Where to see Highland Cows in Edinburgh

The Experience

If you're staying in Edinburgh, the best Highland Cow experience is a Highland Cow Hike with Mountain Marcus. This tour visits Swanston, which easily accessible from Edinburgh city centre. We visit the hairy Highland Cows in their natural environment, without having to travel all the way up to the Scottish Highlands.

Situated on a beautiful hillside overlooking Edinburgh, this herd of Highland Cows roams free, allowing us great photo opportunities with impressive landscapes and views over Edinburgh, including Edinburgh Castle.

The Cows

Many people come to Swanston to see the Highland Cows, but most of them miss out on seeing the free-roaming herd on the hillside behind the farm. They don't realise that there is more to see than just the three cows in a small field by the farm. But if they had joined one of Mountain Marcus's Highland Cow Hikes, they would have been able to see both the cows on the hillside, and the cows at the farm.

Seeing these magnificent cows in their natural environment is the highlight of many people's visit to Edinburgh.

Swanston Farm doesn't offer public guided tours or hikes to see their cows, so this tour offers the best way to see these cows with a guide.

The Guide

Marcus is an experienced guide who has led thousands of tourists on hikes in and around Edinburgh. He shows you the best way up the hill, and leads you to the herd of Highland Cows. The cows roam free in a large open area, with lots of trees, bushes, and terrain features to hide them. Marcus has a tried-and-tested method of finding the cows, with many visitors commenting that they wouldn't have found them without him.

There are plenty of interesting things to see on the hill as well as the cows. Your guide will show you the plants, animals, and human history as you go: from foraging wild berries, to watching Kestrels hunt, to visiting a 3,000-year-old burial cairn.

How to Book

You can book this tour directly on MountainMarcus.com or on Viator, TripAdvisor, AirBnB, or GetYourGuide