Though perhaps not as popular a hiking destination or as scenic as Skye’s Fairy Pools, the Fairy Glen is still a unique landscape enough landscape to deserve a visit, especially if you plan on spending some time on Skye’s stunning Trotternish Peninsula. Though many think the area is overrated, we felt it was definitely worth a stop due to its unique and unusual landscape of grassy, small cone-shaped hills. It’s definitely worth visiting if you are planning to hike the nearby Quiraing trail. Below we present our Travel and Hiking Guide to visiting the Fairy Glen, which includes information on how to get to the trailhead, how difficult the trail is, and where the best views are.
Disclosure: This page (Fairy Glen: Travel & Hiking Guide to One of Skye’s Most Unusual and Unique Landscapes) may contain product affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. More details can be found on our disclosure and policies page.
You might also be interested in these pages:
Top Things to See and Do on Skye
4-Day Roadtrip Isle of Skye Itinerary
Isle of Skye Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Where to Stay on the Isle of Skye
Skye’s Best Hiking and Walking Trails
ORIENTATION – WHERE IS THE FAIRY GLEN?
The Fairy Glen is located on the Trotternish Peninsula of the Isle of Skye. The closest town is Uig, a tiny coastal town on the western coast of the peninsula. If you are planning on hiking the Quiraing, the Fairy Glen is only a 20-minute (12 km) drive from the Quiraing parking lot (most of which is on single-track roads). If coming directly from Portree, it’s about the same amount of time but on a faster-going 2-lane road (25 min, 25 km).
For advice and tips on how to drive in Scotland, check out our Scotland Roadtrip Driving Guide. For advice and tips that are more specific to Skye with a focus on single-track roads, check out our Isle of Skye Road Trip Driving Guide.
If you haven’t booked your rental vehicle yet, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Scotland.
If you are travelling by public transport, you’ll need to take a bus from Portree to Uig, and then walk the rest of the way to the trailhead (about 30 min). Another option could be to join a Skye group tour.
Parking lot: There is a medium-sized car park by the trailhead, but it can get quite busy midday.
Hours: The trail is also open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can visit any time you like.
Costs: While visiting the Glen, the car park is Pay & Display (£2 for 2 hours). Credit cards are accepted at the automated kiosk.
Facilities: There are no toilets or facilities of any kind here.
FAIRY GLEN TRAIL
Trail Details
Distance: 1.9 km
Route Type: Loop
Elevation gain: 34m (cumulative elevation gain: 65m)
Start point: Fair Glen Car Park (only a few spots) is 300m away
AllTrails rating: (4.4, 667 ratings (2023))
Duration: 45 min – 1h
Not an AllTrails member yet? We highly recommend signing up for either their free or paid membership plans. The free plan allows you to find new trails and plan routes but it can only be used while hiking if you have access to mobile data. The paid membership plan (AllTrails+) allows you to download trail maps for offline use and provides live progress updates and off-route notifications.
If you are still uncertain – you should know that the All Trails mobile application was voted the 2023 iPhone App of the Year by Apple.
Trail Summary
The Fairy Glen area is very small and can be easily covered in less than an hour. The trails are for the most part pretty flat (which includes sections along the road), but you can climb several hills for better views and vantage points should you so be inclined.
While strolling through the Glen, you can definitely get a sense of why people associated the area with fairies given the unusual yet somewhat magical feeling of the landscape of tiny coned-shape hills.
The highest point of the Glen is a rocky prominence named Castle Ewen due to its resemblance to a ruined castle.
TIPS
- Come early if you can to guarantee a good parking spot. Alternatively, aim for later in the day when people will have started to leave. Can also get quite crowded in the middle of the day.
- Check the weather before heading out. Our favourite weather app for the area is the Met Office app.
- If coming during the summer months, beware of the pesky little midges. You can check the midge forecast beforehand.
- Stick to the designated path to protect the surrounding environment.
Hiking Packing List
All Trails subscription – This comes in really handy for areas with little or no cell reception, as the annual subscription allows you to download trail maps for offline use.
External Battery – If you are using your phone to track your progress along the trail or to help with navigation, you certainly don’t want your phone to die on you. That’s especially true in the unlikely event that you might get hurt or need assistance.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in steep trails or muddy/boggy trail conditions.
OTHER SKYE HIKING TRAILS
To get your fill of green lush otherworldly landscapes – The Quiraing
The Quiraing trailhead is only a 20-minute drive from the Fairy Glen trailhead, both of which are great hiking options when completing a Trotternish Peninsula Loop.
Another Skye classic with iconic otherworldly views – The Old Man of Storr.
The Old Man of Storr is the most popular hiking option along the Trotternish Peninsula Loop, roughly a 35-40 minute drive from the Fairy Glen trailhead.
A lesser-known coastal beauty favourite of ours – Camanusary Bay.
This trail is a bit further than the others from the Fairy Glen, about a 1h15 drive away
A relatively easy hike with stunning mountain and waterfall vistas – The Fairy Pools
Another Skye classic, located only an hour’s drive from the Fairy Glen.
To find yourself on a beach between sea stacks, cows and a stunning waterfall – Talisker Bay.
Another lesser-known trail, but one that deserves to be discovered. Located about an hour’s drive from
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Sligachan Old Bridge and Waterfall – A more than worthy photo stop along Skye’s main road. The bridge parking lot is roughly a 25-minute drive from the Fairy Glen trailhead.
Dunvegan Castle – Visit Skye’s most impressive and well-preserved castle. About a 40-minute drive from Fairy Glen.
Talisker Distillery – Sample some whiskey at Skye’s oldest and most famous distillery. About a 50-minute drive from the Fairy Glen.
Town of Portree – Take a stroll through Skye’s largest town and its colourful harbour homes. About a 25-minute drive from the Fairy Glen.
Neist Point Lighthouse – A beautiful drive along a long and winding road will take you to the stunning vistas of Skye’s most photogenic lighthouse. About an hour’s drive from the Fairy Glen.
Trotternish Peninsula – Not a single attraction but rather a collection of several, including several waterfalls and hiking trails including the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr.
Preparing a trip to the Highlands?
You might be interested in these pages:
Top Things to See and Do on Skye
4-Day Roadtrip Isle of Skye Itinerary
Isle of Skye Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Where to Stay on the Isle of Skye
Skye’s Best Hiking and Walking Trails
Preparing a trip to Scotland?
You might be interested in these Scotland pages:
10-Day Scotland Roadtrip Itinerary (Edinburgh and Highlands)
Scotland Driving Guide and Tips
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Best Things to See in the Scottish Highlands
Best Hikes to do in the Scottish Highlands
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steves Scotland
Lonely Planet Scotland’s Highlands
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Fairy Glen Travel & Hiking Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to Scotland’s beautiful Isle of Skye.
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