The Fairy Glen is on the on the western side of the Trotternish peninsula on Skye, close to the village of Uig.  You are unlikely to see any fairies there, but this short glen is the site of a significant landslip, which has left numerous small conical hills which line the glen on either side of the winding road. The highest mound has retained a granite cap, which gives it the appearance of a small ruined castle, called Castle Ewen for some reason.

The glen looks particularly good when low sunlight (morning or evening) brings out the shapes and contours of the mini hills.

---

Location and Parking

Post Code: IV51 9YG

The village of Uig is located on the western side of the Trotternish peninsula and is well served by the A87 due to the ferry terminal to the Isle of Harris. As the A87 descends towards Uig, a stone tower comes into sight on the left opposite the Uig Hotel. Just before the Uig Hotel, a small single track road signposted Sheader leads off to the right which climbs through some farms to arrive at the pay and display parking area for the Fairy Glen. The road continues for a further 0.5 miles through the glen, but parking is very limited, so it is best to park at the car park and explore the glen on foot.

Approach to Castle Ewen

From the car park, a path winds up and down, past small conical hills. A good first location is where a small hill is reflected in a reed pool.

A short distance beyond this pool, and the path returns to the road alongside a larger pool. This is a good spot for reflections of Castle Ewen across the water. The main path circles the pool, then climbs to the foot of Castle Ewen.

Castle Ewen And The Magic Circle

At the top of the path there is a flat open area surrounded by small hills. The centre of this area has a curious arrangement of concentric rings making a magic circle. In the past, people arranged stones around the circle, but these have been cleared away to preserve the natural appearance of the glen, though the concentric rings are surely not a natural feature.

It is possible to climb to the top of Castle Ewen, but the best view is to climb one of the other hills and include the Castle in the view.

In a wider view, it can be seen that the Fairy Glen is in fact just a small landslide area on the side of the much larger Glen Uig,  the entire Fairy Glen region being only about 0.5 miles long. However the intricate grouping of small hills and pools with Castle Ewen as the centre piece makes it a fascinating area to explore,  even if you are unlikely to meet any fairies.

---

Back To Scotland Locations