The Fairy Glen is a small, strange valley in the hills above Uig on the west side of the Trotternish peninsula, where the land has slumped into a crowd of steep grassy cones, terraces and ridges around a few small lochans. One rocky outcrop with a column-like top is known as Castle Ewen, and climbing it gives a view over the whole glen and out towards Uig Bay. There is no real story of fairies attached to the place, but the name fits: it feels like a landscape built at the wrong scale. Paths wander between the knolls, and you can spend half an hour or a couple of hours here. It is free and open at all times, but it is also fragile and very popular, so visit thoughtfully.
What it is
Like the Quiraing and the Storr, the Fairy Glen was shaped by ancient landslips, when layers of rock slid and settled, leaving hummocks and terraces that grass has covered. Small lochans sit in the hollows, and sheep graze the slopes. The best-known features are the cone-shaped hills, Castle Ewen and the ridges that look like ramparts. Visitors used to build stone spirals on the floor of the glen, but local people ask that you do not move stones or build anything, as the spirals damage the turf and are regularly removed.
Getting there
The glen is reached by a narrow single-track road that leaves the A87 just south of Uig, beside the Uig Hotel, and climbs for about a mile and a half. Parking at the glen is very limited and the road is not suitable for large vehicles, so many people prefer to walk up from Uig, which takes around half an hour each way and makes a pleasant outing in itself.
Uig is about sixteen miles north-west of Portree, around half an hour by car, and is also the ferry port for the Outer Hebrides. Several small-group tours of Skye include a stop here.
Making the most of it
Arrive early in the morning or in the evening, when tour groups have gone and the low light picks out the shapes of the hills. Wear shoes with grip, as the slopes are steep and slippery when wet, and keep to existing paths to protect the grass.
The glen pairs well with a drive round the northern tip of Trotternish to the Skye Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir, Duntulm and the Quiraing, or with lunch in Uig before or after a ferry. Children usually love it, though they should be supervised near the steeper drops on Castle Ewen.
What to expect
The experience
A free, self-guided wander among grassy cones, lochans and a basalt outcrop in a small glen above Uig, on informal paths.
Best time
Early morning or early evening, when the glen is quiet and the light is low.
How long
Forty-five minutes to two hours, more if you walk up from Uig.
Tips
Walk up from Uig if parking is full, keep to paths, do not build stone spirals or move stones, and wear shoes with grip.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Visitors who want something different from the big walks, with a short, playful landscape to explore.
- Families
- A favourite with children, with plenty of small hills to climb, but supervise them on the steeper slopes.
- Couples
- Go at golden hour for photographs, then dinner in Uig or back in Portree.
- Pair with
- The Quiraing, the Skye Museum of Island Life and Kilt Rock on a Trotternish loop.
- Time needed
- About an hour at the glen, plus the drive or walk from Uig.
Good questions
Is the Fairy Glen free?+
Yes. It is open at all times and there is no charge, though parking is very limited.
Where is the Fairy Glen?+
In the hills just above Uig on the west side of the Trotternish peninsula, reached by a narrow road beside the Uig Hotel.
Can I park at the Fairy Glen?+
There are only a few spaces and the road is narrow, so if they are full, park in Uig and walk up, which takes around half an hour.
Should I build a stone spiral?+
No. Local people ask visitors not to move stones or build spirals, as they damage the turf and have to be removed.
Is it suitable for children?+
Yes, it is one of the most child-friendly places on Skye, though the slopes are steep in places and slippery when wet.
