Going to the cottage has always been one of my favourite things to do. Going to an off-grid microcabin in the middle of no where, with an outdoor shower and the objective of doing nothing at all? Well, that’s just a dream come true. For my birthday I was gifted with a stay at the Mica Cabin by Cabinscape. The Mica microcabin was located within Rideau Conservation land by Perth, ON. Secluded and completely private, checking off all the boxes. Here is my Cabinscape review.
What you should know
You probably landed on this blog post to try to figure out what the real experience would be like. We really did enjoy our time at the Mica Cabin, but there are a few things that are not so glamourous (and should be expected):
- Ticks! Ticks were all over my poor dogs. We thought October would be cool enough but they were definitely still around. Be sure to provide your pets with tick medication beforehand.
- Running water. There is running water at this Mica Cabin which is amazing, but when it gets too cold at night, the lines may freeze up. I learned this the hard way while taking an outdoor shower. I had to finish washing my hair using the drinking water provided.
- Are you here to find out about the compost toilet? It’s actually not that bad and the smells are well contained lol.
Mica Cabin – Off-Grid Microcabin
We stayed at the microcabin for 3 days and 2 nights. The first night we got in relatively late. It was almost complete darkness when we got to the entrance to get to the Mica cabin. Cabinscape suggests to hike in to access the cabin (unless you have an AWD and/or a high clearance vehicle). On our first round of unloading our belongings, we made the 1km hike in, carrying all our stuff plus our dogs. On the second round, we were so tired that we took a chance and drove in. The drive definitely wasn’t easy, but it’s doable in a hatchback. So we mainly spent our first night unloading, unpacking and making dinner. Ramen on a cold night is the best meal. We cozied up around 11pm and called it a night. The mattress was really comfortable and the cabin, although off-grid, had a heater that kept us super warm.
The next day we woke up at 9am and lazed around. With a well stocked kitchen, we made coffee with a french press and cooked bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast on the gas stove. It was mid-October and the weather was absolutely perfect. It was cool but warm enough to open the massive window/door that connected the indoor kitchen to the outdoor counter space. This was my favourite part of the Mica Cabin. The rest of the day we read, napped, explored the conservation area and collected firewood for a campfire. And then after a relaxing day of doing nothing, we laid in bed and as the clouds cleared, we looked out at the stars through the massive window by our bed. It almost felt surreal.
Road Trip Home to Toronto
The next day we packed up to go home but not before making a few stops. We first made a stop at Narrows to visit The Blockhouse that overlooks the Rideau Canal. We also took some time to take pictures of the beautiful fall scenery. Of course, a road trip for me wouldn’t be complete without coming home with some kind of pie. I’ve always been a huge fan of Betty’s Pies and Tarts in Port Hope, and it’s still great. On this trip though, we discovered Belleville Bakery I cannot wait to go back. Once we got there I kept putting more and more items in my basket. First I got the pizza buns, then I picked up a giant almond croissant and then a coconut cream pie. After we paid, I went back in to get a sausage roll. We devoured most of the food on our drive home.
This was exactly the break we needed with the busyness of the new house, work and everything else that was going on. I can’t wait to go away again in December for a longer period of time.
The Roadtrip Girl 