Goodbye Skye: Ending our trip with Fairies and a little Fantasy

We packed up and left our AirBNB early in the morning to make our way back to Dundee but we wanted to make a couple stops on our way out. Thankfully Skye is laid out in a way that we didn't have to veer too far off course to hit some final fantastic sights!

Our journey took us through the Cuillin mountain range where we had a very beautiful view from the road of the towering Red Cuillin Mountains and Glamaig Mountain Peak. We got off the main highway and traversed the single lane roads through the forest of the Minginish Peninsula heading into the Cuillin Hills to the Fairy Pools.

Near Glen Brittle, a natural waterfall phenomenon called the Fairy Pools cuts deep through the landscape and attracts visitors from all over the world to see it's crystal clear water. The pools run down from the Bruach na Frìthe of the Black Cuillins feeding from the River Brittle.

There were tons of people here and tons of people in the water swimming. Keep in mind, the water hovers around 45-55F. Crazy, I know. You couldn't catch me getting in there if my life depended on it, that's for sure!

It's a fun-filled hike up and down the path, jumping from rock to rock to get over shallow rivers and streams. It was a beautiful, bright sunny morning and you could see straight down to the bottom of the riverbed. The vibrant blue and green waters were a sight to behold. It's quite a treat for your eyes!

We left and made our way south to a significantly less travelled part of Skye, the Sleat Peninsula. Our destination: Dunscaith Castle, The Fortress of Shadows*.

To get there, you're taken on surprisingly well maintained roads through the forests, passing a beautiful beach, cow pastures, and then up and over a very steep drive. At the bottom, you park on the road and walk through someone's sheep farm and down the shoreline to the ruins. How charming!

Dunscaith, perched on a rock above Loch Eishort was a MacLeod stronghold in the 13th-14th centuries before it was sieged and taken over by the clan MacDonald. Now in ruins, as it was abandoned in the 17th century, only part of the original staircase and outer curtain walls are visible from the outside. You get magnificent panoramic views of the water and the Cuillin Mountains in the distance. It's magical!

Above: A rendering of what Dunscaith Castle might have been, done by Smart History, a spin out company from the University of St Andrews and what it looks like today.

*Little Nerdy Note: For those who don't know, in our off-time, Greg and I like to play the MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV. Dunscaith is the third and final 24-player raid and takes place on an island created by sorcerers to provide safe haven from calamitous floodwaters. Pretty spot on!

Our stay in Skye was so beautiful and I can't wait to head back (we will very soon!)! As always, click any of the photos below to be taken to the full album and check out our gallery page for even more great photos of all of our adventures!