Fairy Pools
Glenbrittle, United Kingdom
A chain of clear blue pools and small falls below the Black Cuillin, about 40 minutes’ walk from the paid car park on the single-track Glenbrittle road.
The Fairy Pools are a chain of small waterfalls and clear, turquoise-tinged pools at the foot of the Cuillin mountains. In sunshine you can make out every stone on the bottom; after heavy rain the falls swell into powerful cascades, and the streams can cut off the upper pools. The water is very cold all year round, and the rocks are slippery.
You reach the car park at Glenbrittle along a single-track road that branches south at Carbost. The pay-and-display car park at the start of the path fills up quickly in summer; Everything Edinburgh recommends arriving before 9am or after 5pm. Parking on the roadside has damaged the surroundings and should be avoided. You reach the first falls after about 20 minutes, and you should allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the round trip (about 2.4 km). The path offers no shelter from the weather, and several stream crossings are made over stones.
- Nearest town
- Glenbrittle, United Kingdom
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 57.2460, -6.2640
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
Cold, short days in December–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Getting there
- United Kingdom: Tolls on some roads, bridges or tunnels. Drive on the left. Some bridges and tunnels charge tolls.
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Glenbrittle CampsiteCampsite5 km from Fairy PoolsTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Sligachan CampsiteCampsite7 km from Fairy PoolsTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowers
- Four motorhome and campervan overnight spacesMotorhome stopover19 km from Fairy Pools · 4 pitchesMotorhomesWaste disposal
- TorvaigCampsite21 km from Fairy PoolsTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Camping SkyeCampsite21 km from Fairy Pools · 26 pitchesTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
- Skye Eco Bells GlampingCampsite25 km from Fairy Pools · 12 pitchesShowersDogs allowed
All campsites in United Kingdom · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Fairy Pools?
Fairy Pools is in Glenbrittle, United Kingdom, at GPS 57.2460, -6.2640. It is about 8 km from Sligachan.
Can you camp near Fairy Pools?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Glenbrittle Campsite, about 5 km away; within 25 km there are 10 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Fairy Pools?
Fairy Pools is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Isle of Skye by the bridge.
What is there to see near Fairy Pools?
Places worth a stop nearby: Old Man of Storr (29 km), Dunvegan Castle (30 km), Neist Point (37 km) and Plockton (37 km).
When is the best time to visit Fairy Pools?
Cold, short days in December–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)