist is a flaky, mica-rich rock that splits into layers. It has only fair grip when dry and is slippery when wet, as the mica gives it a greasy sheen. It splits easily along its layers, so flakes and ledges can be loose, and it is often grassy and vegetated. These are general notes for each rock type, from geological map samples at and around the summit. The rock on your line can differ, and lichen, vegetation and seepage all change how it feels underfoot.
Rock groups along the sampled routes
These are mapped rock groups, not separate weather forecasts or a ranking of route safety.
Sgiath Chùil and Meall Glas
granite, gneiss or gabbro, psammite, pelite or semipelite, limestone
Meall Glas and Sgiath Chùil
psammite, pelite or semipelite
Geological detail and BGS records
7 rock types appear in the mapped samples
Samples around the summit inform the main rock-response profile, with the summit pin shown separately where it differs. Route samples add further context, but this is not a continuous geological survey.
Schist is a flaky, mica-rich rock that splits into layers. It has only fair grip when dry and is slippery when wet, as the mica gives it a greasy sheen. It splits easily along its layers, so flakes and ledges can be loose, and it is often grassy and vegetated.
BGS recordSchist is a flaky, mica-rich rock that splits into layers. It has only fair grip when dry and is slippery when wet, as the mica gives it a greasy sheen. It splits easily along its layers, so flakes and ledges can be loose, and it is often grassy and vegetated.
BGS recordGranite is a coarse, crystalline rock. It has excellent friction when dry and clean and is fair when wet, but greasy where there is lichen or moss. It is generally solid, but weathers into rounded slabs and blocks, and loose granite grit on slabs can roll underfoot like ball bearings.
BGS recordPsammite banded with schist is a hard, sandy rock with flakier, mica-rich layers. It grips well on the harder bands when dry and is slippery on the mica-rich layers when wet. The flaky layers split easily, so some flakes and ledges are loose.
BGS recordLimestone is a pale sedimentary rock. It grips well where it is rough, but polished limestone is glassy and is very slippery when wet. It is generally solid, though cracked and fissured along its edges.
BGS recordPsammite banded with schist is a hard, sandy rock with flakier, mica-rich layers. It grips well on the harder bands when dry and is slippery on the mica-rich layers when wet. The flaky layers split easily, so some flakes and ledges are loose.
BGS recordGneiss is a very old, hard, banded rock. It grips very well when dry and stays reasonably grippy when wet. It is usually very solid.
Generic exposed scrambling terrain; BGS summit-area bedrock samples are 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 darkBetaNight-sky guidance is unavailable for this night. View forecastClose forecast
After dark: aurora and stargazing
Night-sky guidance is unavailable for this night. This does not mean clear skies or no aurora.
Explore the dedicated aurora forecast, meteor shower forecast or dark-sky and astrophotography forecast.
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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