I kept animals top of mind while crafting our family’s Scotland vacation itinerary, a multi-week adventure that would start in Edinburgh and take us deep into the Scottish Highlands.
The intent was mainly to keep my animal-loving toddler engaged during the journey.
To my surprise, the animal encounters in Scotland didn’t just dazzle my daughter; they also became the most memorable trip experiences for me.
Each one forced our family to slow down and be present with remarkable creatures in the most spectacular of settings.
SheBuysTravel Tip: The city of Inverness was our springboard to each of the animal encounters below. Most were accessed by car while based at the family-friendly Kingsmill Hotel. It features Family Rooms that have separate rooms with bunk-beds and offers laundry service.
Are you ready to explore off the beaten path? Let us inspire you!
Meet Highland Cows
The Highland cow is the unofficial national animal of Scotland.
Better known as the “Hairy Coo” by the Scots, these shaggy-haired cows are popular among tourists seeking the coveted Highland Cow selfie.
While you could get lucky spotting them from the road, there are guaranteed (and safer) ways to spend time with these remarkably chill creatures.
Rothiemurchus: This well-established activity center in the heart of Cairngorms National Park offers a “Harry Coo Safari” that allows for Highland Cow interaction at three designated spots at a nearby cattle farm. My daughter was particularly enthralled with the baby coos, as they matched her height.
Rothiemurchus Center
Location: Aviemore, Scotland
Cost: £17 – Adults / £11 – Children
The Croft Café: This little café near the bridge to Isle of Skye hosts Highland Cow Walking Tours at its adjacent family farm. These tours are only bookable through its Facebook page. What made this visit extra special: We were guided behind the fences and got to “cuddle the coos.” My daughter still brags about this.
Highland Cows Walk-Through Tours at The Croft Café
Location: Duirinish, Scotland
Cost: £20 per person (cash only)
Learn How to Fly Owls
Scotland regards itself as the birthplace of the Harry Potter novels, as it’s where J.K. Rowling conjured up the original story and began writing it. One of the most prominent animals featured throughout those books: owls.
Speyside Falconry is a small, family-run center that allows children to have tailor-made encounters with its owls.
All of its birds are hand-reared, with plenty of training and socialization, so they are used to being handled by visitors under the instruction of guides.
My daughter was remarkably unafraid. I witnessed the empowerment in her little body as she allowed the owls to land on her glove and watched with pride as she lifted her arm to inspire their flight.
Speyside Falconry
Location: Keith, Scotland
Cost: £80 for 1.5-hour guided experience that included tea and biscuits
Watch Working Sheepdogs
The sheepdog demonstrations at Leault Farm are not widely advertised – something that makes this experience all the more special and intimate. (You must email in advance for public demonstration times.)
The 45-minute demonstration is given by Neil Ross, a third-generation shepherd. He was a witty and bristly character, very much shaped by the landscape and his job.
As his incredibly athletic Border collies showed off their skills and obedience to his commands, zipping across green pastures framed by Highland mountains,
Mr. Ross educated us to his dogs’ training and the distinct commands used to control them. It was fascinating to watch their speed and agility while herding the sheep.
This encounter ends with an open-ended grand finale that my daughter absolutely loved: time to play with border collie puppies and feed the lambs.
Leault Farm Sheepdog Demonstrations
Location: Kincraig, Scotland
Email: neil@workingsheepdogs.uk
Cost: £20 per person (cash only)
Hike with Reindeer
This was akin to Christmas in July — minus Santa Claus.
Reindeer, which were long ago native to the British Isles but ultimately vanished, were reintroduced into Cairngorm National Park in 1952. Today, visitors-in-the-know have an opportunity to meet a free-ranging, domesticated herd on a guided tour.
The Cairngorm Reindeer Hill Trek is the only way you can meet these reindeer. It’s offered several times a day in summer months and can take up to 50 people per excursion.
It begins with a 20-minute guided hike through forest to a panoramic hilltop setting where a herd of about 150 reindeer reside.
These reindeer are very used to human interaction. We each got to hand-feed the reindeer a scoop of special-made feed: a mix of barley, sugar beet and dark grains.
Cairngorm Reindeer Hill Trek
Location: Aviemore, Scotland
Cost: £23 – Adults / £16 – Children (3-16) / Free – Children (0-2)
Walk with Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs have been extinct in Scotland for millions of years. But you can stand before life-sized, animatronic versions of these prehistoric beasts at Landmark Forest Adventure Park.
In the Dinosaur Kingdom section of the park, we came face to face with more than 20 roaring dinosaurs, including a massive T-Rex.
My daughter loved calling out the names of the dinosaurs that she recognized. “Mommy, look! A Triceratops! Mommy, look! A pterodactyl!”
Prepare to be very active if you come here: The theme park, which includes a variety of physical outdoor activities, felt like it was designed by parents who wanted a sure-fire way to tire out children.
Landmark Forest Adventure Park
Location: Carrbridge, Scotland
Cost: £36 – Adults / £34 – Children (4-14) / £16 – Children (3) / Free – Children (0-2)
Visit Nessie
We wove a stop at Loch Ness into our itinerary to satisfy one of my daughter’s biggest trip ambitions: to meet “Nessie,” better known as The Loch Ness Monster.
Seasoned explorers, brilliant scientists and camera-toting tourists have kept vigilance for this long-necked creature in the deep, murky waters of Loch Ness since she was first “spotted” in 1933 — with little success. But this didn’t dissuade my daughter.
Daily guided boat tours on Loch Ness are popular and numerous. These guided excursions typically launch from the tourist-heavy towns that ring the loch, such as Drumnadrochit and Fort Augustus.
We opted for an observation perch on dry land: Urquhart Castle. This noble ruin sits majestically alongside Loch Ness.
Our decision to spend a few hours at Urquhart Castle was a perfect way to blend our quirky “Nessie” quest with some historical sightseeing.
My daughter enjoyed carefully meandering the castle ruins, and each time we’d arrive at an overlook point, she’d lift her pink binoculars to her eyes to scan the waters for Nessie.
Alas, Nessie was hiding from us that day. So we did the next best thing: We bought our daughter a Nessie stuffed animal that is now prominently displayed in her bedroom.
Urquhart Castle
Location: Drumnadrochit, Scotland
Cost: Adults – £13 / Child (7-15) – £7.80 / Child (Under 7) – Free
SheBuysTravelTip: Kids younger than 7 years old are free at most castles in Scotland, but they still require a formal ticket. If you plan to visit multiple castles while in Scotland, consider purchasing a one-year Historic Scotland Membership ahead of your vacation. We used the membership to save money and pre-book each of our castle visits.
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