No More Landlords | Living Off-Grid In Scotland

“I’m the king of this place and anyone else can fit in with me”.
After falling out with his landlord in the 70s, Jake moved into his own off the grid bothy and hasn’t looked back since.
Film made by Elliot Caunce.
Facebook: / bbcthesocial
Twitter: / bbcthesocial
Instagram: / bbcthesocial
Website: www.bbc.co.uk/thesocial

[@hoomannili]

What reality? The reality that other people have up for you?! Many men are fed up with the gynocentric system that throws them under the bus and this is one way to protect yourself. I admire the courage of this man and wish him all the peace he deserves.

[@Tomahaka]

A good (Scottish) friend took his life 3 years ago. This is all he wanted to do, get off the grid away from people. I wish he’d been able to see this. Vi älskar dig Ross

[@bobhunter1339]

so sorry bud

[@OldNavajoTricks]

They are not gone, Those who live on, In hearts, and minds, And mem'ries fond. Skäl!

[@micoolkidfilms3270]

Wouldn’t u say it in Gaelic?

[@bbob288]

Total purposlessness. At that moment your a completely sane, rational human being, not a care, at one with life. He sure is living in that blissful place. 🙏

[@Slenderman182]

that's the most stupid statement I've ever heard. WTH is wrong with people these days

[@owlinthewood]

There’s a film about his life. You can rent a caravan up a tree at his place. It is in a beautiful part of the country.

[@arranwalker]

Saw this chap on Ben Fogle TV programme. He is a very interesting chap

[@Geezer-be6rx]

I was very Fortunate to have spent a fair bit of time when i was a younger person at Jakes ranch in the forest, what a place and what a man to learn from, hopefully i'll be as rish as him one day and own some land to live off grid with

[@andywebb6640]

This is the future.

[@TM-rh7zs]

What does that mean?

[@kevinkenny8739]

I'm sure they would jail us in England. Good for you sir, I watch people wild camping in Scotland, it looks amazing.

[@Johnniebhoy83]

@digitalXmage To be fair it's more the cabal at Westminster & Whitehall, as opposed to the people. 😆 I happily welcome any of oor English neighbours, friends & family if they want to re-locate tae oor wee nation. 🥳

[@sctpc]

Isn't it the same country?

[@caitgems1]

@@sctpc get yer baws booted fur that pish

[@sctpc]

@@caitgems1 Wat, my baws r happy to root a tree also

[@Rob-zw5qs]

@digitalXmage I'm English and agree!

[@whatever22638]

Probably one of the happiest men alive.

[@bathfun]

What a lovely chap.

[@remove574]

You are living my dream. Thank you for the inspiration 💚 from a fellow Scots

[@bobhunter1339]

is that a dram or a dream deary me ??? lol

[@kevinthornley7659]

Brilliant. Well done for living a life that’s true to who you want to be.

[@gordonferrar7782]

Does anyone remember when Rab C went off grid and ended up sitting on a camouflaged soldier on excercise.

[@caitgems1]

@Bubbles DeVille Benidorm wans a belter 😂

[@gordonferrar7782]

KZbin's got plenty as well. I loved the one when Rab and Jamesy went down to the buckfast brewery and Ella's ex boyfriend had taken a vow of silence after becoming a monk. Loved Rab I dressed up as Rab for fancy dress on a golf weekend in Crawley Nobody else went as fancy dress stitched up nicely.

[@gordonferrar7782]

@Bubbles DeVille hijack away mate. I love all things Scottish apart from the football.

[@MrMonero]

What a guy. What a life. Truly.

[@Imbloodyknackeredmekid]

My hero. I hope and trust you make enjoyment every day champ.

[@micknayles7161]

My man . One of the most joyful lookin fellas iv seen

[@aliharriman]

“Detached from what’s alleged to be reality” ...... 😁😁

[@bobhunter1339]

well said ali, reality is beyond the small world of the 5 senses and the small scientific fog mind

[@chenoah7963]

Good for you Jake! i love it!

[@JPLamoureuxsTravels]

Jake you are a LEGEND! ❤️

[@paulcarruthers2431]

well this sums up why I want to leave the UK to turn your back on this overcrowded country . To be alone it is exactly what I want the lockdown has only made me want this more .

