The Hairy Coo Scottish Highlands Tour is one of my all-time favorite tours for the sole fact it was FREE.  Yes it was free and I don’t know many tours aside from walking tours organized by local hostels that wouldn’t charge travelers a single cent.  

Most of the time I don't expect much from free tours, but this one was an exception to the rule.  I would’ve gladly paid even if they charged $50 per person.  This tour is great whether you’re a graduate student on a budget or a NYC professional on a yearly 2-week vacation.  It’s for anyone who wants to experience the Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh with a free twist.

The meet up time was at 8:30 AM at the Deacon’s House Cafe on the Royal Mile.  You won't miss the bright, orange bus waiting at the front of the cafe.  

Our tour guide was extremely animated and jolly throughout the entire tour.  He even sang Scottish songs to us during the drive back to Edinburgh.

We went to a shit ton of places on this tour.  It felt overwhelming at one point, but since it was free we couldn't complain.  The stops included the Forth Bridge, National Wallace Monument, castles in Stirling, a scotch whisky distillery, local Highland villages, several lochs, and most importantly...fields of hairy coos!  Here are some of our highlights from the tour.

Forth Bridge

The first stop on the tour! An iconic symbol of Scotland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Forth Bridge opened in 1890.  It's the world’s first major steel structure and the longest railway bridge. The Forth Bridge was voted Scotland’s greatest man-made structure in 2016, and is still adored till this day.

National Wallace Monument

If you’re a fan of the movie “Braveheart” (which 90% of American men are), the next stop is the famous Sir William Wallace Monument in Stirling.  Braveheart is one of Mikey’s top 3 movies of all time so he was ecstatic.  A number of Wallace’s artifacts are on display in the monument, but we didn’t get to see them since it was closed the time we visited.  But the gorgeous view of the Scottish Highlands made up for it.

Deanston Distillery

What's the best way to lighten up the mood mid-day?  Go to a Scotch Whisky Distillery!  Scotch Whisky is whisky made with malt barley from Scotland.  We hopped on the standard tour at the Deanston Distillery which included a tasting, guided tour of the facility, and voucher for any Deanston products.  If scotch whisky isn't your thing, you can just hang out at the distillery's beautiful grounds till the rest of the group is done.  

Aberfoyle

For lunch, we stopped at the tiny Highland village of Aberfoyle.  The thriving Main St. is filled with restaurants, shops, and cafes.  The delicious Scottish meat pies at Aberfoyle Delicatessen was the best part of the stop.  Aberfoyle is a cute, Scottish village, and we would've loved to stay the night in one of the quaint bed & breakfasts in town. 

Loch Katrine

Loch Katrine is a freshwater loch (lake in English) located in the Trossachs area of the Scottish Highlands.  It's a romantic stroll along the loch especially with your significant other.  The beauty of the loch has inspired literary figures such as Sir Walter Scott who wrote the famous poem "Lady of the Lake" after visiting Loch Katrine.  

Hairy Coo Off-Road Safari

Spotting the hairy coos was our favorite part of the tour!  Coos are Scottish cattle originating from the Highlands.  It's hard not to love their fluffy faces and amber/ emo bangs.  What's the way to any coo's heart? Loaves of bread.  Our tour guide was prepared and distributed bread slices for all of us to individually feed the hungry coos.

Believe it or not, there were more stops on the tour.  Our tour group was wiped out by the last hour so we opted out on a few stops.  Our tour guide on the other hand still had lots of energy  and sang us Scottish songs till we all passed out.  We arrived back in Edinburgh at around 6PM just in time for dinner and a stroll around the Royal Mile.  What a day!

We highly recommend The Hairy Coo- Free Scottish Highlands Tour during a trip in Edinburgh.  If you're like us, you were probably convinced after reading the word FREE.  Check out their consistent 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor (they're rated the #1 day trip in Edinburgh).  Please make this tour a priority if you're traveling to Edinburgh.  Soak in the generous and jolly spirit of Scotland!
 

FREE 99 (tips encouraged) for 10-hour tour with guide and transport