If it’s not in your inbox within 5 minutes, please check your spam folder, in case the email goes in there by mistake. During busy times, it may take up to 30 minutes before the email arrives. Please give it an half an hour before chasing a missing email, and don't forget to check your junk folder!

Gift vouchers / cards / certificates will expire after 365 days.

Certificates can be used towards purchasing experiences on our online booking system only, they can be redeemed towards any of our experiences.

We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the start of your experience so you can check in. If you arrive late, you may miss part of the experience as the experiences run at set times.

Top Tip! - If you are doing a late afternoon experience, then we recommend arriving early to visit the cafe well before your Highland Cow Experience, as the cafe and farm shop may be closed by the time your tour finishes.

There are toilets, free car park, cafe with outdoor play area and a farm shop (food items).

Walking Routes and Animals - There are several great walking routes around the farm's 135 acres where you can see many animals as well as the Old Hen House, an area dedicated to
the public to get up close and personal with our small animals!

Please note the Barn Cafe and Farm Shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
(Experiences can still go ahead on these days if pre-booked.)

Opening times:

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 9am - 4pm
Thursday: 9am - 4pm
Friday: 9am - 4pm
Saturday: 9am - 4pm
Sunday: 9am - 4pm

If you are doing an late afternoon experience then we recommend arriving early to visit the cafe well before your Highland Cow Experience, as the cafe and farm shop may be closed by the time your tour finishes.
N.B. The Barn Cafe and Farm Shop is run by Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, and not Highland Cow Experiences, should you need to contact them regarding any cafe reservations.

We groom the cows in a covered area, plus the safari tour trailer is designed for all weathers, so the experiences are not affected by british weather. We won’t cancel unless the conditions are extreme, such as amber or red weather warnings.
If the roads are too dangerous due to snow and ice, a full refund or a rescheduled date will be offered.

Your experience gets better on a rainy day! Our Highland cows actually love wet days! Put on a waterproof coat and dress for the occasion and you’ll be fine

We suggest wellies or waterproof outdoor footwear, the experience is outdoors so please make sure you dress appropriately for the weather.

Unfortunately, for insurance purposes, only paid participants are allowed on our experiences.

No, there is food on site to feed the animals. Food from home can introduce harmful pathogens to the farm, potentially causing outbreaks of animal diseases. 

Highland Cow Experiences are located on Whirlow Hall Farm, Whirlow Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S11 9QF.

Only when advised you can do so, to make sure you are kept safe. Whilst our cattle are friendly and curious, they are farm animals and can cause serious harm if they’re having an off day. You will have the chance to pet young calves on each of our experiences.

Never try to approach or touch Cows without the owners permission!

Yes, there is a free car park available.

Yes, definitely. Take as many photos of the highlands as you like and we’re always happy to take pictures of you with them too. Don’t forget to tag us! #highlandcowexperiences

Photography and filming are allowed for non-commercial private use only unless written permission is obtained.

Yes, many of them have Gaelic names. Your guide will tell you all about how they get their names and what they mean.

Our Mini Moos under go halter training as an integral part of our Highland cattle breeding program, focusing on building a calm, trusting, and well-behaved relationship with our cows through patient, gentle handling. The process involves introducing the halter slowly, allowing calves to adjust to it, then teaching them to stand still and lead in short, positive sessions. This approach ensures their cows are well-prepared should they need care, and can lead to longer, happier, and stress-free lives.

Key Aspects of MaHuRuCo Fold's Approach:

• Early Introduction: Calves are introduced to haltering at a young age to facilitate trust and handling.

• Patience and Respect: The training emphasizes patience, mutual respect, and a stress-free environment to avoid aggression.

• Gradual Steps: The process is broken down into manageable steps:

• Haltering: Calves are first allowed to get accustomed to wearing the halter for short periods.

• Tying: Calves are then taught to stand still by being tied up for short durations.

