Where to Find Highland Cows in Scotland (2023) Highland Cattle

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Where to find Highland Cows in Scotland: Looking for Highland Cows in Scotland? I know I was when we road-tripped Scotland! 😅 This guide will help you to find some of these hairy-faced cuties all over the country.

When you think of Scotland, chances are you think of the tartan kilts, eccentric bagpipes, tasty shortbread and thick accents. But not for me. And not for some of you (especially if you’ve landed on this blog post).

When you think of Scotland, your mind might whirl to the fact that Scotland is the home town of some of the cutest animals on the planet; the trusty Highland cow.

Whilst I did almost cause Tom to drive into a metal gate just because I spotted a Highland cow, I have no regrets. Stopping to see these Scottish beauties was one of the highlights of our trip!

In the following post, I explain just where we found Highland cows, and where you can chase them down to see them for yourself (well not chase, as I doubt you’d win). Let’s get started!

Other Scotland posts:

• 7 Day Scotland Road Trip Route & Itinerary
• Fairy Pools Skye Walk: Everything You Need to Know
• 13 BEST Things to do in Aviemore (+ Travel Guide!)
• Old Man of Storr Walk Guide: Isle of Skye, Scotland

Where to find Highland Cows in Scotland: A Summary

The Highland cow is a Scottish breed of cattle, found all over the UK. They are predominantly found in Scotland, in the Highlands and in the NC500 countryside. Highland cows look strikingly different to regular cows, and are most known for their shaggy hair and large, pointed horns.

Unsurprisingly, most tourists visiting Scotland love spotting Highland cows (including myself), and you can find Highland cows as soft toys, magnets, and bookmarks in any touristic shop.

Note that you can find Highland cows all over Scotland, not just in the locations below. These are just some of the best!

Interesting facts about Highland cows

🐄 Highland cows aren’t always the rich ginger you may think of them to be. Quite often they are white, yellow, black and a darker shade of orange.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Highland cow’s most famous asset is their shaggy hair. It can grow as long as 13 inches! This extra layer keeps them warm when the temperature drops.

🐮 Their long and recognisable horns help them to forage for food during the Scottish snowy seasons.

🐄 A group of highland cows are not called a herd, but a ‘fold’ instead. 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Highland cows are known to be caring mothers to their young, and can live for as long as 20 years!

🐮 A Scottish Highland cow mother can birth around 12 little calves.

🐄 The larger-than-life, Scottish highland cows are the oldest cattle breed in the world. 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 While they may look intimidating at first, highland cows are actually very gentle creatures.

Best places to see Highland cows in Scotland

1) The A896 into Applecross (from Bealach na Ba)

I spotted these Highland cows on the side of the road entering Applecross, and it was one of my favourite finds. There were at least seven of them grazing on the long grass, without a care in the world.

The spot is quiet, so we were able to pull over and get some great pics of the cows from about two metres away.

Unfortunately, there were no calves at the time we visited, but we found a few shaggy redheads, a white and even some black highland cows. A must-do for anyone in search of hairy coos!

Related post: Road-tripping Scotland? Check out my epic 7-day road trip route for the adventure of a lifetime!

2) Duirinish (near the Skye Bridge)

Next was a town called Duirinish, where we saw a few ginger highland cows roaming behind a metal gate. They were a bit further away than the ones in Applecross, but we did manage to see a few baby calves (who made the drive worth it!)

Park in the centre of the village, and walk past the small cafe (the village is tiny, you’ll know where I mean as soon as you visit). Just beyond the cafe is a large turf where the cows will be grazing.

Rumour has it, they sometimes let the cows roam free around the village, so you could be lucky and get an even closer look! It’s a great place to find Highland cows in Scotland.

Related post: In search of some magic? If you’re on the Isle of Skye, check out my guide for the enchanted fairy pools 🧚🏼‍♂️.

3) The NC500 between Applecross and the Torridon Mountains

One of our funniest and best locations for spotting a highland cow was on the NC500, around 10 minutes north of Applecross. Through pure chance, we managed to catch an Alpha highland cow randomly on the side of the road when we were driving towards the Torridon mountains.

Drive north from Applecross, the road is a single stretch, you won’t miss them, and there was a small huddle of them further in the distance from the Alpha. 

If you’re lucky, they’ll be close to a layby or somewhere that you can pull over. Be sure to stay safe and not block up any passing places just to have a photo with a highland cow! (We may or may not have done this).

4) The Old Church House B&B, Isle of Skye

Near the Skye bridge, we managed to spot a few Highland cows behind a metal gate, grazing on the grass around them. We saw around three Highland cows here, and they were all ginger in colour. Sadly, no baby cows were at this location (but who knows when you visit!) 

The cows were so peaceful here and even began running off into the distance like some sort of rom-com when we left. It was quite a picture!

5) Rothiemurchus Highland Estate

In the Rothiemurcus Estate (which is one of my favourite places in Scotland, for other reasons than just the highland cows), you can spot a number of the impressive beasts dotted around the park with an incredible backdrop of the Cairngorms National Park. Here you’ll find many highland cows – ginger, white, black, and most importantly, incredibly shaggy.

Related post: Visiting Aviemore, one of the best towns in the Cairngorms? Check out my full Aviemore guide first!

6) Swanston Farms

Close to the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, Swanston Farm is a good place to see highland cows. It’s a short drive from the town centre and is even accessible via public transport. The farm has a whole herd to see, and it also has some good hikes and walks to do when you visit!

It is the best place to see highland cows if you are staying in Edinburgh.

7) Kilmahog and Loch Lomond

On the road towards Loch Lomond, you can find Kilmahog’s Trossachs Woolen Mill and a Highland cow farm. The farm protects highland cows and has become a local tourist attraction. You can stop off at the farm to see the herd of highland cows and support the farm on your way to Loch Lomond.

Where to find Highland cows: FAQs

1) What does a highland cow look like?

A giant beast. I’m kidding, but it is the most impressive-looking cow you can possibly find. Wild, rugged, and intimidating, these fellas have shaggy hair all over their bodies and are known for their two large protruding horns sticking out the side of their heads. 

The baby coos (coo is Scots for cow) won’t have horns until they are adults, but they have even shaggier faces and are even cuter than their parents. When you see one with your own eyes, you’ll get it. 

2) Are highland cows dangerous?

No. These gentle giants have a friendly nature, but can be easily spooked, so make sure you’re careful around them and their babies (and use common sense).

3) Do we eat highland cows?

Yes. Highland cow meat is exceptionally good quality. With 40% less fat and cholesterol than normal beef, the highland cows are well sought after.

4) Where can I find Highland cows in the UK?

There are Highland cows all over the UK, but Scotland is one of the best places to find them. Other locations in the UK where you can spot Highland cows include Kent, East Sussex and East Anglia.

5) Can you touch Highland cows?

Whilst you can get relatively close to a Highland cow, it’s best not to touch one. They’re large, heavy creatures, and if they don’t like it, you could be in trouble.

6) What is the Highland cow called in Scottish?

The Scottish term for a Highland cow is ‘Heilen Coo’. You will often hear Scots referring to the cows as ‘coos’, which just makes them seem even cuter!

7) Do you need a car to visit Scotland?

If you can, take a car for a road trip around Scotland. You don’t want to be spending hours waiting for public transport, and it isn’t that reliable.

Don’t have a car? We rent our cars in the UK from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ LOOK AT CAR HIRE PRICES IN THE UK NOW!

Where to find Highland Cows in Scotland: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about where to find Highland cows in Scotland. When you’re planning a trip to Scotland, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Scotland content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

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