Why is Ben Vane so wet?

The Arrochar Alps sit in the path of Atlantic weather coming up the Clyde and Loch Lomond, and they are among the wettest hills in Scotland. The ground on Ben Vane rarely dries out and the rock steps on the ridge are slippery for most of the year.

Is Ben Vane hard in bad weather?

Harder than its height suggests. The ridge is a series of knolls and rock steps that are confusing in mist and awkward in wind. It is a short hill but not a gentle one.

Is there an avalanche forecast for Ben Vane?

No. The Arrochar Alps are outside the SAIS forecast areas. In winter the steep, snow-holding flanks of the ridge need to be assessed on the hill.

Which forecast covers Ben Vane?

The MWIS forecast area linked on this page covers Loch Lomond and the Arrochar hills; the Met Office mountain forecast gives summit wind and temperature.

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs

Ben Vane Weather

Mountain forecast and current conditions · summit 916m

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 54mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:30
Sunset: 20:06
Civil dawn: 05:51
Civil dusk: 20:45

NOAA Solar Calculator · 5 September 2026

About the weather here

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. It only just clears Munro height, but it is as rough and as wet as any hill in the Arrochar group and its summit is a tight, exposed knoll.

What to expect

The Arrochar Alps are among the wettest hills in Scotland, and Ben Vane is no exception: the ground is saturated most of the year and the rock steps on the ridge are greasy in anything but a dry spell. Cloud sits on the summit for much of the time. The hill is sheltered low down in the glen and exposed on the ridge, where the knolls and false summits are confusing in mist.

Wind exposure

High on the upper ridge and summit. The ridge is steep and broken, so wind is a problem on the rock steps rather than in open walking; a strong south-westerly makes the scrambly sections awkward. The summit knoll is fully exposed.

Winter conditions

Ben Vane is a much harder hill in winter than in summer: the rock steps ice, the shelves between them hold snow that hides the line, and the steep flanks of the ridge fall away on both sides. Ice axe and crampons are necessary. No avalanche forecast covers the Arrochar Alps, so the steep snow slopes off the ridge need your own judgement.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Ben Vane; SAIS forecasts six areas only. In winter, judge snow stability on the hill from first principles.

Official forecasts

MWIS West Highlands forecast Met Office Mountain Forecast

Always check an official mountain forecast before setting out. Current conditions displayed above are from the Open-Meteo API and are indicative only.

Hills in this area

Hill	Height
Beinn Ime	1012m
Ben Vorlich	943m
Beinn Narnain	927m
Beinn Luibhean	860m

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ben Vane so wet?: The Arrochar Alps sit in the path of Atlantic weather coming up the Clyde and Loch Lomond, and they are among the wettest hills in Scotland. The ground on Ben Vane rarely dries out and the rock steps on the ridge are slippery for most of the year.
Is Ben Vane hard in bad weather?: Harder than its height suggests. The ridge is a series of knolls and rock steps that are confusing in mist and awkward in wind. It is a short hill but not a gentle one.
Is there an avalanche forecast for Ben Vane?: No. The Arrochar Alps are outside the SAIS forecast areas. In winter the steep, snow-holding flanks of the ridge need to be assessed on the hill.
Which forecast covers Ben Vane?: The MWIS forecast area linked on this page covers Loch Lomond and the Arrochar hills; the Met Office mountain forecast gives summit wind and temperature.

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