• Leading: Once they are comfortable, they are led short distances to prepare them for future handling.

• Positive Reinforcement: Gentle handling, patting, and reassurance are used to help calves feel comfortable and accept the halter.

• Safety Measures: Quick-release knots are used for safety when tying up calves. Improves public safety as calves are more controlled around people.

• Long-Term Benefits: This training provides an added layer of security for the cattle, increasing their chances of having a good life when they need to moved, treated with medication, hoof trimming etc.

Mini Moo is our fun name for female cattle that have not yet given birth and become cows, a.k.a. a heifer, (these are not young calves and are at least 6 months plus) often called weaners or yearlings, which are used for our Hairy Coo Encounters and Heifer Handling Experiences.

It is not a miniature highland cow as there is no such thing, there are two ways to make a highland cow smaller than normal, cross-breeding with smaller cows such as dexters - which means it will no longer be a true highland cow or stunting the calves growth with poor nutrition - weaning the calf early. Both of which can lead to health issues later on in life and poor examples of the breed. As pedigree breeders, we want the best for the highland cow breed so the calf will spend, at least, its first 6 to 9 months with its mother.
(Newborn calves should not be separated from their mother and raised as bottle babies unless it is necessary for the health of the mother or calf).

Unfortunately, dogs may spook the coos, so they are not allowed on the experiences. 

But the farm and cafe are dog-friendly, there are lots of footpaths and walks to explore around the farm and into the Peak District.

Click here for refund policy

Pre-Booking in advance is required; experiences usually sell out a month in advance. Weekends are incredibly popular, so you may need to book further in advance.

New dates are added a few months in advance usually at the later half of the month.

• Any extra availability due to rescheduling or cancellations will be displayed on the announcement bar at the top of the website.
  

• December dates for the Highland Cow Experiences will be added late September

• November dates late August

• October dates late July

• September dates late June

• August dates late May

• July dates late April

• June dates late March

• May dates late February

• April dates late January

• March dates late December

• February dates late November

• January dates late October

Highland Cow Experience Gift Certificates are available to purchase here, redeemable against Experiences only.

During the checkout process click the payment option you would like to use, then click on standard shipping this will allow you to now select free collection from the Cow Barn.

Sorry, but we only ship gifts and adoption packs to the United Kingdom.
Overseas can purchase a digital adoption to help support the farm.

Prices start from £10 per person for a booking on our SEND-Friendly Hands-On.
The Hairy Coo Encounter is from £12.50 per person (midweek) £15 weekends.
The Meet the Coos Experience is £30 per person.
The Peak Highland Cattle is £50 per person.

Prices for VIP Experiences are per session for 2-6 people:
Ultimate Highland Cow Experience from £300 per session mid-week.
Deluxe Highland Cow Experience from £300 per session.
Meet the Hairy Coos VIP Safari
£200 per session.
Hands-On VIP
from £100 per session.

Yes. If you can’t add the correct number of participants required, that means there are insufficient places remaining. Please try an alternative date or time.

N.B. This does not apply to VIP Experiences, as they are per session.

VIP Experiences are private slots tailored for couples, families, or special occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations. Experience the Highland Cows at your own pace with exclusive, one-to-one access to your guide. Bookings are priced per slot for 2–6 people, not per person.

Group Tours are great value sessions suitable for individuals or groups. Experience the Highlands Cows with an experienced guide, with bookings priced per person.

Our Hairy Coo Encounter is our most accessible experience, we can arrange for you to park in the same yard as the cows for easier access. (Only available December to March).

The Meet the Coos Safari may also be suitable as we have a purpose built wheelchair accessible trailer (please contact us first for availability before booking due to limited availability per tour).

We do not recommend wheelchair users book on to our Peak Highland Cattle Experience as the meadow mooch involves undulating ground not suitable for wheelchairs.

We can tailor VIP Experiences to suit your needs (please get in touch for availability before booking).

