The Hairy Coo

The truth is that we do love Scotland every month of the year but October is a strong contender for one of our favourite months.  In reverse order: 4. No Midges Most visitors on a Hairy Coo tour will not come across midges but every now and again we get that perfect midge weather in the summer and you will see us flapping about chasing them away while trying to tell some of our lovely visitors about the surrounding scenery.  Midges love still, damp days.  They are tiny flying insects that can bite.  For most people they are just annoying, a few people may end up with little red marks where they have bitten you, and occasionally some people react to the bite in a similar way to a mosquito bite.  However, they aren't dangerous and an anti-histamine will help if you get an itchy bite. By October, the midge season is over so we don't have to deal with them at all. 3. Quieter Roads Outside of the central belt of Scotland, most roads are narrow and have a single carriageway.  Many ar

As an amateur photographer, you may choose to take a photographer's tour or course that takes you to specific places to practice your photography.  Or you may have particular places that you wish to visit, so hire a car and go there yourself.  The benefits of these options are many.  You can stay as long as you want if you go yourself or you can get practical tips on a course.  However, at The Hairy Coo we offer something a little different.  Our 2 Day tour of Scotland is perfect for landscape photographers who don't want to stay at any 1 location for hours. We will take you to see some of the best scenery in Scotland where you can practice your craft and not have to worry about driving or parking your car.   After beautiful St Andrews where there are many photo opportunities, we stop at The Hermitage. The Hermitage is a National Trust for Scotland protected forest with a river and waterfall. You will also find Ossian's Hall which has a stunning view of the waterfall. I p

  Scotland is known for being rugged and beautiful. It is also widely known for tartan, whisky, and shortbread.  But it is worth visiting and is it safe to do so as a solo traveller? Scotland is a small country with most of the population living in the central belt, in or near the largest cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow. As soon as you travel to the Borders, Highlands or Islands it becomes much quieter and sparsely populated. Many travellers, especially young people, will be travelling around Europe and will often only spend a couple of days in Edinburgh. This is a great thing to do and it will give you a flavour of Scotland. You will see Edinburgh Castle and the beautiful old buildings, and the hills beyond.   Edinburgh is the capital city but it is also quite a small city on a global scale. Travellers will feel safe here.   It is not perfect but it is safe to walk around by yourself, even at night. Unlike other European cities, it is not known for pickpockets, and tourists can wand

All around the World our lives have been turned up-side-down by COVID-19.  While Scotland has been in lockdown and The Hairy Coo has had to temporarily close, we decided to bring you a little piece of our country each week.   You can now watch all 7 'LOCHdown Sessions' which we hope will get you excited for a time when exploring our beautiful country becomes more and more of a possibility again. To start us off, the fantastic Scottish musician Ruby McKinnell shares one of her favourite songs, Caledonia. Get your tissues at the ready, it’s a tear-jerker... On Week 2, Edinburgh resident and previous guest on our Free Highland Tour , Claire McCarragher, shows you how to make her quick and easy version of the famous Scottish shortbread. If you loved these LOCHDOWN SESSIONS you can watch the full playlist on our YouTube channel.  Stay safe, and we can't wait to see you in Scotland soon!   The Hairy Coo Tours We're so pleased to let you

What is a Hairy Coo? A Hairy Coo is the friendly Scottish term for a Highland Cow or Heilan Coo. What is The Hairy Coo? The Hairy Coo is an Edinburgh Tour Operator offering award-winning tours of Scotland.  You won't miss them in their bright orange Hairy Coo tour buses! At The Hairy Coo, we are committed to making The Hairy Coo experience as memorable as possible.  We aim to showcase the real Scotland to the rest of the world. On our Scotland tours , we bring to life the tales, myths, legends and raw history that makes Scotland, and let others see the sights that make this the most beautiful country on Earth. All our coach tours of Scotland  are exciting, fascinating and fun.  You can choose from a selection of 1 day trips or go on a 2, 3 or 5 day adventure.