With its unusual landscape, The Fairy Glenn (Bail nan cnoc) is also known as the mini-Quiraing and resembles a wee hobbit land.
Like the Quiraing, the area was formed by a landslip and offers differing levels of hills.
People come to see the mysterious stone circles, and while Skye is steeped in folklore, these rings are manmade and created by visitors, which locals disagree with.
However, the stones are frequently removed, and visitors are asked not to add them to new attempts.
There is a small fee-paying car park 1.5km from the glen but no toilet facilities.
Getting There & Parking
The Fairy Glen sits a short drive up a single-track road from Uig on Skye’s north-west coast. There is a small parking area, sometimes with an honesty box, and it gets tight in high season on the narrow lane.
It is close enough to Uig and the Rha Falls to string all three together into an easy half day in the north.
What to See
The glen is a cluster of unnaturally neat grassy cones and hollows, the product of ancient landslips, with a rocky pinnacle known as Castle Ewen rising in the middle. The whole place has a miniature, storybook quality that earned it the fairy name.
Visitors sometimes build stone spirals and circles on the ground. Guidance now discourages this, as the stones damage the habitat and were never a genuine local tradition, so it is best to leave the ground as you find it.
Best Time & Tips
- Do not build or add to stone circles – it harms the site
- Wear boots; the cones are grassy and can be slippery when wet
- Take care on the narrow single-track road and passing places
- Combine with Uig and the Rha Falls for a north-coast half day
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fairy Glen on Skye?
It is a small landscape of neat grassy cones and hollows near Uig, formed by ancient landslips, with a rocky pinnacle called Castle Ewen in the middle. It has a storybook feel.
Should you build stone circles at the Fairy Glen?
No. Current guidance discourages it because the stones damage the habitat and were never a real local tradition. Leave the ground as you find it.
How do you get to the Fairy Glen?
Drive a short way up a single-track road from Uig. There is a small parking area, sometimes with an honesty box, so take care on the narrow lane and passing places.
