Scotland Mountain Weather

Ben Nevis (1,345m) has one of the most severe summit climates in the British Isles.

Cairngorm (1,245m) is the sixth-highest mountain in the UK and the centrepiece of the Cairngorm plateau — the largest area of land above 900m in Britain.

Glencoe sits in a dramatic glaciated valley on the western Highland edge, receiving the full force of Atlantic weather systems.

Ben Lomond (974m) is Scotland's most southerly Munro and one of its most visited.

The Isle of Skye has the most unpredictable weather in Scotland — its position as the first landmass catching Atlantic systems from the south-west means rapid changes, extreme rainfall (up to 3,500mm annually in the Cuillin) and persistent low cloud on the ridges.

Torridon holds some of Scotland's most ancient and dramatic mountain terrain — Liathach (1,055m) and Beinn Alligin (986m) rise from near sea level in Torridonian sandstone that is 750 million years old.

Aviemore is the main gateway town for the Cairngorms and sits at approximately 230m in the Spey valley below the plateau.

Fort William sits at the head of Loch Linnhe and the foot of Glen Nevis — the wettest town in Scotland with annual rainfall exceeding 2,000mm.

Loch Lomond sits at the Highland Boundary Fault — a geological transition zone between the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands.

Glen Affric is widely regarded as Scotland's most beautiful glen — a long, deep valley of Caledonian pine forest, lochs and remote Munros extending west from Cannich.

Ben Lawers (1,214m) is the highest hill in Perthshire and the top of a seven-Munro range on the north side of Loch Tay.

Schiehallion (1,083m) stands on its own between Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel, which is why it looks like a perfect cone from Loch Rannoch and why it gets the weather from every direction.

Ben Ledi (879m) is the big hill above Callander and one of the most-climbed Corbetts in Scotland, because it is close to the central belt and the path from the Loch Lubnaig car park is straightforward.

Ben Macdui (1,309m) is the second-highest mountain in Britain and the high point of the Cairngorm plateau.

Lochnagar (1,156m at Cac Carn Beag) is the great mountain of Royal Deeside, climbed from the Spittal of Glenmuick car park by a long but well-made path.

Tinto (712m) is the big rounded hill above the Clyde valley near Biggar, climbed from the Fallburn car park by a broad path to an enormous summit cairn.

Ben Vorlich (985m) is the Munro above Loch Earn, climbed from Ardvorlich by a straightforward path up the north ridge, usually with its neighbour Stuc a' Chroin.

Conic Hill (361m) is the small hill above Balmaha on the east shore of Loch Lomond, climbed in an hour or two from the Balmaha car park on a path shared with the West Highland Way.

Ben Wyvis (1,046m at Glas Leathad Mor) is the big whaleback north of Inverness, climbed from Garbat on the A835 by a path up An Cabar and then along a broad, mossy summit ridge.

Ben Chonzie (930m) is the rounded Munro between Comrie and Crieff, climbed from Glen Lednock on a track and path that make it one of the easiest Munros in Scotland.

Mount Keen (939m) is the most easterly Munro, a rounded heather dome between Glen Esk and Glen Tanar.

Ben More (1,174m) is the highest of the Crianlarich hills and one of the steepest big walks in the southern Highlands: the normal route from Benmore Farm on the A85 goes almost straight up the north-west face with barely a level step.

Bennachie (529m at Oxen Craig) is the hill of Aberdeenshire, a long granite ridge rising alone from farmland west of Inverurie, with the rocky tor of Mither Tap as its famous profile.

Ben Vane (916m) is the small, steep Munro of the Arrochar Alps, climbed from Inveruglas on Loch Lomond up a knobbly south-east ridge of rock steps and boggy shelves.

The Cobbler, or Ben Arthur (884m), is the rock peak of the Arrochar Alps — a Corbett, not a Munro, and the most distinctive hill in the southern Highlands with its three rocky summits above Loch Long.

Ben Cruachan (1,127m) is the great mountain of Argyll, rising above Loch Awe and the Pass of Brander at the head of a horseshoe of tops around the Cruachan reservoir.

Creag Meagaidh (1,128m) is the broad mountain north of Loch Laggan, the centre of a national nature reserve and one of Scotland's great winter climbing venues.

Ben Vrackie (842m) is the Corbett above Pitlochry, climbed from the car park above Moulin by a good path past Loch a' Choire to a steep, stepped final climb.

Ben Lui (1,131m) is the finest-looking mountain in the southern Highlands, a twin-topped peak with a great north-east corrie, Coire Gaothach, that holds snow into early summer.

Buachaille Etive Mòr (1,021m at Stob Dearg) is the pyramid that guards the entrance to Glen Coe from Rannoch Moor, and the most photographed mountain in Scotland.

Meall nan Tarmachan (1,044m) is the Munro across the Lochan na Lairige road from Ben Lawers, and the start of the Tarmachan ridge — a short, entertaining traverse over Meall Garbh and its rocky pinnacles.

Goat Fell (874m) is the highest point on Arran and the most-climbed Corbett in Scotland, walked from sea level at Brodick by a good path through the Brodick Castle grounds and up the east ridge to a granite summit.

Aonach Mòr (1,220m) is the eighth-highest Munro and the only one with a gondola on it — the Nevis Range ski area runs up its north-western flank to 655m, which makes the summit plateau reachable in a way no other big Lochaber hill is.

Ben Alder (1,148m) is one of the remotest Munros in Scotland — a huge plateau hill above Loch Ericht with no road within about 20km.

Sgùrr nan Gillean (966m) is the northern end of the Cuillin ridge and the Munro most people see first, rising straight out of the moor behind Sligachan.

The Storr (719m) is the high point of the Trotternish ridge and the hill behind the Old Man of Storr, the basalt pinnacle that draws most of the visitors.

Suilven (731m) is the most recognisable hill in Scotland and one of the longest days for its height — the walk in from Glencanisp Lodge near Lochinver is around 11km each way before any climbing starts.

Stac Pollaidh (612m) gives more mountain per hour of walking than anywhere else in Scotland — a rebuilt path climbs from the roadside to a shattered sandstone ridge in well under two hours.

Arthur's Seat (251m) is the extinct volcano in the middle of Edinburgh, a genuine small hill inside Holyrood Park with a summit half an hour from the Royal Mile.

Braemar sits at about 340m in upper Deeside, the highest village of its size in Britain and the gateway to the eastern Cairngorms — Lochnagar, Beinn a’ Bhùird, Ben Avon and the Glen Clova and Glenshee hills are all reached from here.