What a beautiful day, what a beautiful place, and what a fabulous combination. Montrave Estate has the ability to be off the beaten track whilst still being a stone’s throw from all the shoppies and better still, Fife’s stunning coastline. We did both, by the way; popped to the shoppies for a bottle of tonic (shhh you) and headed for the beach. To be blessed with this kind of weather at the beginning of March, we couldn’t not hit the waves with big snoop dog. It’s her right to go splashing on the edge of Spring you know.
But, really, we didn’t need to leave Montrave Estate, we were just excited to be away from the city so we milked it a little. The estate has everything you could really need for a fantastic Scottish glamping getaway.
Montrave Estate
So, what does Montrave Estate have to offer asides from its fabulous wigwams? Well, it’s literally a red deer farm. They have something like 400 red deer there and produce fine Scottish venison which, by the way, is one of the healthiest meats you can eat. I do feel heart sorry for Nick though, one of the owners, (fifth-generation at the estate too by the way) because I think his soul died a little with the 2821982 questions I asked him about deer farming. How often do you get to visit a deer farm though? So cool! He was such a gent about it though.
Oh and… 200 deer staring at you is a pretty incredible thing to experience too by the way. Particularly when you live in a van and are used to saying, “Look, a deer” when you spot a solitary deer in a field, as though you’ve just seen a dog walk through Tesco on its hind legs.
Deer Farm and Highland Cows
The deer field was only a 5-minute walk from the glamping pods, but the deer will soon be moved into the field in front of the wigwams. Doesn’t that just sound fantastic? Having a wood-fired bath with a glass of bubbly whilst watching 200 deer stare at your boobies? That’s Montrave Estate. In all our days blogging about Scotland, this place is different from any of the glamping we have done before.
Better still, this little slice of Scottish heaven is only 90 minutes from Glasgow. To be fair, it couldn’t be more ideal for my life as it currently is. I’ve looked at wee plots of land for a container conversion in Fife since (to part-time live in and part-time rent out), safe to say, my needs are too small to exist. Van Heilan will have to do just now. Gets out violin.
Just down the road from the deer farm is a field with two gorgeous Highland cows. Another first was having a Highland Cow run across the field to say hi. Highland cows are just fabulous. Nick and Airin have two and they’re brother and sister (aye, nae Nick and Airin, but the cows lol). So, if you’re going glamping at Montrave Estate, make sure to say hello to the Heilan coos. They’ll be proper moooved by your presence.
The Timor Cabin
Our cabin, Timor, was on its own wee plot. The cabin can sleep 5 and is dog-friendly. Outside the cabin, there is a separate decking area featuring a wood-fired Swedish bath. The decking area and bath are draped with fairy lights and a tree hangs over the bath. To be honest, I had one of the loveliest baths I have ever had at Timor. Not only were the views to die for, but we were blessed with a beautiful sunset.
It didn’t make an ounce of difference to us that we visited Montrave Estate outside of Summer because the cabin was cosy, the bath was piping hot and the firepit by the bench kept us toasty in the evening.
The bathroom in Timor has an electric shower, there is electricity throughout the cabin and running water too. There was also a wee TV on the wall with a DVD player, and a fridge, toaster, microwave, and electric hob. I wouldn’t even call it glamping, to be honest, it was just being. I’d love a wee glamping pod house, like my container idea. One day!
There are lots of pods at Wigwam Holidays at Montrave Estate, but Timor is perfection. Tucked away in a wee corner, its views, space, and privacy make it ideal for a romantic getaway. If you are bringing your dog glamping, there’s lots of room for them to roam too.
Airin and Nick put a BBQ pack, a breakfast pack, and a wee basket of baking, jam, and eggs in our cabin for us to enjoy. All of the produce was local to Fife, from Blacketyside Farm Shop and Buffalo Farm. We had a wee (massive) breakfast roll in the morning and a mix of chicken and lamb kebabs and burgers for dinner. The food was lovely and it was great to see the focus on local suppliers.
Wigwam Holidays
I’d never been glamping in Fife or glamping in Winter so visiting Wigwam Holidays at Montrave Estate was a world of firsts. The focus on nature, wellbeing, and calm that Nick and Airin have created on Montrave Estate is admirable. Their next step is to create a natural swimming pool on the estate, which, I mean, I’m going to have to go back for that alone really amn’t I? Between the endless walks around the estate, the deer farm, the highland cows, the local produce, and the fabulous glamping experience, I’d recommend Wigwam Holidays at Montrave Estate to anyone.
I’m also kind of a little bit in love with Fife, from what I’ve seen. There’s still much more to be discovered. You can book your fabulous glamping experience in Fife here.
