Honestly, the first time you see the Fairy Pools in Glenbrittle on the Isle of Skye, you might be a little underwhelmed. Or maybe overwhelmed. It depends entirely on whether you’re looking at the water or the three tour buses unloading in the gravel car park. We’ve all seen the photos on Instagram. You know the ones—electric blue water, jagged peaks of the Black Cuillin in the background, and not a single soul in sight.
The reality? It’s crowded.
But here’s the thing. Even with the crowds, the Fairy Pools Glenbrittle Isle of Skye remains one of the most hauntingly beautiful places on the planet if you know how to actually look at it. You’ve got these crystal-clear rock pools, fed by a series of waterfalls tumbling down from the mountains. The water isn't actually neon blue—that’s usually a Lightroom filter—but it is a startlingly clear turquoise that looks like it belongs in the Caribbean, despite the fact that it's cold enough to stop your heart.
The Brutal Truth About the Glenbrittle Crowd Scene
Let’s get the bad news out of the way. If you show up at 11:00 AM on a Tuesday in July, you aren't going to have a spiritual experience. You’re going to have a parking headache. The Highland Council and local organizations like the Macleod Estate have done a lot to improve the infrastructure recently, but the sheer volume of visitors is staggering.
The walk from the car park to the first main pools is about twenty minutes. It’s an easy path, mostly gravel, but it’s a steady climb. Most people stop at the first big pool with the underwater natural arch. They take their selfies, maybe dip a toe in, and head back.
Don't do that.
If you want to actually see why this place matters, you have to keep walking. The "pools" aren't just one spot; they are a long stretch of the River Brittle. As you move higher up toward the base of the mountains, the crowds thin out. The silence starts to return. You start to hear the wind whipping off Sgùrr nan Gillean instead of the shutter clicks of a hundred iPhones.
The Geology That Actually Makes the Water Blue
Why is the water like that? It’s not magic. Sorry.
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The Black Cuillin mountains are made of gabbro and basalt. These are dark, volcanic rocks. When the rain falls—and it rains a lot on Skye—the water runs off these hard rocks into the basins. Because there isn't much soil or peat in the high Cuillins to "stain" the water brown (which is what happens in most Scottish burns), the water stays incredibly pure.
When sunlight hits that pure water against the backdrop of white quartz and light-colored pebbles at the bottom of the pools, you get that famous blue-green tint. It’s physics.
- The deeper the pool, the darker the teal.
- Shallow ripples look like liquid glass.
- The green moss on the banks provides a color contrast that makes the water pop.
Wait for a "sunny spell." That’s Scottish for "the five minutes between rain showers." When the sun hits the water, the transformation is instant. It goes from a dull grey to a vibrant jewel tone in seconds.
Survival Tips: More Than Just a Raincoat
You’re in the Inner Hebrides. The weather here doesn't care about your plans. I’ve seen people trying to hike up to the Fairy Pools in flip-flops. It’s a bad idea. The path is often muddy, and the rocks near the water are slicker than ice.
Midges. We need to talk about them. If you visit between June and September and there’s no wind, these tiny biting flies will eat you alive. They don’t care about your "all-natural" lemon spray. Get something with DEET or find a "Smidge" bottle at a local shop in Portree.
What about swimming?
People do it. They call it "wild swimming" now, though back in the day we just called it "getting hypothermia for fun." The water temperature rarely climbs above 10°C (50°F), even in mid-summer. If you’re going in, bring a wetsuit. Or at least a very thick towel and a change of clothes that you can get into quickly. There are no changing rooms out there. It's just you, the rocks, and a few hundred strangers.
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The Local Impact Most Tourists Ignore
There is a tension on Skye. You can feel it. On one hand, the Fairy Pools Glenbrittle Isle of Skye is a massive economic driver. On the other, the sheer number of people puts a strain on the "Single Track" roads.
If you’re driving a rental car, learn how to use passing places.
- Don't park in them.
- Pull over to let locals pass.
- If someone is behind you, let them go.
The locals are trying to get to work, deliver mail, or move sheep. Your vacation photo isn't more important than their livelihood. This is part of the "Skye Time" ethos. Slow down. Be polite.
Beyond the Pools: The Glen Brittle Forest
Most people turn around and drive straight back to Portree once they’ve seen the pools. That’s a mistake. If you keep driving down the road past the pools, you hit the Glenbrittle Campsite and the beach.
The beach is black volcanic sand. It’s moody and beautiful. There’s also a little coffee shack down there—Cùil na Sìthe—that serves some of the best hot chocolate you’ll ever have. Drinking that while looking out at Loch Brittle is, quite frankly, a better experience than fighting for a photo at the pools themselves.
Why Is It Called "Fairy Pools"?
There is actually very little ancient folklore specifically naming these "Fairy Pools." Most of the "fairy" branding on Skye is a mix of Victorian romanticism and modern marketing. The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle is a real legend. The Fairy Glen in Uig has some history. But the pools? They were likely just the "pools of the Brittle" for centuries.
Does that make them less special? No. But it’s a reminder that the "magic" is in the landscape itself, not in a storybook.
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Finding the Secret Spots
If you want the "Instagram look" without the "Instagram crowd," you have to be willing to sweat.
Instead of stopping at the main pools, follow the path all the way up until it starts to veer toward the Coire na Creiche. This is the site of the last clan battle on Skye (the Battle of Coire Na Creiche in 1601, between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds).
It’s grim. It’s stony. It’s magnificent.
The water up here is just as clear, but the pools are smaller and more intimate. You can sit on a rock, watch the clouds tear themselves apart on the peaks of the Cuillin, and actually feel the scale of the Highlands.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
Don't just wing it. Skye is too busy for that now.
- Timing is everything. Aim to arrive before 8:30 AM or after 6:00 PM. In the summer, it stays light until 10:30 PM. Use that "golden hour." The light is better, the air is cooler, and the buses are gone.
- Pay the parking fee. The money goes toward maintaining the paths and the toilets. It’s a small price to pay to keep the place accessible.
- Check the "Windy" app. If the wind is above 10mph, the midges can't fly. That’s your window of opportunity to enjoy the pools without being bitten.
- Bring a bag for trash. There are no bins on the trail. If you see a piece of plastic that someone else dropped, pick it up. Be the reason the place stays beautiful.
- Book your accommodation months in advance. Portree and Carbost fill up fast. If you can’t find a spot, look for "pods" or "wigwams" which are a popular, slightly more affordable alternative to traditional hotels.
- Visit the Talisker Distillery. It’s right around the corner in Carbost. After a cold hike at the pools, a dram of peaty whisky is basically medicinal.
The Fairy Pools Glenbrittle Isle of Skye is a victim of its own beauty. But the beauty is still there, hidden under the layers of tourism and social media hype. You just have to walk a little further, wait a little longer, and respect the land enough to let it speak to you. Forget the "fairy" marketing. Focus on the rock, the water, and the sheer, brutal age of the mountains. That’s where the real magic is.
Go early. Wear boots. Leave no trace.