Medley of Flora and Fauna

During our time in Scotland we were on the lookout for the Highland Cattle, affectionately called Hairy Coos. After a few days we were excited to spot several of them in a field.

A Hairy Coo

They are unique creatures, with shaggy coats and long horns, and they originated in the Scottish Highlands. They are friendly and cute. One of them ate grass from my hand.

Such a friendly face!
Harry Coos are very popular on goods in the Scottish Highlands…from tins and magnets to coasters and towels and shopping bags…they are fun!

Of course we saw sheep…they seemed to be everywhere! Thousands of them…but I didn’t grow tired of seeing them…

They usually were in settings that were pastoral and calming.

Sheep sharing the path along Hadrian’s wall.

And I always like to see horses in a field…

Horses enjoying the sunshine…

And cattle…

Silhouettes of cattle in a field along Hadrian’s Wall.

We missed the peak season for the bright purple heather on the hillsides. I saw photos of heather in their prime season and it looked stunning…just like when we see the fall color peak in Minnesota.

Heather grows all over the hills and rocks.

But we did see a lot of heather past peak, and it was still pretty. The picturesque Scottish Highlands are a perfect backdrop for the muted colors of the heather.

More than the average colorful hydrangea’s in many places…blues and pinks and deep purples.

Deep purple and pink hydrangeas

Flower pots and window boxes are a bright spot when the weather is overcast and dreary, which they say is a lot of the time.

Colorful hanging flower baskets.
A flower box with a crown on top.

Rosebay willowherb was another wildflower that was in bloom.

Rosebay Willowherb in the forefront, along Loch Ness.

We also saw many rainbows during our time in Scotland. This full rainbow was taken on our last day, before we boarded our flight home.

Scotland bids us farewell with a beautiful rainbow.

6 thoughts on “Medley of Flora and Fauna”

    1. The Hairy Coos do look kind of rough but they are docile by nature we’ve heard.

      You’re welcome. It’s fun to share.

  3. Valerie, you are sooo good at capturing nature and its exquisite beauty. I have been lucky enough to see some Highland Cattle here in Minnesota. They are so charming, and look like big shaggy dogs. I loved seeing the animals and flowers and how nature offers us so much. Thanks, again, for sharing!

    1. I have heard there are Hairy Coos in Minnesota. I haven’t seen them here but will look for them.

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