Meet Angus and Winston: Our Highland Cows at Portpatrick
Some retreats have a view. Ours has a view and two very shaggy neighbours. Meet Angus and Winston, the resident Highland cows near Portpatrick, and quietly the most photographed members of the team.
Two coos, one very relaxed job description
Angus and Winston are two-year-old Highland cattle who live in the fields surrounding our lodges and geodomes on the Rhins of Galloway. Their working day involves grazing, dozing, and accepting admiration from guests. They are exceptionally good at all three.
If you have never met a Highland cow up close, the first thing that strikes you is the scale of them. Then, almost immediately, comes how gentle they are. The Highland Cattle Society describes the breed as docile and remarkably hardy, bred over centuries to thrive in Scotland’s wind and wet. That double coat, long fringe and sweep of horn is not decoration, it is 800 years of Scottish weather engineering.
Why the whole world loves a Highland coo
Angus and Winston are part of a much bigger national love affair. VisitScotland’s #Coosday campaign has been running for over a decade and now reaches millions of viewers with a single post, as The Highland Times reported on its tenth anniversary. The breed even swept a public vote to be crowned Scotland’s favourite animal, beating the otter and the red squirrel, according to The Herald.
The difference here is simple: you do not have to drive the North Coast 500 hoping for a roadside sighting. Our coos are a short walk from your hot tub.
How to meet them properly
We are deliberately low-key about this. Angus and Winston are not an attraction with opening hours, they are animals living their lives, and guests are welcome to visit them quietly during a stay.
- Go slow. Approach calmly, speak softly, and let them come to you. They usually will.
- Use your cow care kit. Every lodge includes one, so you can gently brush them and offer their feed.
- Mornings and early evenings are best. The light is beautiful and the coos are at their most sociable.
- Mind the fence line. Feed and fuss from where it is safe to do so, and keep dogs on the lead near the field. See our dog-friendly guide.
The photograph you will actually keep
Most people arrive planning to photograph the coast and leave with a camera roll dominated by a cow. A few things that help: crouch to their eye level, shoot into the low autumn sun for that backlit fringe, and be patient: the head-turn is worth waiting for. If you get a good one, tag us. We will almost certainly share it.
Making a weekend of it
A coo visit sits very nicely inside a slower Coorie day: a wander round the harbour at Portpatrick, five minutes down the road, then the coast path to the ruins of Dunskey Castle, then back for the Wild Wellness Spa and a wood-fired hot tub as the light goes. There are more ideas in our things to do guide, and you can see what is free in our availability calendar.
Our lodges and geodomes each sleep two adults in comfort, with family-friendly and dog-friendly options available. Have a look at the glamping units to find the one that suits you.
Come and say hello
Angus and Winston will be exactly where you left them: in the field, unbothered, magnificent. Check availability and come and meet them.
Coorie Retreats, Portpatrick
