The day on the hill
A good day on Whernside: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind
On the summit expect an easterly wind of around 15–25 mph first thing, easing to 5–15 mph by mid-afternoon, with gusts of 20–30 mph at the windiest. Lower down on the open hillside the wind will be light, under 10 mph.
Cloud and visibility
Cloud on the tops early should lift off them by mid-morning. The cloud base could be as low as 600–900 m early in the morning.
Rain and ground
It should stay dry.
Warmth and kit
On the tops it will be around 2 to 6°C, feeling like -2 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
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 1.5 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
- 1.5 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 rain: gusts of about 15 mph. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full overnight outlook
A mixed night to camp, mainly because of the rain. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 15 mph. Dry to pitch, then some light rain overnight, easing by morning, though the tent may still be wet. Overnight lows of about 5°C at 300 m. A 3-season bag rated to about 2°C comfort, and a warm mat, should do. Allow more if you sleep cold.
Moon overnight
Waning crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 5%
- Moonrise
- 05:23 next morning GMT
- Moonset
- Outside this window
Cloud may affect views of the Moon. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 6 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 7 Nov, 08:00 GMT. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 8 mph / 12 mph
- Typical / low
- 5.0°C / 4.9°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
- Wind / gust
- 9 mph / 15 mph
- Typical / low
- 5.0°C / 4.9°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
Warmth planning: As a broad starting point, consider a 3-season bag with an ISO/EN comfort rating at or below about 2°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 & scramblingBetaGood conditions for exposed scrambling. Excellent87 View detailsHide details
Full climbing & scrambling outlook
Good conditions for exposed scrambling. The rock should be mostly dry, though drainage lines and shaded holds may still be damp. Gusts of 20–30 mph will be noticeable on exposed ridges. Cloud on the tops may make route-finding and retreat harder. The rock around the summit is mostly mudstone or slate, a soft, fine-grained rock that splits into thin flakes. It has only fair grip even when dry and is slippery when wet. It is often shattered, breaking into loose flakes, scree and poor holds. On the usual routes up you may also cross limestone, which grips well where it is rough, but polished limestone is glassy and is very slippery when wet. On the usual routes up you may also cross sandstone, which is rough and grippy when dry and can feel greasy when damp or covered in lichen. These are general notes for each rock type, taken from geological maps around the summit, so the rock on your line may differ.
Mudstone or slate is a soft, fine-grained rock that splits into thin flakes. It has only fair grip even when dry and is slippery when wet. It is often shattered, breaking into loose flakes, scree and poor holds. 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.
Whernside Ribblehead
limestone, slate or mudstone, sandstone or gritstone
Yorkshire Three Peaks
limestone, slate or mudstone, sandstone or gritstone
Geological detail and BGS records
6 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.
Mudstone or slate is a soft, fine-grained rock that splits into thin flakes. It has only fair grip even when dry and is slippery when wet. It is often shattered, breaking into loose flakes, scree and poor holds.
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 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 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 recordSandstone is a gritty sedimentary rock. It is rough and grippy when dry and can feel greasy when damp or covered in lichen. It is usually solid in terraced steps, but softer layers crumble and weathered edges can break away.
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 recordGeneric 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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