Tag Archives: Highland Cow

UNITED KINGDOM #12: FERRY TO INVERNESS & CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

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We returned to the Scottish mainland from the Orkney Islands by ferry, from Stromness to Scrabster.  Nobody was looking forward to the ride, because Tom told us how rough the crossing could be.  We dodged a bullet, though.  It was a cold and damp day, but the waters were calm, and the ride was smooth.  Whewww!

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Following the ferry ride, lunch, and a scotch tasting at Clynelish Distillery (Bruce and I slipped our samples to the Scotch drinkers in the group), we arrived in Inverness, our home base for four nights.  (More on Inverness in my next post.)

The following morning, we visited Rothiemurchus Estate.  On the way, we stopped in the nearby little town of Carrbridge to see a beautiful stone bridge that dates back to 1719 and crosses the River Spey.  We also saw an amazing carved bench that was the winner of the Carve Carrbridge Open Chainsaw Carving Competition and captured the attention of all of us.  I wonder how many pictures we all took of this incredible masterpiece!

“Heilan COOS” are the Scottish name for the famous Highland Cows of Scotland. I love their sense of humor!

The Rothiemurchus Estate is privately owned and nestled in the heart of Cairngorms National Park.  It has been in the Grant family for eighteen generations, and the latest owner opened it for recreation. 

We took a lovely hike through the beautiful forest with a local guide.

What came next tickled us all: Getting to see and feed Heilan Coos (instead of just that Heilan Loo truck cruising through town)!

“Heilan Coo” is Scottish for Highland Cow, a Scottish breed of rustic cattle that have adorably long, wavy hair and long horns to match.  They are a hardy breed that can tolerate the frigid winter temperatures of the Scottish Highlands. 

The remainder of the day will be the subject of my next post:  UNITED KINGDOM #13: RUTHVEN BARRACKS & INVERNESS

SCOTLAND #4 – A DAY IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

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If Road Scholar hadn’t cancelled our tour of the Scottish Highlands, we would have spent two weeks exploring the region.  Bruce and I didn’t want to completely miss out, so we booked a day trip out of Edinburgh.  We always prefer a small group experience, so we opted to go with Rabbies, since their tours are for a maximum of 16 people, and they get an excellent rating on Trip Advisor.

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

The Highlands, located in the northwest region of Scotland, are renowned for their natural beauty.  The area is sparsely populated, mountainous, and green – a lovely place to drive through in between stops on our tour. 

Stirling Castle

After passing Stirling Castle, stopping at Loch Lomond (the largest lake in the UK), and seeing Loch Long; we visited the 18th-century town of Inveraray, located on the western shore of Loch Fyne.  The main draw was seeing Inveraray Castle, which was built over the course of 40 years, beginning in 1744.  Although it was closed the day we were there, we were able to walk around the castle and enjoy the beautiful grounds. 

Loch Fyne, at the town of Inveraray
Inveraray Castle
The town of Inveraray

During the tour, we learned a few interesting tidbits and facts about Scotland.  Although the population of the country is about 5.4 million, the sheep numbers peak at about 12 million in the summer time.  Excellent produce is also grown in the lowlands for export, but they are best known for having “the best strawberries in the world,” according to our guide, Andrew.  Top food and drink exports include chocolate, whisky, salmon, and lamb.  Interestingly, although they export their lamb, they import lamb from New Zealand.  Go figure…

Language in Scotland can be a challenge.  Although English is the main language, there are also many dialects of Scots and Scottish Gaelic spoken.  (There are 270 words for “snow,” for example!)  The dialect of English spoken is referred to as Scottish English; and, I can tell you from personal experience while riding the public bus in Edinburgh, it is impossible to understand.  Fortunately, most of the people we talked to spoke easy-to-understand English!

This was my favorite quote of the day from Andrew: “Football (soccer) is a gentleman’s game played by thugs.  Rugby is a thug’s game played by gentleman.”  (After watching all of the episodes of Welcome to Wrexham to date, I would have to agree!)

Back to our tour, we made another stop to get a view of the abandoned Kilchern Castle and to enjoy the views (and sheep!).

Kilchern Castle
A hotel near the castle

By now, I was bummed I hadn’t yet seen a Highland cow; however, Andrew surprised us at our next stop.  Yay!  This is one of the oldest breeds of cows in the world, and their shaggy hair gives them a cute look.  I didn’t realize this, but a cow’s horns are for body temperature control.  Blood circulates through them, and the horns will feel cool at the tips and warm nearest the head.

Our final stop was at Doune Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Scotland, and is best known for the filming location of the TV show, Outlander.  It was also featured in Monty Python’s Holy Grail and The Outlaw King.  Built in the late 1300s, it was a key stronghold of Robert Stewart, Duke of Abany. 

The tour was long, but we were happy to get to see the Scottish Highlands, even if just for one day.

Next up: Touring the Scottish Parliament & Scenes Around Edinburgh