Scottish Oat Cakes Recipe & Fairy Pools, Isle Of Skye, Scotland

Scottish Oat Cakes Recipe

Ingredients

225g oats

60g wholewheat flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

60g butter

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

60-80ml hot water

Method

1.      Pre-heat the oven to 190C.

2.    Mix together the oats, flour, salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda.

3.    Add the butter and rub together until everything is mixed and has the consistency of large bread crumbs.

4.    Add the water (from a recently boiled kettle) bit by bit and combine until you have a somewhat thick dough. The amount of water varies; depending on the oats.

5.     Sprinkle some extra flour and oats on a work surface and roll out the dough to approx. 1/2cm thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes (the final number of oatcakes depends - of course - on the size of cutter you use. In a wonderfully Scottish twist/coincidence I found that using an upturned whisky glass makes the perfect size :-)

6.    Place the oat cakes on a baking tray and bake for appprox. 20-30mins. or until slightly golden brown.

Fairy Pools, Isle Of Skye, Scotland

The Fairy Pools are located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, part of the Inner Hebrides, where North Atlantic currents keep temperatutres fairly mild and peasant all year round. They are a collection of pools, streams, and a waterfall that create a beautiful scenery in the middle of the Glen Brittle forest. The Fairy Pools are said to contain a certain amount of magic, hence their name. Ultimately, we can attribute the stunning photos of the pools and the scenery around it to such a "magical" air. The pools are swimmable, and make a great place to spend time with family and friends. Due to their natural beauty, they attract a large number of hikers to the area. To get to the Fairy Pools, one must walk about twenty minutes into the wild beauties of Scotland.

There is a fair amount of tourism around the Fairy Pools area. The closest town is Carbott, and they are located in the Glen Brittle area of Scotland. The area is perfect for hikers of all levels, due to a variety of walks that range considerably in terms of degree of difficulty. Nearby to the Fairy Pools is a variety of other beautiful scenery, such as Cuillins, which the largest mountain in the region. There is a youth hostel and a campsite situated close to the area. In addition to the mountains and the scenic glen, there is a beach situated close by as well. The region is home to a large amount of Scottish wildlife, which is perfect for those who want to take a vacation and immerse themselves in the natural beauty of Scotland.

The Fairy Pools are definitely a unique feature of Scotland. As the name suggests, this is due to the supposedly magical powers that they can exert over the people who find themselves at this spot. The Fairy Pools find themselves snuggled into the Scottish scenery, and provide a relaxing respite from the urban life of such not-too-distant locales as Edinburgh and Glasgow. Due to their natural beauty, one will be hardpressed to find somewhere as magical or beautiful in any other part of Scotland. The cascading Glen in which they call home provides a perfect place to take photos worth boasting of to your friends and family.

The habitat of the Fairy Pools hosts a variety of animals, such as red deer, rabbits, and, of course, sheep. The area is also host to a large number of birds, which will piqueany bird enthusiast's curiosity. Large flocks of crows, ravens, and gulls are present in the area, as well as such smaller birds as meadow pipits, turnstones, common ringed plovers, grey herons, dunlins, and curlews, just to name a few. The physical landscape is predominately rocky, with some boggy areas here and there. The water in the area is typically cold. Therefore, if one is thinking about swimming in the pools, bringing a quality wetsuit along might be a good option to consider.

There are not many natural threats present to visitors of Fairy Pools. Although it is still advised for comers to exercise caution if it is raining, as it may make the terrain harder to navigate. The temperature is generally moderate for much of the year, which is a typical feature of most Scottish weather. There are no dangerous animals located in the area. In fact, the most annoying feature may very well be the presence of highland midges, which are a small, biting insect native to the Glen Brittle area, similar to a mosquito. They are not dangerous, and regarded more so as a “pest” than they are as a legitimate threat to one's health. Apart from the highland midges, the area is quite safe for humans, and visitors are, or course, asked to not litter or unnecessarily disturb the environment there in any way.