Animal spotting in the Highlands

Those who know me will know I don’t mix so well with animals. Dogs try to jump on me, guineapigs try to climb down my shirt, and lizards and frogs freak me out. Hence my decision to keep goldfish as the perfect pet.

So I was interested but apprehensive to enter an open zoo of rare Scottish animals, populated entirely by animals. It was just us, and them.

A ram (which we named Ramses II after the Egyptian Pharaoh) tried to head butt us through the fence, but he turned out to be pretty friendly, fondly licking Ash’s hand. 

Ramses II

In Scotland, they have cows, but they also have Hairy Coos. I’m fascinated by them. Covered with a layer of hair they have long shaggy fringes, and sprout two huge horns. They seem quite placid, but I probably wouldn’t pick a fight with one.

Hairy Moo Moo

Scottish sheep are scary. And evil. Commenting on the cute factor of the baby lambs, and trying to rescue the few escapees, we drew the attention of the mamma sheep. She did not like us looking at her lambs. Standing at the fence taking pictures, this sheep charged toward us, baahhhhing like crazy. It also had scraggy matted wool, only making it look more evil.

This sheep was so forceful it made us instantly back away from its pen. Alright evil sheep, you win.

Cute little lamby

Are you looking at my lamby? Huh?

Huh? Say it to my face! 

Yeah you

Evil Sheep gon' getcha

Next up were more rams or goats or sheep with horns, chickens in a coop, little ponies and a deer which surprised us. We called it Bambi.

Welcome to the Pride Lands

My Little Pony

Bambi

Our next brush with death by farm animal came from two scary looking chickens, who happened to be blocking the exit.

We tried to walk around the chickens, but they were having none of that. All three of us are scared of birds, so when they started flapping their wings at us and threatening to jump on us, we tapped out. We were literally chased away from the exit, back onto the farm. I turned around to check and these huge chickens were actually gaining on us.

Ruuuuuuunnnnn!!!!

We were forced back past Bambi, past the rams/goats/horned sheep, back past the evil sheep and the lambys, back past Ramses II, and back to the entry where we began. All because a couple of scary looking chickens flapped their wings at us.

Princesses, much?

We later found out it cost £2 to enter the farm, to which we were oblivious. We decided this must be why the animals hated us.

Whilst up in the Highlands we also spotted some Red Deer. We had never seen them in the wild before so it was pretty exciting.

We spotted Seal the seal at the Butt of Lewis, battling the crashing waves and navigating his way around the rocks. He was also with Beyoncé (to the left, to the left) and we watched them from the top of the cliffs for ages.

Spot the seals

But perhaps the highlight of the animal spotting occurred on the beach in Chananry Point. Not expecting to see anything, and thinking our guide was having a bit of fun with us, I jumped for joy when someone called out, “dolphin!”

Ten of us on tour, standing on the edge of the water, cameras ready hoping for a quick snap of a surfacing dolphin, or at least one’s tail. We were there for at least 20 minutes just dolphin watching.

I see a dolphin!

We think there were three in the water at the time. I was depressed by the cold weather but the dolphin sighting pulled me back out.

I’ve seen dolphins in Australia, both at Sea World and in the wild, but this was the closes I’ve ever been to one in the wild. Highlight of my day!

Where??! There!!!

It has been fun playing spot the animal, mostly from the safety of the bus or behind secure fencing. But I’ve been brave and embraced the animals.  I just don’t like sheep anymore. They’re evil.

Bah, bah, Nikki sheep