Fairy Pools | Isle of Skye | Scotland

At foot of the Black Cuillins near Glenbrittle are the Fairy Pools, beautifully crystal clear blue pools on the River Brittle.
These famous pools entice visitors from all over the world, as they make some great ‘Wild Swimming’ for those brave enough to enter the cold water. For the less adventurous these magical Fairy Pools make some fantastic photos.

The walk to the pools uses the same route there and back. The complete return distance to the first main waterfall and pool is 2.4km, with the average time to complete the walk being 40 minutes (with no stops). Most people will spend some time working their way up the river from the first waterfall exploring the different pools.

We have classed this walk as ‘Short’ in length and ‘Medium’ for difficulty, check the rating guide for details.

Location
The nearest village to the Fairy Pools is Carbost on the West of Skye, the start of the walk is on the road to Glenbrittle.

Weather
This walk is suitable in most normal weather conditions, but if it has been raining hard some on the river crossings can become a real challenge.

Parking
Park in the Forestry Commision gravel carpark signposted ‘Glumagan Na Sithichean’ (below in smaller writing it does also say Fairy Pools).
It is located along the single track road that leads to Glenbrittle from Carbost. The carpark is 5.5miles (10 minute drive) from Carbost. If traveling from Portree it is 20.5miles and will take about 30 minutes to drive.

The Fairy Pools
This first Waterfall marks the start of the magical pools. Take some time to work your way up the river and explore all the pools. Some of the pools make great swimming, but rarely get warm (a wetsuit is a good option).
This first waterfall is the highest fall and deepest pool. For the brave only there are some great high jumps. On the other side of the river from the path it is possible to jump into deep blue pool (approximately 10 meters high).
Follow the main path up beside the river to find more pools.
The next pool up is properly the most famous, a beautifully clear blue pool idea for swimming. It features a natural arch, offering an exhilarating under water swim though the arch.
There many small pools as you work your way up the river.