The man who has lived as a hermit for 40 years

General Chat In The News
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Not everyone would agree that Ken’s isolated, reclusive lifestyle of foraging and fishing as well as collecting firewood and washing his clothes in an old bath outdoors is the ideal. And even less so at the age of 74. :open_mouth:

His log cabin is a two-hour walk from the nearest road on the edge of Rannoch Moor, by Loch Treig.

“It’s known as the lonely loch,” he says. “There’s no road here but they used to live here before they built the dam.”

“It’s a nice life,” says Ken. “Everybody wishes they could do it but nobody ever does.”

  • Documentary on BBC Scotland tonight at 10:00, then on iPlayer.
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I recall a similar story about an elderly woman who had lived for decades in a tumbledown cottage in the middle of nowhere, with no running water, no services at all. She was healthy and happy.

I seem to remember the authorities wanted to rehouse her, in a modern home with all mod cons, and they couldn’t understand why she turned them down.

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I remember her too Sheba - or at least reading about her…I’ll have a look and see if I can find it on Youtube. I’m sure there was a documentary about it too. This kind of thing fascinates me…its such a contrast to modern day life.

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Yes, I remember that too.
Wasn’t she called ‘Annie’ somebody?
There was a book about her life.

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It must have been terribly sad for his parents, who died when he was off on his walk without seeing him again, my heart breaks for them.

Has he got any other family?

I wonder if the brain haemorrhage left him with some brain damage?

Each to their own and he seems happy, but it sounds like a sad and lonely life. People have sad and lonely lives in cities and surrounded by people too of course

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I agree, Maree…emotional trauma can have a devastating effect on some people, making them choose to live a life of isolation. He does seem quite content in himself though? Good luck to him and I wish him many years of “country living” :smiley:

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Aha. I have remembered now, it was a lady called Hannah Hauxwell.
She died 2 years ago, aged 91.

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Thanks Mups! That’s the lady I was thinking of…gosh these people were so resilient, weren’t they?

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I’m right there with ya Ken! :grin: :grin:

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But poor Hannah loved it when she traveled the world and moved into a cottage with running water .
Life had passed her by in that God awful farm on the hills .
Not that it’s wasn’t beautiful I would love it but not the way Hannah lived

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Ah thanks Mups! Yes, Hannah - I was fascinated by her story. She was such a lovely calm person, completely untouched by the stresses of modern day living.

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I don’t think Hannah really chose isolation though, it just sort of happened to her and I got the impression she was quite glad when it was over

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I think it is interesting that these people who live in isolation seem to live to a good age without all the healthcare we get !
I know it isn’t an easy life, but they don’t have to live with all the pollution that town people do. Their food isn’t processed it is fresh & I bet it tastes better than the food we buy in shops .They don’t suffer hypothermia or catch illness from the rest of the people.
Are those of us, that want an easier life, living with the risk of far more ways of dying? :icon_confused:

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