Skye’s Fairy Pools get makeover as tourist numbers soar

A much needed makeover of Skye’s Fairy Pools has been completed – as tourist numbers continue to increase on the island.

In the past few years, the number of visitors has grown significantly, taking a heavy toll on the natural environment and causing concern for visitors’ safety.

Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS), kickstarted the project with the creation of a necessary car park to accommodate as many as 180,000 visitors annually.

Through the collaboration and funding of the Skye Iconic Sites Project (SISP), they have since gone on to improve the pathways on route, airlifted and installed two new steel and timber clad bridges across the burns and restored the site’s most prominent viewpoints.

The site has also undergone major habitat restoration to help restore the area and repair the damaged footpaths occurring.

The Fairy Pools are one of three sites on the island benefiting from habitat restoration through SISP with work also being carried out at popular locations the Quiraing and Old Man of Storr.

‘As the Fairy Pools continue to make people’s bucket lists, we are seeing visitor numbers doubling with thousands of visitors year on year,’ said Dougie Baird, CEO of Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland.

‘We all know that what makes it so popular is the exquisite surroundings of Skye and in order to keep that we must cherish and maintain the island’s natural habitat as much as possible.

‘Through the project, we have been able to install safer, more viable options for those visiting the pools, we urge walkers to stick to these paths to help the area thrive once again and allow future generations to enjoy the magic the Fairy Pools has to offer.’

Kirsten Makins, NatureScot’s Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund project manager added: ‘The completion of works to improve access, interpretation and infrastructure at Skye’s Fairy Pools is warmly welcomed.

‘These improvements, which include impressive habitat restoration works, will ensure that another of Skye’s iconic sites will be able to offer a quality and sustainable visitor experience.’

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