Tramping with cows: Inside the new film exploring Highlands cattle droving

This age-old practice of cattle droving, once a perilous yet vital part of rural life, faded into history with the arrival of modern transport links in the early 20th century.

Three farmers, however, have breathed life back into this lost tradition by retracing the footsteps of their forebears, walking cattle through the rugged Highlands.

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Graeme Macrae, Patrick Laurie and Richard Lockett ventured “on the hoof” with ten Luing heifers from Morvich (Kintail) to Affric in September.

The drove involved three days navigating steep glens and the farmers camping or staying in bothies with the cows around them at night.

The remarkable expedition has been captured in a new short film, The Drove, released last month. While the footage celebrates the Highlands’ rich droving heritage, the production also draws attention to the modern role of cattle in ecological restoration projects.

Speaking to The Scotsman, Mr Lockett, who organised the trip, said: “I’ve always loved going to the hills and I love cattle, so I thought why not combine the two together.

“I am also interested how we use native cattle more as a nature restoration wildlife management tool, to mimic what large herbivores did. So, the film became a bit of a ‘fly the flag’ for that idea as well.”

Read more: How the humble, but much-maligned cow is now saving Scotland's natural landscape

More and more native breeds, including Highland cattle, Luing and Belted Galloways, are being used in nature restoration initiatives. Estates run by the National Trust for Scotland, including Threave Estate, and RSPB Scotland are “re-introducing” cows for such projects.

Roy Dennis, one of the UK's most prominent field naturalists, known for devoting his life to returning eagles, osprey, red kites and red squirrels to Britain, praised the film.

Speaking to The Scotsman, the author of the recently published book The Highland Cow and the Horse of the Woods, said: “I thought the film was fantastic and I just wished I was there.

“It took place in areas where I studied golden eagles when I was younger. It’s a great reminder that humans have been driving cattle in these hills and mountains and forests for 6,000 years and cattle means so much to people. And to me. I just love cows.

“It will be shown more and more that these cattle that can live in the hills are really important for improving biodiversity. When you look at it, bringing back nature cows is the most important thing we can do for biodiversity, more so than bringing back some of the predators.”

Mr Lockett, from Dingwall in the Highlands, said the film had already prompted positive feedback from a wide-ranging audience, from crofters to conservationists.

“The film brings a chance to see Scotland in a slightly different light and the fun adventure of the trip,” he said. “There’s also the wider message here of the history, but also a future of cattle in the hills and glens of Scotland.

“If the film helps to inform and enthuse people, then that’s all we could have hoped for.”