For me, this area perfectly encapsulates the issue of Overtourism in Scotland and lays bare the juxtaposition between tourism and conservation. The waters of the Allt Coir' a' Mhadaidh are remarkably clear and in the right conditions appear to glow an almost luminous blue. With

the rise of social media and Skye appearing on numerous clickbait articles all across the internet, visitor numbers to these pools have exploded. This has sadly destroyed any sense of wonder once found here. Firstly, the road to Glenbrittle is a small single track road with (newly widened) passing places. It is often severely congested with inexperienced drivers, in particular large motor-homes. The verges of this road have been chewed up by years of bad driving and inconsiderate parking and should serve as a warning of what is to come. The views of the Cuillin Mountains are undeniably epic on this drive. Half way along this road you will come to a commercial forestry plantation and a large Car Park scarring the hillside. It is £5 to park here, facilities are under construction. Don't complain about the parking charge, it is there to mitigate the impact of your visit. This car park will usually be full or involve an almighty guddle to get into. The walk from the car park involves a relatively steep descent into the valley and a relatively steep ascent after that. The path itself is very good and has been upgraded over the years to accommodate ever increasing visitor numbers. It should pose no challenges to well prepared and fit walkers. The main challenge is the sheer busyness of this path. Whatever time of day you visit you will be walking with hundreds of others. After an hour you will reach the first of the pools. In the correct (rare) conditions, they will glow blue and look very beautiful. However, to reach the water people leave the path and trample on the wild moorland. This over years has completely destroyed the banks of the burn. Mind your footing, you can lose a shoe in the mud. The level of litter, in particular cigarette butts, banana skins and orange peels is particularly depressing. Continue further up you will see more vivid pools but all sense of wonder is lost among the crowds, mud and litter. There is a worthwhile circular walk you can do if you continue up but the majority of visitors, having got their selfies, will retreat to their cars. Scotland, my country, is better than this. Beautiful mountain paths with vivid pools of water adorn the majority of mountainsides across the Highlands and can be found with a little bit of effort. Don't be tempted by the clickbait Insta picks and strike out for yourself. You will not find what you are looking for here. As for reviews complaining about the midges... they were here first and they're an essential part of the ecosystem. Their presence indicates immaculate air quality. They should be expected on any Scottish, Northern English walk.

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