11 Best Places to go Wild Swimming on the Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye is one of the most thrilling places to go wild swimming in Scotland. Also known as the Misty Isle, the Isle of Skye experiences on average 1810.0 mm of rainfall every year so you won't be stuck for finding a place to go for a dip. Whether you prefer to dip in the sea or a beautiful natural rock pool, the Isle of Skye really does have it all.
The Isle of Skye is an island full of adventure and if you are feeling brave enought, we would definitely recommend going for a wild swim in some of the many beautiful pools and waterfalls. We discuss these in more detail below.
Fairy Pools
Glenbrittle Beach
Torrin Pools
Loch Sheanta
Sligachan River
Elgol Harbour
Staffin Beach
Glenbrittle Falls
Talisker Bay
Allt Daraich Falls
Coral Beach
Wild Swimming
Where to Stay on the Isle of Skye
These recommendations may vary depending on what activities you are wanting to do whilst on the island. However, for this one-day itinerary on the Isle of Skye, we have based these accommodations in Portree as the sights are around this area. Portree can be extremely busy if you are visiting in the summer so we would recommend that if you choose to stay here, you book early and expect that it will be busy.
Luxury – If you are looking for a comfortable apartment stay to come home to after a day exploring, Quayside Apartment is the perfect place for you. With spectacular views and a good central location, this accommodation is comfort plus for your next trip to Skye.
Book your stay at the Quayside Apartments right here.
Mid-range – The Portree Hotel is a great central location for your stay in Skye. This hotel overlooks the main square in Portree and in the winter months there are wood-burning stoves to keep you warm after a day of exploring.
Book your stay at the Portree Hotel right here.
Budget – If you are looking for a budget place to rest your head but still have a great view, The Pink House is the place to stay just for that. A continental breakfast is included in your stay and you can book a room with a great view out to sea.
Book your stay at the Pink House right here.
If hostels are more your scene, you can check out the hostels available in Isle of Skye here.
Fairy Pools
One of the most popular places to go wild swimming on the Isle of Skye is the Fairy Pools. These magical waterfalls and pools flow down the glen at foot of the Black Cuillins. This will be one of the busiest places you will visit on the Isle of Skye, especially if you are going during peak hours of the day.
There is a large parking area where you will need to pay to park and then follow the path down to the river. There are plenty of pools that you can swim in at the Fairy Pools and during periods of high water, you may even see some people jumping into the pools from the rocks above.
This day trip from Inverness takes you to the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye.
Fairy Pools
Glenbrittle Beach
Glenbrittle Beach is a black volcanic sandy beach at the foot of the Cuillin Mountains and at the head of Loch Brittle. There is a campsite along the shore with incredible views across the loch. Plenty of free parking is available for Glenbrittle Beach.
Glenbrittle Beach
Torrin Pools
The Torrin Pools are a quieter alternative to the Fairy Pools and can be found on the road towards Elgol from Broadford. When you reach the small town of Torrin, you will pass by a purple building on your left which is a coffee shop. Further down the road, there is a road on your left hand side, follow along here and you will see the Fairy Pools on your left. Enjoy the views from these gorgeous pools of the surrounding mountains and Loch Slapin.
Loch Sheanta
Loch Sheanta is one of the most beautiful spots on the Isle of Skye. With only a short walk from the small car park, it is the perfect place to go for a wild swim on the Isle of Skye. When the sun is shining, the water in this small loch lights up crystal clear with a gorgeously green tint. The water gets deep very quickly here so it is important that you are a capable swimmer to go swimming at Loch Sheanta.
Loch Sheanta
Sligachan River
Follow the Sligachan River up from the Sligachan Bridge and you will find multiple swimming holes, perfect for a dip. The views of the Cuillin Mountains surrounding this river are just breathtaking on a clear day. If you have a moody day on the Isle of Skye, this spot is just as beautiful.
It is worth noting that after a lot of heavy rain, this river can be very fast flowing, make sure you find somewhere that is safe to enter if this is somewhere you want to go for a dip.
Sligachan River
Elgol Harbour
Elgol is one of the most underrated areas on the Isle of Skye. The drive along the winding single track roads through the mountains is some of the best scenery you will see on the island. Elgol Harbour is where many of the boat trips leave, taking you over to the smaller isles or to Loch Cruisk. The harbour is rocky but it is enjoyed by many for a bit of swimming during the warm summer months.
Elgol Harbour
Staffin Beach
Staffin Beach is one of the most popular beaches to visit on the Isle of Skye due to its incredible black sand and the famous dinosaur footprints that are revealed here at low tide. Staffin Beach is also relatively easy to get to in comparison to some of the other beaches on the Isle of Skye that makes it appealing to tourists and making it a great place to go wild swimming on the Isle of Skye.
Staffin Beach
Glenbrittle Falls
One of the best spots for wild swimming on the Isle of Skye in our opinion. Situated further down the road from the popular Fairy Pools, yet with no visitors. You can park up at the Glenbrittle Youth Hostel where you will see a large waterfall. Follow the path up towards the mountains and you will see many perfect swimming holes up the river.
Glenbrittle Falls
Talisker Bay
Talisker Bay is a beautiful black sandy beach near the small village of Carbost on the Isle of Skye. It is well known for the towering sea stack on the left and the large powerful waterfall on the right. The best time to visit Talisker Beach for a swim is at low tide as this is when the beautiful black sand is revealed. At high tide water is incredibly clear in this bay, perfect for swimming if you can access the water over the rocks.
Talisker Bay
Allt Daraich Falls
This is one of our favourite places for wild swimming on the Isle of Skye.
There are a number of waterfalls and small cascades along Allt Dairaich, all plowing into crystal clear plunge pools surrounded by the stunning Cuillin mountain range.
There are many swimming holes that are perfect for swimming in if you can brave the icy temperatures.
Continue to follow the path and you will come across plenty of waterfalls and swim spots.
Allt Daraich Falls
Coral Beach
Coral Beach sits just north of Dunvegan and is a great beach for wild swimming on the Isle of Skye. Although the beach is called Coral Beach, it is actually made up of tiny pieces of Red Coralline seaweed, known as Maërl. The sun-bleached colour of this coral-like seaweed gives the water that tropical colour in the sun, tempting everyone in for a swim.
There is a small amount of parking for this beach and the walk there is around a 3.5km walk round trip.
Coral Beach
So there you have it, your guide to where to stay on the Isle of Skye, glamping edition. If you are visiting this incredible place and have any other questions on what to expect, leave us a comment down below. We love to chat about this stuff! If you have already been, let us know how it was! Did you get a clear day to see the sights? Did you manage the trip without getting caught in the rain? Let us know in the comments below!
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