Huddled around a life-preserving fire that illuminated the gloom of their Iron-Age roundhouse, our ancestors eked out a living in places like Mabie Forest. Today you can follow in their footsteps in what has to be one of Europe’s first reconstructed Iron-Age roundhouses that you can actually stay the night in. Get down and dirty and all elemental hunter-gatherer while cooking your own food over the fire, enjoying the pleasures of an al-fresco toilet and a dense and moody forest where little has changed over the last few millennia.
Marthrown is a special place in so many ways. The forest itself is awash with native Caledonian trees, with characterful old Scots pines each managing the wilful Scottish trick of being a different shape to the rest of their brood, as well as birch, rowan and juniper. Edging over the grassy mound that separates the heart of the ‘multi-activity centre’ from the roundhouse, you half expect to find a gaggle of Iron-Age hunters crowded around a clearing where Celtic songs and stories were once celebrated in wild ceilidhs.
Today, the roundhouse – an impressive construction that manages to stand up to the full might of the Atlantic weather systems sweeping in off the coast – is similarly full of life. Perfect for groups as it sleeps up to 16, it inevitably plays host to the occasional stag and hen party, and is also popular with groups of friends looking for something a bit different.And different it is: you camp around the central woodburner (in place of the old open fire), perfect for cooking up something tasty and keeping the place cosy. Just nearby is a canvas tipi that sleeps an additional four people and a Mongolian yurt with room for four, but the roundhouse is the real star.Tents are also welcome and it is possible to hire the whole site for exclusive use.
Rather than just sticking up the roundhouse and leaving it at that, the family team behind Marthrown has made an effort to recreate other earthy features, which fit neatly into today’s vogue for all things clean and green. Rather than clog the local sewage system there is a simple, highly effective odour-free straw urinal as well as a compost toilet and an ‘outdoor’ shower. Luxurious extras include a sauna and hot pool that are free of charge for guests.
The surrounding forest, which is alive with red squirrels and woodpeckers, is one of the best locations in Scotland for mountain biking.All skill levels are catered for, with everything from easy and gently undulating forest trails that are perfect for beginners to some seriously testing ‘black runs’ that fling you and your wheels at high speed through tough terrain.
Back at camp, the atmosphere is one of relaxation and all-round bonhomie. However you spend your day at Marthrown, the highlight is getting back around the stove, whether you are in one big group or sharing space with complete strangers.Taking a star-lit stroll and then walking back to the welcoming and gently smoking arms of the simple dwelling is a strangely comforting experience that people have been enjoying for thousands of years.
