Glen Rosa: The Quieter Alternative to Skye's Fairy Pools

The Fairy Pools of Skye are one of the most iconic spots on the island, if not in the whole of Scotland, and are definitely well worth a visit! But sadly, their fame also brings crowds, and as a result they’re one of the busiest locations in the entire country, outside of Edinburgh of course! While crowds may not be an issue to everyone, I know that there’s some of you out there who’d rather sample some of the lesser known parts of our beautiful country, away from all the tour buses and clogged up roads. It’s for you people out there who seek a bit of peace and quiet that I present the perfect, lesser known alternative to Skye’s Fairy Pools; Arran’s Blue Pools of Glen Rosa.

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The Isle of Arran and Glen Rosa's "Fairy Pools"

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Tucked away in the sea between Kintyre and Ayrshire, is the small island of Arran. Only accessible by ferry, it’s sometimes described as Scotland in miniature; complete with mountains, forests and picturesque fishing villages. It really is a must visit, and definitely ranks as one of my favourite places in the entire country. 

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Related: My Top 5 AirBnB Stays on Arran.

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On the island’s northern side, near one of It’s largest towns and only ferry port; Brodick, is a large glen, sheltered below Arran’s highest peaks. This glen, called Glen Rosa, hides a beautiful river with a collection of perfect pools, backdropped by the dramatic scenery of the Goatfell mountains. A perfect swimming spot, the crystal clear water running off the hills earned them the nickname of the Blue Pools, and they are, without a doubt, a worthy contender to the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye. You can even see them in a day from the mainland without taking a car!

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Getting To Glen Rosa

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Arran, unlike Skye, can only be reached by a ferry, which runs regularly between Ardrossan and Brodick. You can view the ferry timetable and buy tickets here. Dogs are allowed on the ferry, and can either stay with you in a lounge in the passenger section, or remain in your car. 

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We decided to visit the Blue Pools in one day, getting the ferry as passengers and leaving our car in the long stay ferry car park in Ardrossan. This cost us £4 for 24 hours parking, and then £8.40 each way for the ferry for both of us, totaling £20.80. 

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The walk into Glen Rosa itself starts from the Cladach Visitor Centre (View on Maps) which has it’s own parking area, but there is also parking across the road for the Fishermans Walk, and at Brodick castle. All of these car parks are free except for Brodick castle (unless you’re a member of the National Trust), and can easily access the footpath. 

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For those of you looking to use public transport, there is a bus stop right outside the Cladach Centre, or alternatively, you can hike directly; it’s only around 1.8 miles from the ferry terminal to the Cladach centre along the Arran coastal path (directions here). 

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This is what we did as we didn’t take our car with us, and didn’t feel like paying for the bus was worth it. The short stretch of coastal path is no slog either, with lovely views up towards the mountains and across Brodick bay. 

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Glen Rosa Campsite also offers a great starting point for this walk if you’re looking to camp overnight, and is also within walking distance (2.3 miles) from the ferry terminal.

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The Blue Pools Hike

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We chose to complete this hike in a circular fashion, starting from the Cladach centre, following the path up the glen on the north side of the river, before crossing over just south of the pools, and then heading back past the campsite and along the road to Brodick. The trail was fairly flat and easy to follow, with little to no difficult terrain, but it was a little soggy in parts, especially on the northern side of the glen. Bring decent footwear you feel comfortable walking in, and don’t mind getting wet!

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The first part of the walk tracks west through the woods away from the centre, following the signs for the Easceanoch Trail. We shortly crossed a small wooden bridge, before reaching a road and crossing down into Cnocan Gorge. After a short climb up Cnocan gorge, we spotted a sign pointing us the way towards Glen Rosa, which we promptly followed, leading us further west along the edge of a copse of coniferous woodland, with views down onto open moorland. From here we could spot the tents bundled up in the campsite across the glen.

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At the end of this woodland stretch, after passing through a small gate, we emerged out onto the open slopes of Glen Rosa. The path from here followed the side of the hill, and got a little bit soggy at times! Definitely consider wearing some waterproof boots for this bit! But after a short while we rounded the corner and were greeted by the view we came for. The tall sides of the Goats Fell hills are a beautiful backdrop to this picturesque glen, with the sharp top of Cir Mhor looming high in the distance, mirroring Bidean Druim nan Ramh above the Fairy Pools on Skye.

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By this point we were walking right alongside the small river in the base of the valley, home to the Blue Pools themselves, and after a little longer, we reached a small wooden bridge. Crossing over we found ourselves on the other side of the river and headed right, up to where we’d heard the best of the pools could be found.

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Not 50 metres further up the path, just after a sharp bend, we reached them; a short series of deep, clear, blue pools of water. We sat for a while enjoying the scenery and the background sounds of rushing water, as we enjoyed our lunch and debated having a little dip. As inviting as it looked, the cold autumn air didn’t provide much persuasion. In the summer this would have made for an amazing wild swimming spot, secluded and away from the crowds. 

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After we felt suitably rested and had our fill of the beautiful view, we headed back down the main path on the south side of the glen, which very quickly opened up into a large driveable track. Passing the campsite, we found our feet back on solid tarmac, and followed the road back to Brodick, before enjoying a nice fish and chips on the harbour, and taking the ferry back to the mainland

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Our walk, from the ferry port to the centre, round the loop and then back to the ferry port, was around 8.5 miles. If you were driving and parking at the Cladach Centre, it’s around 5.3 miles instead.

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Why It’s A Great Alternative to The Fairy Pools

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Less Crowds!

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Arran is a much quieter island than Skye; less people means less noise, more peace and overall just makes for a better experience.
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Better Weather!

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It’s no secret the west of Scotland isn’t exactly the best place to go if you’re looking for sunny blue skies, and while Arran isn’t exactly in the Mediterranean  it does on average experience 3-5 less days of rain per month than Skye, which means you’re more likely to get a great day for your adventure.
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It’s Free!

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While getting to Arran isn’t exactly free, you don’t have to pay a penny for parking or access to the glen, unlike the Fairy Pools, with no alternative options you’ll be hit with a hefty parking fee before you can even start.
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You can make a day of it!

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The Fairy Pools are located about a 10 minute walk from the car park. While this is great for some, for others it might not seem worth the parking charge. The Blue Pools make for a complete, great day out, and you can even extend the walk further to go further into the glen, or perhaps bag some of the local hills at the same time.

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While Glen Rosa and It’s Blue Pools might lack some of the drama and accessibility of its cousin on Skye, they make up for it with a beautiful, flexible hike, plenty of peace and quiet, and a view that nobody can deny is nothing short of incredible.

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