[@Johnniebhoy83]

To be fair its only a tiny amount of the country that's populated, and even tinier amount that's densly-populated. I live on the outskirts of Glasgow and it's quiet enough, but when I go into retirement, I'll be finding a place that's rural. Bliss life.

[@andydixon2980]

Exactly my thoughts.

[@sariahlace5944]

Hear hear

[@pulchralutetia]

Ireland, much of Wales and Scotland are all pretty empty.

[@mure2k]

would like to live like this!

[@curiousandcreativewithwand8515]

I'm not so sure "being detached from reality" is such a bad thing these days - IF you do it peaceably.

[@SEAWEEDER1]

i used to live in the central belt, being stuck in traffic on the M74/M8 day and night, Putting up with all the stress every day i packed up. I moved to the western Highlands into a small cottage on the shore of a sea loch. My nearest neighbour is 5 miles away and it's so relaxing have everything i need, Surrounded by forests, wildlife and a waterfall it's the life, work for the council full time and would kill for a mcDonalds that's the only thing i miss. Got gas tanks, electricity and an endless supply of logs for the fire and a seal called Bert.

[@jb6368]

@@SEAWEEDER1 bliss,,,

[@bobhunter1339]

@@SEAWEEDER1 can i put my tent up in youre forest ? and my cat ?

[@wildalbalass4867]

I wonder if you can receive mail. Huge respect to you sir!

[@edysutopo2576]

Cedak karo alam cedak karo gustyne longko wong sing iso nglakoni koyo sedulur siji iki ing jaman serba modern salute mister smith💪

[@richardsimms251]

Great video

[@richardpedley6291]

All the best to you keep up your dreem big respect to ya

[@jamesadcock5235]

Cool guy was on TV other night

[@craigbarnes6864]

Good on you mate!

[@mr.hashundredsofprivatepla3711]

imagine if we could just live like THIS GUY

[@motoninja2747]

what a cool guy cool place too

[@billpemberton7207]

Awesome

[@sebastianspychala]

What a man !!!

[@riccovall2970]

Good man - power to your arm. Survive brother.

[@tinamarflynn7723]

what a lovely man

[@williamadams8353]

Good to see some free thinkers still out there. I am building the exact life style here in the the highlands of Colorado. All on 41 acres of freedom.

[@hailtheleaf7451]

I could lend a hand 😅👍

[@merlinmediagroup]

Living without electricity and all the mod cons doesn't make one a "free thinker". Fair play to this guy for living how he chooses but let's not romanticise a lifestyle that hundreds of millions of people around the world have no opportunity to escape from because of their destitution - I'm pretty sure most of these people would love nothing more than living "on the grid", with access to fresh running water, central heating, cookers, fridges and electricity.

[@merlinmediagroup]

​@War Dog Please point me to where I suggested people from different countries think/feel/act them same? My point was/is those of us with access to the utilities which pretty much define modern western living have a tendency when visiting poorer countries to make statements such as "aww, look, they don't have much but at least they're all so happy, probably happier than us." This fails to take into account the amount of avoidable suffering caused by lack of access to the basic essentials which I mentioned, such as clean running water, electricity and healthcare. My point being that people in the west who decide to live frugal lives and escape the complexities of 21st century living always have the opportunity the rejoin society, benefiting from everything it has to offer, unlike many who have no such option.

[@MrRob1904]

Living the dream. Lucky you.

[@anthonysinclair5721]

I was just about to make a video about myself , but it looks like you did a very accurate job of it for me! lol 😁

[@WheelieWheeliePink]

This’ll be me one day

[@Slenderman182]

you go girl. a van down by the river with your name on it. dream big

[@ManannanmacLir69]

According to Ancestry I am 71pc Scottish. It makes sense as I have been told I am a beautiful man by many women :)

[@billion86]

How was he found for this interview?

[@michaelswords4416]

Oh its an instrument, I thought it was a joint.

[@whyattwhyatt6499]

Brave and moral man at peace with himself and true to God

[@fojnica2226]

greetings from croatia.nice story

[@writerforlifeify]

How are things in Croatia? I hear the weather is hot, food is expensive & ljudi su pokvarni, as always....

