Ancient Caledonia Camp
Each year, we run a living history experience that runs over an entire week, staying in a historic camp in the woods, on the banks of Loch Freuchie in Perthshire in the heart of Scotland.
We get immersed in Scottish history and archaeology by building and paddling coracles, cooking ancient recipes together on the fire, and learning heritage crafts such as blacksmithing, coracle building, textile spinning and garment making, bronze casting, pottery, pigment and paint-making... as well as plenty of other small crafts and activities throughout the days and evenings spent around the fire with story telling and ancient songs.
Our aim is to travel back in time as a crafting community, making the things we need on the land, and look at how it all links to ancient Scottish history from the Iron Age to the early medieval period. We treat the camp as a historic campsite, so we will do our best to make everything comfortable, practical and historical, but also open to all and everyone! You do not need prior experience or historical equipment: though we encourage reenactors and enthusiasts to come in historic clothing, this is not a requirement. If you fancy trying on or wearing some historical clothes we will have spares on site and will advise those who want to make their own kit before arriving on site.
Each day is a separate craft run by one of the tutors so all participants get to work together and experience everything.
Cooking is also done as a course, using ancient methods and utensils, and we will work together each day to learn while creating dishes that would have been eaten at the time.
This means all food is included for the entire week with a mixed and balanced diet.
The evenings are a time to relax, enjoy the surroundings and camp-life as a group: a chance for the tutors to talk more about the history and archaeology of the crafts and the area, and enjoy the storytelling and musical performances.
There's always time for paddling the coracle boats and exploring by foot the local woodland and up into the hills for an optional (but highly recommended!) historic hike.
We also do a historic hike in kit at the end of the week and use all the lovely things we have made! We also have fantastic performances by Sean Parry on the loch by firelight, and we enjoy a shanty night for fun one evening too.
It really is a jam packed week just bursting with courses from the highest skilled and passionate tutors, and so much fun activities to explore. After all, it is a loch right in the heartland of Scotland, bordering the ancient kingdoms of Pictland and Dal Riata. It even has the remains of a crannog on it!
Just see posts from previous years camps in our blog, or follow the ACC Instagram for updates.
If you'd like to join the 2027 camp. lookout for tickets in my shop HERE.
