Isle of Skye
I ducked my head beneath the gin-clear waters and swam hard against the white water which raged over the high rocks, white noise filling my ears and drowning out the sound of gannets swirling above.
Swims in the wild are always magical and never regretted. But coming all this way to try somewhere new made this dip even more special.
Unlike the hugely popular Fairy Pools at Glen Brittle, on the other side of Skye, Torrin’s pools are less crowded with tourists. The narrow, single track road from Broadford makes it harder for coaches to reach this remote side of the island, meaning it’s left to those with a keen eye for cold water to explore without distraction.
They’re a blessing for wild swimmers, especially as the pools are just a three-minute walk from the road and offer the opportunity for a longer soak in Loch Slapin which sits on the other side of the track leading to the village of Elgol.
I swam hard against the current, the water easing out the kinks in my back after the long journey, before clambering out and climbing further upstream. I slipped into the next pool, where an eddy swirled and flipped me onto my back, twirling on the surface, the cold working its magic, the endorphins beginning to course through my veins. The elation that follows a perfect wild swim was close at hand.
Back on the bank, I lay down in the afternoon heat to dry off. Clouds were gathering to the west and the sun was beginning to dip behind the soaring Cuillin mountains. Swims in the wild are always magical and never regretted. But coming all this way to try somewhere new, distant and hard to reach made this dip even more special.
I towelled off, stuffed my wet things in my bag and headed back to the van for a brew. The abandoned trunks were still drying on their rock, no owner around to claim them. It was good to know I had an unseen swimming companion and that the remote location meant their kit would be here whenever they returned. I sipped on my tea and breathed in the fresh Highland air, refreshed, invigorated, happy.
