Hiking the Fairy Pools is one of the best things to do on the Isle of Skye with kids. It’s a relatively easy hike into a wide valley with the dramatic Cuillin mountains looming in the distance. The Fairy Pools hike follows the River Brittle, passing a series of waterfalls, many with deep pools at their base. On a sunny day, these pools of water are a brilliant, crystal blue leading to them being called the “Fairy Pools“.
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The Fairy Pools Highlights
Not surprisingly, the Fairy Pools are the main attraction on this family-friendly Isle of Skye hike. It’s rare for a hike as easy as this to pack in so many waterfalls with such little effort.
People rave about the color of the water on a sunny day, but given the typical weather in Scotland, most of us won’t have a sunny day to see the colors. Don’t worry, we did the Fairy Pools hike on a dreary, cloudy day and we still thought it was fun and beautiful, even without the brilliant blue colors.
The majestic Cuillin mountains provide a stunning backdrop to this hike, especially the pointy Bruach na Frithe, which the trail is always towards. (If you keep going past the Fairy Pools, you will end up at the base of this mountain).
The Fairy Pools Hike Stats
How Long is the Fairy Pools Hike?
The one-way distance from the Fairy Pools carpark to the furthest waterfall is 1.3 miles / 2 km. Most people turn around at this point, but the trail continues past this point for many miles, if you have the time.
How Steep is the Fairy Pools Trail?
The Fairy Pools trail is a fairly flat hiking trail making it a great choice for families visiting the Isle of Skye. The hike loses about 130 feet / 40 m of elevation right away as you descend from the carpark into the valley. Once you reach the bottom, the Fairy Pools trail gradually follows the river uphill and you will gain 330 feet / 100 m of elevation.
How Hard is the Fairy Pools Hike?
Based on our family hiking experiences, we’d rate the Fairy Pools hike as an easy Isle of Skye hiking trail. It’s short and sweet and the hill to the fairy pools isn’t that difficult.
How Long Will the Fairy Pools Hike Take?
It took us about an hour to reach the furthest waterfall on the Fairy Pools hike. This is a very typical pace for us walking with our kids (aged 3 & 6). Without kids, we could have done this distance in about half the time. This is a very picturesque hike with all the waterfalls, so your pace may vary depending on how many pictures you stop and take.
How to Get to the Fairy Pools
The Fairy Pools car park is a 35 minute drive south of Portree. The final few miles of the drive to the trailhead is along a single lane road. There are a lot of little pullouts to allow cars to pass each other, but this is a very busy hike, so bring a lot of patience.
If you arrive at the Fairy Pools parking lot early, as we did, the one-way road didn’t have much opposing traffic. The trailhead is right across the road from the car park.
The parking lot is huge and there are pay-and-display machines to collect the parking fees.
Fairy Pools Trail Map
You can download the Fairy Pools trail map onto your phone using the AllTrails app. Due to its remote location, be sure to download the trail map in a location where you have Wi-Fi or a cell signal.
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What to Expect on the Fairy Pools Hike With Kids
As you stand at the trailhead ready to start the Fairy Pools hike, you stare across a wide open river valley with massive mountains in the distance. It’s a beautiful sight and I just couldn’t shake the feeling I was about to go on a great journey into the mountains… funny, right? I wonder how many of you will feel the same…
As you begin the Fairy Pools hike, it descends into the river valley, with a beautiful cascading waterfall on your left.
As you can see from our pictures, when we hiked the Fairy Pool trail with kids, we had to cross the several streams along the way. Since that time, little bridges have been built over the streams.
Once the trail meets up with the River Brittle, the famous Fairy Pools begin to appear. The hike passes waterfall after waterfall as you slowly follow the river upstream.
If you are lucky to do the Fairy Pools walk on a sunny day, you can marvel at the “Fairy Pools”, which are brilliant, crystal blue pools at the base of the waterfalls. Unfortunately, the day we hiked the Fairy Pools with kids, it was cold, rainy and windy.
Some of the Fairy Pools are deep enough that you can swim in them, if you are brave enough! The water is cold enough that wet suits are recommended. There were hundreds of people on the trail the day we did the hike and not a single person was in the water.
The Fairy Pools are an easy walk and fun to visit, making it one of the best hikes on the Isle of Skye to do with kids.
Hiking The Fairy Pools with Kids
There are are toilets in the parking lot and we recommend you use them. There are no trees on the trail and there is nothing but the sound of running water all around. This is a very popular hike, so you will struggle to find any privacy.
There is no water stations in the car park, so be sure to fill your water bladders before leaving home.
The trail surface on this hike is mostly gravel with a few rocks sticking out. The trail can get quite muddy in spots, so we recommend wearing waterproof hiking shoes (including for kids).
Be prepared for all kinds of weather when hiking with kids in Scotland. Wear layers, and bring plenty of water, sunscreen, rain gear, and something to repel the midges. We cover all of the specifics in our comprehensive family packing list for Scotland.
This trail is not stroller accessible, but we saw several parents carrying their little ones on their backs in a backpack carrier for hiking.
Dogs are allowed on the Fairy Pools Hike, but visitors are asked to keep them on leads because of roaming livestock.
Before you head out, read our best tips for hiking with kids and see what we actually pack in our guide to hiking gear for kids.
Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break
There are plenty of large rocks beside the trail that make good places to stop for a break. To reach a sitting rock slightly off the trail, you may have to walk through muddy grass, so again, make sure you have waterproof shoes on.
Safety Cautions for Kids
There are a few short sections of trail where there are steep drop-offs. The trail is wide enough that you can usually keep your kids a safe distance away.
Follow Along our Family Trip to Scotland
We arrived in the Isle of Skye after we had spent 5 amazing days in Fort William with kids, the outdoor adventure capital of the UK. After the Isle of Skye, we stopped briefly in Pitlochry (where we loved the Hermitage Woodland walk in Tay Forest). We concluded our family road trip to Scotland with 3-days in Edinburgh with kids.
If you are planning a family trip to Scotland, don’t miss our favorite things to do in Scotland with kids.
Our Travel Journal for Kids
Based on our family travels, our kids helped us design this Travel Journal for Active Kids! This engaging travel journal encourages kids to document their adventures, spark creativity, and stay entertained on the go – grab yours now on Amazon!
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Celine Brewer is a dedicated family travel blogger with a profound passion for helping families create unforgettable adventures together. Her blog blends captivating travel narratives with practical tips for family-friendly destinations and enjoying active travel with kids. As a mother of two, she understands the unique challenges of traveling with children and offers valuable insights to empower parents.
When Celine isn't traveling with her husband and two kids, she's either working on one of her three travel sites (Family Can Travel, Baby Can Travel and Travel Banff Canada) or out enjoying the majestic Canadian Rockies her family calls home.