Highland Cattle Calves Are The Most Adorable And Cuddly Cows You Will Ever See

Nobody is quite sure if these cows can actually see where they are going! But whether they have super-vision or heightened other senses they certainly manage to find what they are looking for, even with that long fringe, known as a 'dossan' blocking the way. During the 18th century thousands and thousands of highland cattle grazed upon the forests and hills of Strathspey, and in the Summer they were even taken up into the high Corries. Herdsmen stayed in temporary buildings in the hills (called shielings) to look after them, whilst their relatives had to stay at home to gather crops for their winter feeds. When they were fattened enough for market the cattle were driven along the road through the mountains by a few miles each day. The markets were held in places like Falkirk, Crieff & Carlisle and buyers came all the way from England to pay good prices for what they called high quality 'Scotch runts'. So called because the Highland cattle were smaller. At one market in the early 1800s some £30,000 changed hands, an absolute fortune by today's standards.