Highland Cows
Discover everything you need to know about the most popular locals
Meet our most popular locals
Highland cows, or as the locals fondly call them, "Highland Coos" are definitely the most iconic and photogenic local residents of the Scottish Highlands.
Highland cows aren't just your average cows, they are as much a part of the Scottish landscape as the rolling hills and lochs. With their long, shaggy coats and impressive horns, they're not only incredibly cute, they're also hardy and resilient – true symbols of the Scottish spirit!
On this page we will tell you about how to find Highland Cows when you visit Inverness and Loch Ness and give you all the interesting facts you will want to learn about them.
Where to find Highland Coos
You will be delighted to know that we have made it easy to find the local Highland coos in Inverness and Loch Ness. There are some locations that have them all through out the year and some just in the summer, so do check before making a journey.
To see the full list of where the coos are on a map to help plan your visit, go to our Highland Cow option on our Things To Do Map.
The cutie you see in this pic lives at Quila Cridhe Tea Rooms near Drumnadrochit, popular for being able to feed the coos during your lunch... don't worry they have their own food, you don't have to give them yours!
On the other side of Loch Ness at Foyers, you can usually find Highland coos at the Cameron's Tea Rooms, so it seems Highland Coos live close to delicious cake and a pot of tea!
Highland Coo Tours
Yes, you herd ... or rather heard right! You can book yourself on a Highland Coo Tour that gets you up close and personal with our favourite locals, you can even feed them!
The Loch Ness Hub and Travel run daily tours to a local croft where you can meet the gorgeous furry beasts!
Departing from Drumnadrochit, the 45 minute tour is a must if you want to guarantee seeing a Highland Coo (cow) up close on your travels around Inverness and Loch Ness.
Find our more about the Highland Cow Tours.
A few Highland coo fun facts!
- Highland cows have a lifespan of up to 20 years – that's a lot of time to enjoy the Highlands!
- Their thick, double-layered coat keeps them warm in winter and is shed in summer, so they're always dressed for the season.
- These cows are known for their friendly and docile nature, but always remember to admire them from a distance – they are still wild animals, after all.
- Our coo friends are also just like us, enjoying one too many meals before getting on the scales to find you weigh 800kg's!
- Though at least they can run it off at up to 25mph - although we've no idea if they can see where they're going with their long fringe.
Coos and History
Highland cows form a huge part of Scottish history and you can find them when visiting a very important location in our Highland history, Culloden Battlefield.
Highland cows form part of the conservation team at the battlefield and do a grand job of keep the landscapes well kept but chewing the vegetation growth therefore keeping the use of machinery and chemicals to a minimum.
14 facts beyond the horns
Talking of their long fringes, do you know what they are called?
An interesting fact along side 13 more that you will find in our fun coo blog!
Discover more coo facts to wow your friends and family here.