We have accessible parking, toilets and a cafe onsite.

Free carer places are only available for the Hairy Coo Encounter due to limited seating on other experiences.

One carer can attend as a non-participating spectator for free per booking for the Hairy Coo Encounter only. You will be able to take photos for the participant, but will not be able to get hands-on with the cows if you obtain a non-participating spectator ticket. Please contact us first before booking for a free carer code if you plan to accompany someone as a non-participating spectator. Limited to one code per session due to fire safety.

We do not recommend wheelchair users book on to our Peak Highland Cattle Experience as the meadow meander involves undulating ground not suitable for wheelchairs.

We recommend that people with SEN or a disability book the Hairy Coo Encounter as this is the most accessible experience.

We offer SEN-Friendly Highland Calf Hands-On sessions with reduced numbers on Wednesdays at 10am.

The experiences take place throughout the entire year. We groom the mini moos in a covered area, plus the safari trailer has a roof, so the experiences are not affected by British weather and will only not go ahead in extreme conditions.
Each season has its own pros and cons.
Winter - Great for full shaggy coats but you’ll also need to bring your own winter coat and wellies!
Autumn - Lots of lovely colours in the background but the weather can be unpredictable!
Spring/Summer - The majority of calves are born in late spring, plus drier weather but there can also be lots of flies!
Don’t worry there are calves born throughout the year so there will always be cute little ones to meet and photograph.

We are a working farm and our experiences are by pre-booked appointment only. All participants must have purchased an experience online through our website before arrival. Unfortunately, spectators are not allowed on experiences.

Whirlow Hall Farm Trust Farm Shop and Cafe is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday. You may be able to see some animals from the footpaths around the farm, but you are not permitted to enter the fields.

The ages below are merely suggestions and we know each child is different, so you are welcome to bring your child if you think they would enjoy it.
All we ask that all little ones are well-behaved, supervised at all times and don’t run, touch or shout around the animals. This can upset them and we would have to end your experience if this happens.

The Meet the Coos Safari is suitable for all ages.
The Hairy Coo Encounter is best suited for ages 5 and upward.
The Peak Highland Cattle Experience is best suited for adults and well-behaved children ages 12 and upwards.
The VIP Experience can be tailored to suit all ages.

Children under 3 years old go free on the Meet the Coos Safari, Hairy Coo Encounter and VIP Experiences, and don't require a booking, but will have to sit on your knees during the safari part of the group tours.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by a participating adult.

Well-behaved children are welcome, however, most of our visitors are Highland Cow loving adults.

The government states:

'Pregnant people should avoid close contact with farm animals, especially those that are giving birth or have recently given birth, to protect their health and the health of their unborn child.

Infectious organisms can be present in the birth fluids of animals like sheep, cattle, and goats, and can cause infections such as chlamydiosis, listeriosis, Q fever, and toxoplasmosis. Some of these diseases can cause an abortion.

To avoid infection, pregnant people should:

Avoid helping ewes to lamb

Avoid contact with aborted or newborn lambs, calves, or kids

Avoid handling clothing, boots, or any materials that may have come into contact with animals that have recently given birth

If you visit a farm, you can reduce the risk of infection by:

Removing and cleaning boots or shoes and cleaning pushchair wheels at the end of your visit

Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating or drinking

Only eating and drinking in picnic areas or cafes.'

Whilst it is unlikely you would come into contact with any birthing animals we can't guarantee it would be completely safe, so it would be at your own risk.

Visitors participate at their own risk and experiences may vary.

Even though we spend time with the animals daily, and they are generally very friendly and love being fussed over, scratched and groomed. However, like people, animals can have off days and may be unpredictable or act ‘out of character’, visitors participate with this understanding and Highland Cow Experiences are not liable for any accidents due to animal behaviour.
Under-3s welcome when supervised by a responsible adult at all times.

We reserve the right to vary the experience for animal welfare and health and safety reasons.