Join the Heilan' Coo Safari

Rothiemurcus is described as the gateway to the Cairngorms and if you love the great outdoors then the Cairngorm National Park is a playground you won't want to miss, full of a wide variety of wildlife and home to one of the largest areas of natural forest in Britain. The name Rothiemurcus goes back a lot further dating to the 8th Century with evidence that it was a very old human settlement, initially inhabited by the Picts, and the estate would have been in the centre of the great Caledonian Pine Forest of Scotland. The Grant clan have occupied Rothiemurcus estate since the 16th Century spanning eighteen generations of the family, and today Johnnie Grant, the 16th Laird, lives there with his wife Philippa and their family. In 1574 Patrick Grant, was designated “of Rothiemurchus” by King James VI and moved to The Doune of Rothiemurchus from Muckrach Castle near Dulnain Bridge in 1597.

But back to our iconic Highland Cows. With their long, shaggy coats and sweeping horns they are an inherent part of Scotland’s culture, appearing on countless photos, souvenirs and memorabilia, and at ScotlandShop the best seller is always the irresistible soft toy, Truffles the Highland Cow, along with our applique tweed Highland Cow cushions. At Rothiemurcus the Highland Cattle date back to the 1920s and were first registered in the Highland Cattle Herd Book (a list of pedigrees) in 1947. The longest bloodline is ‘Marsili of Rothiemurchus’ with the current Marsili being the 203rd in her line!

So on to my questions:

Coo or Cow?
Well Highland Cows are commonly found in the Scottish Highlands where ‘coo’ means ‘cow’ in the old Scots language. In Gaelic, you’d call a Highland cow a ‘ Bò Ghàidhealach’. Don't ask me to pronounce that one!

Why the long hair?
A sweeping fringe may be rather trendy but unlike today's teenagers for our Coo's their unique long hair is very practical. It is actually an unusual double coat, with a lengthy coarse outer layer as well as an inner coat which is shorter, softer and woollier. Their distinctive locks keep this hardy breed warm in the harsh Scottish winters, offering protection from the brush and undergrowth, as well as protecting their eyes. Where your normal cattle need a warm shed to protect them from the freezing conditions, Highland Cows are more than happy to embrace the cold.

And those horns?
Again proving their superiority over other cows, in snowy weather you will see Highland Cows using their horns to dig through the snow to find grazing. The horns can also tell you whether you are looking at a bull or a cow, horns have a stronger base and grow forwards or downwards in bulls, whereas a cow's horns grow upwards and have a more delicate tip than their male counterpart.

Were Highland Cows really wandering around in the days of the Clearances?
Well yes. These cattle are even more special because they are in fact the oldest registered cattle breed in the world, and even then, the origins of the breed far predate the publication of a formal herd book. Archaeological evidence of the Highland cattle breed date back as far as the 6th century, some 1500 years ago. Highland Cows have also survived as a breed because they are great mothers, and have more calves during their lifespan than other breeds, up to 15 calves!

Are they are friendly and cute as they look?
Apparently so, as well as their impressive features they have an excellent temperament and are renowned for their friendly nature. Highland cattle have a clear social structure and hierarchy of dominance, meaning fighting and aggressive behaviour rarely happens. So don’t be intimidated by their fearsome horns!

Is a real Highland Cow ginger?
No! Today our hairy friends are famous for their red or ginger coats however they were once predominantly black. In fact Highland cows can be a whole range of shades; black, brown, ginger, yellow, tan and sometimes even white. Traditionally the black cows were smaller and found on the islands off the west coast of northern Scotland, whereas the bigger, ginger (or red) cows were predominantly in the more remote Highlands. The story goes that Queen Victoria preferred the flowing red coat and as a result selective breeding has resulted in more distinctive ginger cows and a decline in the black colour.