Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Pools, Skye: Beautiful, Crowded, and Worth It If You Time It Right

The Fairy Pools sit below the Black Cuillin at Glenbrittle, fed by streams descending from the mountains through a series of clear rock pools connected by small falls and underwater arches. The water is cold year-round (around 10 degrees Celsius even in August), transparently clear due to the limestone geology, and coloured a striking green-blue in good light. Photographs of the place circulate widely on travel sites, which means it now receives visitor numbers that the narrow glen was never designed to handle.

This is not a hidden gem. On a summer Saturday, the car park on the Glenbrittle road fills before 9am and cars queue along the verge back toward the junction. The path from the car park to the main pools takes about 20-25 minutes one way and is uneven, muddy in wet weather (frequently), and crowded enough in peak season that you may spend time waiting for other groups to clear the best viewpoints.

None of this means you shouldn’t go. It means you should go at the right time.

When to Visit

Early morning, before 8am, in late spring or early autumn is the sweet spot. September is particularly good: the midges (the tiny biting insects that make Skye summers miserable from June onward) are largely gone, the light is lower and more golden, the heather on the surrounding hills is still purple from late August, and visitor numbers drop dramatically after schools return in late August. An October visit can give you the pools almost entirely to yourself, though rain is more likely and the days are shorter.

Summer solstice period (mid-June to July) is the worst time for crowds and midges simultaneously. If you must visit then, arrive before 7:30am and carry midge repellent (Smidge is the brand most Skye regulars recommend; generic DEET products are less effective against Scottish midges).

The Walk and What You See

The path from the car park follows the River Brittle upstream. Within 5-10 minutes you reach the first pools, lower and smaller, before the main concentration comes into view further up the glen. The pools are numbered roughly from bottom to top; the upper pools (Pool 7 and above) are less visited because they require more walking, and the setting above the treeline with the Cuillin peaks directly overhead is considerably more dramatic.

The underwater arches between pools are the detail most visitors miss. In clear conditions, and wearing polarised sunglasses to reduce surface glare, you can see through the water to the submerged passages connecting pools. Some swimmers dive or jump through the arches; this requires confidence in the cold, a willingness to be underwater briefly without visibility, and the good sense to check depth first.

Swimming is permitted and many people do it. The water is genuinely cold. A wetsuit extends comfortable swim time considerably. The pools are not suitable for children who cannot swim confidently; the currents during heavy rain can be stronger than they appear and the underwater topography is irregular.

Getting There

The Fairy Pools are near Glenbrittle, on the south-west side of Skye, about 7 miles from Sligachan (where the A87 main road crosses the island). There is no public transport to the car park; you need a car or taxi. The car park charges a fee (around £5) and is managed by the Glenbrittle campsite nearby.

From Portree, the main town on Skye, the drive takes about 45 minutes. From the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh, allow 90 minutes via Portree or about the same time via the faster Broadford and Carbost route.

Where to Eat on Skye

The Old Inn at Carbost is five minutes’ drive from the Fairy Pools car park and serves the best food for the price in the area: local mussels, fish dishes, and a proper bar menu. It also sits next to the Talisker Distillery, so a post-walk dram is available.

The Three Chimneys at Colbost is the island’s most celebrated restaurant, Michelin-recommended, and requires booking weeks in advance. The evening tasting menu is expensive; the lunch menu offers similar quality at lower cost. If you can get a table, it is worth the detour.

Portree has several good options including Cafe Arriba for breakfast and the Harbour view restaurants for fresh seafood. The Co-op in Portree is your best option for self-catering supplies, as the island has few large shops.

Where to Stay

Sligachan Hotel is the traditional climbers’ base, sitting at the crossroads below the Cuillins with a solid pub, a basic hotel, and a campsite alongside. Not luxurious but ideally positioned for Fairy Pools, the Cuillin Ridge, and the Quirang all within driving distance.

Glenbrittle Campsite is the closest accommodation to the Fairy Pools themselves, a ten-minute walk away, with basic facilities and extraordinary mountain views. Book in advance for summer.

Portree has the island’s widest range of B&Bs and hotels. For a very different experience, Kinloch Lodge on Sleat offers proper country house luxury, and is also home to the cooking school run by the Macdonald family.