Tag Archives: skye

Hairy Coo Calf

Hairy Coo Calf
“Hairy Coo Calf” — A young “hairy coo,” the Scotthish Highlands cattle.

Yes, more cute “coo.” I know, not my usual subject. But these “hairy coos” are a big deal in Scotland, and they really are striking and marvelous creatures — especially if you come across one or more in a pasture on a foggy or rainy day. It is hard to imagine many other things that feel more like the Scottish highlands.

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Back-Scratching Hairy Coo Calf

Back-Scratching Hairy Coo Calf
“A young Scottish “Back-Scratching Hairy Coo Calf” — highlands “hairy coo” uses its horn to scratch its back.

Like the brochures say, no visit to Scotland is complete without seeing the hairy highland “coos.” While coos (or, in American English, “cows”) are not my usual subject, the critters were there and I had a camera, so I made some photographs. In this case, a small herd was right next to the road north of Portree, so we paused on our daylong route out and around the end of the island to view them.

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Looking Toward Skye

Looking Toward Skye
“Looking Toward Skye” — View over a mountain loch toward the Isle of Skye, seen from the road to Applecross Pass.

While Scotland’s Isle of Skye is, for good reason, a very popular place to visit, you can also find great views of the Isle and its mountains from along Scotland’s less-populated western coast. After our visit to Skye we headed north to Ullapool, and from there drove a long loop out to the village of Applecross. Before turning south toward that spot the route hugged the coastline, offering continuous views across the water to islands including Skye.

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Two Trees, Stone Wall

Two Trees, Stone Wall
“Two Trees, Stone Wall” — Two old trees stand in front of a stone wall, Isle of Skye, Scotland.

While on the Isle of Skye this past May we stayed at an out-of-the-way lodge a few miles out on a gravel single track road along Loch Snizort Beag. We may have thought that we were at the ends of the earth when we first turned off the main road onto that track, but we came to appreciate the isolation, the views… and the sheep. They filled the pastures along the road and occasionally entered the roadway itself.

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