Fairy Pools

The River Brittle falls off the western side of the Black Cuillin in a series of small waterfalls and pools, and because the water runs over gabbro and basalt with almost no peat staining above this point, it is exceptionally clear, taking a blue-green colour in the deeper pools. One pool has an underwater arch that can be swum through. The path from the car park runs about two and a half kilometres up the glen with the Cuillin ridge directly above, crossing two burns on stepping stones that flood after rain. The name is modern rather than traditional, and the popularity is recent: the site became one of the most visited on Skye within a few years through photography, and a new car park and path were built to manage it.

What you actually see

• The clear pools - blue-green water over gabbro with no peat staining.
• The underwater arch - a submerged opening in one of the pools.
• The Cuillin backdrop - the black ridge rising directly above the glen.
• The stepping stones - two burn crossings that become impassable in spate.

When to go

May to September; the pools are at their most colourful in sunlight and after a dry spell, when the water is clearest. After heavy rain the burns rise and the crossings become dangerous.

Honest expectations

The water is around ten degrees or colder year-round and cold water shock is a real risk; there is no supervision and no help nearby. The path is rough and muddy. The car park is charged and full by mid-morning in season, with roadside parking prohibited.

Nearby

Glen Brittle and the Cuillin are above; Sligachan and Portree lie north.