On further exploration of Marjan Forest Park, I stumbled onto a beautiful narrow trail right at the top of the mountain. It starts at the apex (‘saddle’) and goes all the way to the Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries at the western point. The trail leading to Baba Marta’s House is full of interesting discoveries!
The Hike
This was not a planned hike. What I set out to do was to get to the flag pole and cross and then meander back through the forest at an easy pace.
What happened was, after I got to the cross, I had loads of time left, so I just kept walking and found another trail head.
Marta’s Trail
Now when I first took the trail, there were two options. I took the smaller one leading upwards, and it appears I made a poor choice. This trail eventually petered out at the top of a cliff face.
I’ll admit I was a little nervous for a while, stepping through the brush trying to figure out a way to get down to the other trail.
Yes, I could have back tracked, and that did cross my mind, but I thought if I just go a little further, it might work itself out. And it did! I eventually got to the lower trail, which was the correct one. 😊
Occupants
Turns out, it was not only hermits who occupied this beautiful piece of land. For centuries it was the home to a few townsfolk who lived off the land. Learning about this was interesting to me, for since Covid, ‘living off the land’ has become rather a popular option for some.
All along Marta’s trail, are remnants of tiny cottages, garden plots, outbuildings and walls made of stone, using the lost art of ‘dry stone construction’. This method uses only locally sourced items for the entire construction of a building. These townsfolk, worked this land, hunted and harvested the natural plants that the location provided.
The two most recent houses were built on Marjan in 1953. However, the other 10 or so were built in the 19th & 20th century. Only Grandma Marta’s is fully intact. It has had the sides plastered now, to preserve it further.
Grandma Marta’s House
I have to say, I was a little disappointed to read that Grandma Marta is a fictional character! Reading about her life I could completely imagine her living in this cottage. Many locals share my opinion and in fact believe she was a real person.
The story of her life was written by Miljenko Smoje. Sometimes called Marta the Male, she was the first woman from Split to wear trousers, carry a rifle and go to a tavern. She was an herbalist, lived to be 103 and had the biggest funeral Split has ever seen.
Landscape
I have to tell you the landscape right here is absolutely breathtaking. It is like exploring an area where hobbits might have lived. It feels amazing and being the only human around there, was wonderfully magical. I was walking through the ruins of tiny stone cottages in amongst wild flowers and under a canopy of tall airy pines without another sole in sight.
Following the trail all the way to the Institute it is clear that there were multiple people resident on this hillside, creating their spaces and making their livelihoods. There are remnants of cottages and stone walls littered through the brush.
Imagine walking through a fairy wonderland, where warm dappled sunshine kisses your shoulders and thistles get stuck in your socks. Standing in ancient stone doorways listening to birds chirruping overhead. This was how I spent my morning.
Dang, sooooo lucky.
