The Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle

A Regular Walk for us!
Start: OS Explorer 411 GR425258; Fairypools carpark, Glen Brittle

Note hill walking can be dangerous, these details are for info only.

These pools are mesmorising and are only about 20-30 minutes walk from the car park half way down the hill towards Glenbrittle. Note that if there's been a lot of rain, this walk may be unaccessible as there are a couple of rivers to cross. The walk starts over the road from the car park (signposted To Sligachan). Follow the path down taking the right fork to carry on downwards to meet the river. The view on the left is taken from just on the path looking up towards Bruach na Frithe (Brooach na freeha) which is the peak on the left below the white cloud!

The first wee river requries a couple of wide steps to cross over and it is worth taking in the view to your left of the stepped waterfalls coming down from the woods. Keeping an eye on the local sheep, follow the easy path as it winds its way towards the mountains past some huge boulders and the Allt Coir a' Mhadaidh. The path comes close to the river near some round deep holes worn out by the constant flow of water and then meanders onwards to another crossing requiring some careful steps and leaps! Rising up, the path takes you to the first waterfall and just beyond this is the series of pools shown here and at the upstream end of these is the amazing "bridge" seen in the right photo. The waterfall tumbles into the upper pool which then flows underneath the bridge into the second pool which is why the lower pool surface is smooth!
Further up the waterfalls and pools continue and provide loads of areas for a picnic or to just sit and take in the mountains looming up ahead of you! The going is fairly easy right up the path to the base of Bruach na Frithe if you fancy going all the way! It is also possible to folow the path right up and then to break left along the base of Bruach na Frithe up to the Bealach a Mhaim picking up the Sligachan/Glenbrittle path turning left and back down towards the car park. The alternative is to return the same way you came to complete a simple low level walk in spectacular scenery! The picture on the left is of me, my mum Trish and sister Arabella, just by the lower pools.