(Photo via flickr)
Just off the main coast of Scotland lies an archipelago known as the Inner Hebrides. Comprised of 36 inhabited islands and 44 uninhabited ones, this broken chain of lands boasts a square mileage of 1,594 and boasts a population of nearly 20,000 people. The and most populated of the islands is the Isle of Skye, a 50-mile long land of fantastic mountains and crystal clear lakes. At its center rises the Cuillin, a black and craggy mountain range around which the entire Skye landscape takes it’s shape. It is at the foot of the Black Cuillin that visitors are greeted with the most magnificent of sights: a collection of vividly colored pools of water lay surrounded by small but lively waterfalls.
The Fairy Pools are the result of erosion caused by one of the many streams that run off the steep slopes of the Black Cuillin. Its jagged black rocks loom above the rich green Scottish landscape, springy and lush due to frequent rain. The River Brittle, which is the main source of these enchanted pools, weaves it’s way down the cliffs and eventually branches off and cascades over the edge of the mountain range in a series of waterfalls. At the base of the falls lie the pools, completely still except for where the clear mountain waters pound their placid surfaces. Beneath the crystal clear waters, the turquoise blue foundations shine forward and invite onlookers to bathe in their shimmering pools. As inviting as it may seem, caution may want to be taken before jumping in as the water is notoriously cold. It is easy to lose sense, however, when the water’s dancing colors cast their spell and one may find themselves enveloped in their frigid embrace before they know it.
