This Trail In Scotland With Unmatched Beauty Leads To A Secret, Clear Water Swimming Hole

Imagine visiting a Scottish isle and walking beside a rushing stream through a lush glen surrounded by dramatic green mountains called "munros" that have inspired authors for centuries to adopt the Scottish landscape as the setting for their fantastical worlds. This is the aspiration for many people traveling to what's been voted the most beautiful country in the world, and dozens of hiking trails can help them achieve this vision. One trail in particular offers all of these features — plus a secluded swimming hole.

The Glen Rosa hike on the Isle of Arran takes hikers through a forest, into a glen, and finally to the Blue Pool — a small, clear watering hole where some hikers choose to take a dip (if the notoriously cool Scottish climate permits). Check the weather, and be careful of what clothing you pack for your vacation to Scotland before jumping in. Visitors setting out on the trail should prepare for 5 miles of walking on this sometimes muddy out-and-back hike, which can take between two to three hours to complete. It's designated as a moderately challenging hike, with 839 feet of elevation gain, and hikers will be rewarded for their effort with some of the best scenery the country has to offer. 

"Amazing hike," wrote one hiker on AllTrails, where the trail has a user rating of 4.8 stars out of 5. "Loved swimming in the pools up top, and the views were amazing!!"

Anyone attempting the hike will first need to find their way to the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of the mainland. The isle is known as a microcosm of all Scotland has to offer — from coastlines and beaches to munros, forests, and cultural attractions, such as its folk and whiskey festivals. It's worth factoring in a visit while prioritizing stunning destinations on your Scotland trip.

Those taking the ferry to Arran will find themselves in the village of Brodick on the isle's east coast. The trail to Glen Rosa and the Blue Pool begins on the northern side of the village, near the Cladach Visitor Center. A bus travels from the ferry terminal to Cladach five times per day, and the ride takes about 10 minutes. If you miss the bus or want to add a couple more miles to your explorations, walking to Cladach from the terminal will take about 40 minutes — and you'll walk along the coastline most of that time.

From the visitor center, you'll cross the street, walk through the courtyard of Arran Brewery, and pass behind a pink restaurant called the Wineport Bistro. You'll enter a forested section before the trail opens up into a glen and leads you to the Blue Pool. For most of the jaunt, hikers can catch a glimpse of Goatfell Mountain, the highest point on the isle.

When hikers are finished with the trail — and their dip into the Blue Pool — there are plenty of activities within walking distance of the trailhead to enjoy before returning to the ferry terminal and the Scottish mainland. These activities include stopping at either Arran Brewery or Wineport Bistro, which hikers had to navigate around on the way to Glen Rosa. 

During the warmer months, Wineport Bistro opens a beer garden in front of its large pink building, where visitors relax with a beer or glass of wine and eat entrees made with local produce. Arran Brewery offers tours, during which tourists can get an up-close look at the process of making award-winning beers and come away with souvenirs from the brewery's gift shop. 

If you're game for more walking after the Glen Rosa hike, you might consider the 0.7-mile stroll to Brodick Castle, Garden, and Country Park. The original fortress on the site dates back to the 1200s, and its current iteration was constructed in 1844. Visitors pay €8.50 ($8.82) to go inside, where they can spot valuable artifacts among the Victorian-style interior, as well as learn about the people who lived there over the centuries. When you're done touring the castle and its grounds, you can catch a bus from the castle entrance back to the ferry terminal to end your visit to the isle.