CHAS Hairy Highland Coo Trail coming to a Perth and Kinross town near you

The Hairy Highland Coo Trail will feature 30 colourful statues at locations across the county next summer - all raising money for CHAS

By Morag Lindsay

September 21 2023, 11:43am

The Hairy Highland Coo Trail will support the CHAS hospice at Rachel House, Kinross. Image: CHAS.

Perth and Kinross is getting its first county-wide sculpture trail in the shape of a herd of colourful cows supporting Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS).

The Hairy Highland Coo Trail will feature 30 cows, sponsored by businesses and decorated by artists and communities.

The sculptures will be placed in towns, villages, popular locations and lesser known spots across Perth and Kinross.

They will be on display for 10 weeks from June to September 2024.

Yellow painted cow scultpture in Perth Concert Hall. — The first sculpture in the Hairy Highland Coo Trail was unveiled in Perth Concert Hall on Wednesday night.

Organisers hope they will make Perth and Kinross the must-visit selfie destination of the summer.

At the end of the trail the coos be auctioned in aid of CHAS.

It’s hoped they will raise at least £100,000 to support the charity’s work at the Rachel House children’s hospice at Kinross, and Robin House at Balloch.

CHAS also wants to give Perth and Kinross residents, businesses and visitors a summer they’ll never forget.

The first sculpture in the Hairy Highland Coo Trail was unveiled at a launch event in Perth Concert Hall.

Hayley Smith from CHAS with artist Laura Henderson standing next to colourfully decorated cow sculptures in Perth Concert Hall — Hayley Smith from CHAS with artist Laura Henderson at the Hairy Highland Coo Trail launch. Image CHAS

Artist Laura Henderson decorated her coo in colourful letters from the CHAS alphabet.

It was joined at the event by two mini coos. These were painted by children and families at Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch.

Hairy Highland Coo Trail can bring communities together

CHAS has been helping children with life-shortening conditions and their families for 30 years.

The charity’s chief executive Rami Okasha said the funds raised from the Hairy Highland Coo Trail would make a tremendous difference to its work

Pyper Rose Davidson, a CHAS sibling, next to small cow sculpture — Pyper Rose Davidson, a CHAS sibling, adds her handprint to the Hairy Highland Coo Trail mini cow. Image: CHAS.

“It’s going to be a really exciting time for everyone getting out and about,” he said.

“We had one of the cows at Rachel House last week, so we’ve seen the joy they will put on children’s faces.”

White golden retriever adding pawprint to cow scultpture at CHAS hospice at Rachel House, Kinross. — Craggan, the Rachel House therapy dog, also got in on the act. Image: CHAS.

The Hairy Highland Coo Trail is being run in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council and Wild in Art, the creators of previous spectacles such as the Maggie’s Penguin Parade in Dundee and the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail.

Perth and Kinross Council leader Grant Laing said it was coming at an exciting time for the area.

The new Perth Museum, containing the Stone of Destiny, is due to open in the refurbished City Hall in 2024.

“Previous trails have brought communities together, and created a sense of wellbeing and civic pride,” he said.

“I’m sure the trail will take people to areas they haven’t gone before – residents and visitors alike – and that will help businesses too.”

The sculptures will be auctioned in September 2024 to raise funds for CHAS.

Project manager Hayley Smith is urging businesses to come forward if they are interested in sponsoring a coo.

She can be reached at cootrail@chas.org.uk .