Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, UK

Here’s the expanded, humorous yet informative blog post with Jen and McKenna included, plus history and local context:

---

Fairy Pools in June: When Skye Turns Into a Giant Shower

If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram and seen those dreamy shots of the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye—crystal-clear turquoise waters, jagged Cuillin peaks towering under blue skies—you might think, “That’s going to be me.” Well, let me tell you what happens when you hike there in June, with heavy rain, clouds so low they’re practically hugging you, and two friends—Jen and McKenna—who thought this would be a “cute little walk.”

Spoiler: It wasn’t cute. It was epic.

---

The Start: Optimism Meets Reality

We parked at Glenbrittle, paid for the community-run car park, and set off on the 2.4 km trail along the Allt Coir’ a’ Mhadaidh stream. The path is usually a well-groomed gravel track, but after days of rain, it had transformed into a mud obstacle course. Every step squelched like the earth was laughing at us. Jen tried to hop over a puddle and landed ankle-deep in bog water. McKenna just accepted her fate and started calling herself “Swamp Queen.”

---

Clouds Playing Peekaboo

The Cuillin mountains? Forget it. The clouds had dropped so low they were practically grazing our heads. Hiking felt like wandering inside a giant gray marshmallow. Visibility was so bad that if Nessie had popped out of a puddle, we wouldn’t have noticed until she asked for directions.

---

The Pools: Wild Beauty in the Rain

When we finally reached the pools, they were stunning—like liquid sapphires framed by mossy rocks. Rain made them even more dramatic, cascading into waterfalls that roared louder than Jen complaining about her soaked socks. McKenna, ever the optimist, said, “It’s like Iceland, but wetter.” Pro tip: the water is freezing, so unless you’re part penguin, admire from a distance.

---

A Bit of History While You Dry Off

The Fairy Pools sit in Coire na Creiche, Gaelic for “corrie of the spoils,” named after the brutal Battle of Coire na Creiche in 1601—the last clan battle fought on Skye between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds. Legend says the streams ran red with blood that day. Hard to imagine now, with Instagrammers posing for selfies, but this serene spot has a savage past. The name “Fairy Pools” only appeared in the 1930s, likely invented by a tour guide to charm visitors. Before that, it was all about warriors, not whimsical fairies.

Folklore adds its own magic: locals believed these pools were places where the veil between worlds was thin, where fairies danced on moonlit nights. Some tales even claim warriors bathed here to heal after battle.

---

The Cuillin Mountains: Scotland’s Drama Queens

The Black Cuillin range looms above the pools—when you can see it. Formed from gabbro and basalt about 60 million years ago during volcanic activity, these jagged peaks are Britain’s most challenging mountains. Their rough rock gives climbers great grip, but when wet (like today), it’s slipperier than Jen’s rain jacket. The Red Cuillin, made of granite, are gentler and rounder, but still dramatic. Glacial erosion carved this wild landscape, leaving us with knife-edge ridges and valleys that look straight out of a fantasy novel.

---

June Weather: The Misty Isle Lives Up to Its Name

Average highs hover around 58°F (14°C), lows around 48°F (8°C), and rain? Oh, plenty—about 117 mm across 20 days. Clouds cover the sky more than half the time. In short: pack waterproof everything, and then pack more.

---

Tips for Brave Souls

• Waterproof everything: Jacket, boots, soul.
• Expect mud: Your shoes will gain two pounds each.
• Don’t trust the weather app: It lies. Constantly.
• Bring snacks: Hiking in rain burns calories and dignity.
• Arrive early: Parking fills fast, even in bad weather.

---

Final Thoughts

The Fairy Pools in the rain aren’t a postcard-perfect experience—they’re better. They’re raw, wild, and humbling. You’ll leave soaked, muddy, and grinning like someone who just survived a nature boot camp. Jen swore she’d never trust my “easy hike” suggestions again. McKenna? She’s already planning a return trip—because that’s the magic of Skye.

---