Highland Cattle at Machrie Moor – Golden Light and Quiet Company
There’s something timeless about the west coast of Arran. On a recent visit to Machrie Moor, known best for its ancient stone circles, it wasn’t the standing stones that held my attention this time—but a small group of Highland cattle quietly grazing in the golden evening light.
These photographs were taken just before sunset, when the light began to spill across the moor in rich, warm tones. The shaggy coats of the Highland cattle seemed to catch and hold the light, their horns and fringed faces outlined against the soft backdrop of grassland and distant trees.
The top image captures a moment of quiet dignity—a profile view of one of the cattle standing tall, soaking in the last rays of sun. The backlighting highlighted the texture in its thick coat and added a softness to the entire scene.
In the bottom-left image, I managed to catch a lone figure walking through the moor as the sun flared behind it—an almost ethereal glow surrounding its silhouette. And in the final frame, there’s a calm, almost curious gaze from a young Highland cow, half-hidden in the long grasses, watching me as I moved quietly with the camera.
Machrie Moor always feels a little otherworldly, but sharing it for a short while with these gentle animals added something even more peaceful to the experience. Just the wind, the light, and the slow rhythm of their movement through the landscape. A beautiful reminder of how stillness can speak volumes.
