One thing we’ve figured out is that it’s a pretty good bet to rain in the morning with a chance of sun and clouds in the afternoon. On this day in Skye, that’s just what happened and it worked out pretty well. We headed south to Glen Brittle in search of fairies. I guess they don’t come out to much in the rain, but we did manage to find where they hang out in the river Brittle. At the base of the Black Cuillins mountains, the river winds it way down a series of waterfalls, forming small pools called the fairy pools. Too cold and rainy to be swimming in these pools.
Here Ellen makes her way across the river on large stepping stones placed by the fairies just for visitors!
The path up the river was wet and cold this day, pretty typical I’d say. It was raining pretty good but dressed in rain clothes we forged ahead! As you can see in the back here, the clouds were down low over the mountains.
They say people actually swim in these pools although I don’t think I ever could. On a good day here it’s not that warm and the river is spring fed up in the mountains. That’s some really cold water!
Most of the waterfalls are pretty short, this is one of the longest drops. The path follows right along the side of the river and with the mountains forming a back drop and the valley below, the view in all directions is spectacular!
The beginning of the black cuillins shrouded in clouds as the river winds it’s way back up amongst them. Even in the rain this was a beautiful walk!
After making our way back down and then back up to the car park, we stripped off the rain gear and tried to dry out on our way to lunch in Dunvegan, a little north on the west coast of Skye. We did have one casualty of our morning walk, like the fairies, one of my cameras didn’t much care for the rain and upped and died. I’ll make sure to keep the backup dry until the end!
Same day, believe it or not, later in the afternoon at Neist Point. the farthest point west on the island. A beautiful, almost warm sunny afternoon. Another interesting single track road that just ends because the island just ends here too. One of the amazing things about the water here is it’s crystal clear and beautiful shades of blue and green. We first noticed this on the trip to Applecross. The water looks almost like it could be the Caribbean.
Looking the opposite way from the image above, peaking out from behind the cliff is the Neist Point lighthouse. A very dramatic setting, looking out onto the Sea of the Hebrides and the Little Minch. It’s actually just a continuation of the atlantic ocean. You can’t make it out in the picture, but the Outer Hebrides Islands are just off the coast of Skye. Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides islands. Amazing views, like the end of the earth.
And of course, we can’t let a day go by without a visit from our little puffin friends!
click for bigger!
One Comment
Seemed like great day, pics are wonderful