Cinque-terre Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland

 

They are just southeast of Glen Brittle Forest and about two miles before you reach Glen Brittle beach itself. I’m not sure anyone really knows why they are called the Fairy Pools but it’s got to be down to how they look, right? They are part of a stream running off of the Cuillin mountains, full of vividly coloured pools of often almost still water which are punctuated by busy waterfalls. It’s best to visit on the day after a small rain shower, on a dry day with some cloud cover. That way the water levels will be topped up but not too urgent, and the cloud cover will mean that the water’s surface doesn’t reflect too much light – thereby dimming your view of the stunning colours beneath. If you have an IR filter for your camera now is the time to employ it properly to delete those reflections!

 I was happily taking pictures of the lower pools when I heard a splosh above me. Thinking one of my dad’s dogs had leaped in I didn’t think much of it but still wanted to get a photo of it swimming in freezing temperatures. I wandered up there only to find that it was Kristina that had fallen in whilst over-balancing, trying to take a photo into the water. My dad had hauled her out and she was sopping wet and freezing. Luckily he had a change of main layers so she was able put on his gigantic clothes and get warm again. Silly lady…