A chain of clear blue-green pools and small falls on the River Brittle beneath the Black Cuillin at Glenbrittle on Skye
Approximate location — this spot is pinned to the nearest village, so the exact point may be a little way off.
The Fairy Pools are a string of little waterfalls and clear pools along the River Brittle, tucked in below the Black Cuillin, the jagged range of dark rock peaks that runs down the middle of the Isle of Skye. The water comes off the mountains an unusually clear blue-green, and on a bright day the pools look almost tropical against the pale stone, which is most of the reason so many people make the trip. Some brave a swim; the water is genuinely freezing straight off the hills, so plenty of people just look.
It is a there-and-back walk of a couple of miles from the car park at Glenbrittle, which charges a fee, along a well-used gravel path with the Cuillin ridge ahead of you the whole way. The path crosses the river in places, and after heavy rain those crossings can be difficult or impossible, so it is worth checking conditions before you set out.
The pools sit deep in the Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh end of the range, serious climbing country that is best left to experienced scramblers. For food and a bed the nearest villages are Carbost and Sligachan, and Talisker Distillery at Carbost is an easy add-on to the day.
