A new footpath at the attraction on Skye is being funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery.

A new footpath to improve access and protect the environment around Skye’s Fairy Pools is to be built thanks to support from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

During peak season, as many as 1,000 visitors a day flock to the attraction, placing major strains on the local environment and infrastructure.

The new Fairy Path will be wider than the previous walkway, ensuring as many people as possible are able to enjoy the site while also reducing the impact of visitors on the surrounding area.

Bridges and viewpoints along the route will also improve the experience for locals and tourists.

Minginish Community Hall Association (MCHA), ran by Skye residents, will begin work on the path in the coming months thanks to an award of £16,750 from Postcode Local Trust, the grant-giving charity funded by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

Julie Burnett, MCHA director, said: “The significant increase in visitor numbers to such a fragile environment has resulted in a widening and degradation of the existing path and erosion of the natural environment.

“Working with partners, MCHA will develop paths that make access safer and more accessible to all. The work will help sustain the visitor numbers, repair and regenerate the surrounding land and provide information for visitors on other interlinking paths.

“The information will also explain the importance of the natural environment and need to repair/restore the damage caused by visitors.”

Local MP Ian Blackford said he was “delighted” about the funding boost.

“An accessible new path to the Fairy Pools will allow locals and tourists alike to get outdoors and take in its splendid natural beauty, while making sure this doesn’t come at the cost of the environment,” he said.