Heather growing in Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland (© Adam Mowery/TANDEM Stills + Motion)
Mists curl, waters glimmer and legends linger—welcome to Glen Brittle. On the Isle of Skye, Scotland's fabled 'Misty Isle,' the glen stretches in a sweep of purple heather carpeting its rugged slopes. The landscape hums with echoes of the past: dinosaurs left footprints on these cliffs long before Mesolithic hunters traced its streams over 8,000 years ago. In the 9th century, seafaring Norse Vikings settled here. Centuries later, the powerful MacLeod and MacDonald clans claimed these lands, their castles standing guard over countless battles and alliances.
Among the hills and hidden lochs, the Fairy Pools shimmer in emerald and turquoise, tumbling over volcanic rock—a place where, according to local tales, fairies once danced under the moonlight. Nearby, Loch Coruisk, the 'Cauldron of Waters,' tucked beneath the jagged Black Cuillin peaks, is said to be haunted by a kelpie, a shape-shifting water spirit. Red deer glide silently through the heather, rabbits vanish along secret trails and golden eagles wheel above. Glen Brittle is where geology, wildlife and human history intertwine. Every stone, waterfall and valley tells a story—step softly, and listen closely.