[@bfapple]

Interesting to compare-and-contrast with Ken Smith at Loch Treig.

[@markgwilliam9498]

Wise man.alleged reality indeed.If there were more people like this the human endeavour would be more peaceful,fun,meaningful,perhaps harder ,more chaotic and untidy but thats not necessarily a bad thing.it would certainly rid the world of a lot of pointless consumers.haha

[@wanderlustwernweh5313]

Is full épisode available please ?

[@gmack3399]

Ach he is just doon the road from me, would love to drop by with a bottle of whisky.

[@mikepapa3196]

Living the dream mate!

[@spambotful]

Would love to do that

[@elaineparker6171]

Good for you Sir. And as for being detached from reality..you create your own. Live in your own bubble..detached from the media etc..and be happy and healthy

[@nicolemurphy2629]

The media do not represent reality

[@horridhenry1805]

Away from the hell hole that is called civilisation

[@samuelh-h8179]

He is so much chattier than i expected! after seeing two years at sea you think he is this taciturn hermit

[@hannahmartha1625]

I live close to where he lives, it’s a beautiful place 🤍

[@gtaveditorvids6776]

Good man...

[@foolsgold953]

It would be rare to share a dram or two with him some time round the fire with some like minded people 🥃🥃

[@RolyTheHolyPaladin]

I bet he’s happier than 90% + of the people who chose to stay “on-grid” if you catch my drift

[@hughneek12]

Or on the griddle, more accurately.

[@RolyTheHolyPaladin]

@@hughneek12 indeed

[@TheRealColt]

how do i sign up to move there and help this guy out.

[@hasdrubal121]

I like that....Maybe I'm detached from what's allegedly reality.

[@vanzandt8809]

I envy you. Wish I had the bottle to follow suit!

[@micu1544]

Ye I've always wanted to be homeless

[@nacnudyelrah]

A decent way of living.

[@Disco_Beaver]

Wonder if he suffers from depression or anxiety? Probably not because he's surviving instead of existing.

[@WalterKhayyam]

What's the difference between surviving and existing?

[@allclean2555]

Thriving not just surviving

[@Disco_Beaver]

@@WalterKhayyam survival is the purpose of existence.

[@perryman12345]

@@WalterKhayyam existing is sitting on the bones of ur arse working for peanuts to give it to every big Corp that wants more than 2/3rds of what you earn for literally giving half or more of ur life to a employer. Surviving like this guy is hard but ur free and if u can adapt to that freedom and survive ur free of the system of debt and misery.

[@WalterKhayyam]

@@perryman12345 Why are you choosing to exist rather than survive?

[@G4RY1159]

He's been married so his life now is totally understandable

[@wagwanbennydj6003]

Jake my man ill come live with you!

[@jimmarshall9921]

Do you grow your own weed Jake or do you buy it locally?

[@Slenderman182]

homeless people live off grid

[@johnkelly9160]

How do you fund your existence

[@sunilmahind5128]

He is dead ?

[@garethpascoe3922]

well done jake, good for you sir! away from the drudgery & routine of the 'rat race' etc' i would love to spend a week there just to tatally escape this fractured world we live in. ive always said if there was as much love in this world as there is hate it would surely be a much better place. A men.

[@leahc8347]

Can I join you?

[@reclusivehermitwithalongbu3767]

I'd like to share a life with jake and his kitty

[@lusches_pfr6203]

Hatten des heute als listenig in der englisch Schulaufgabe, warum kann der typ nicht einfach englisch lernen und gescheit reden , ich dachte der vochel heißt Ben jigley oder so , sonst hab ich auch nix verstanden danke Oliver 👍👍

[@nomislemmem3040]

Der Typ heißt Ben Chickwing 😂

[@heikoburger8394]

Der heißt Oliver

[@nickcdavies]

Sure it's tough but it looks idyllic

[@jessxxy]

🙂... I might meet you on your travels, me and the missus are buying land in The Highlands, your welcome to camp and for free.. 👍

[@michking1089]

Would love to know where you found your land to buy , me and hubby have been looking to buy up there can't find any thing unless we looking at wrong websites

[@Johnniebhoy83]

@@michking1089 Internet searching is one part. Sometimes it can help just taking a roadtrip out into the sticks, scanning the wilderness & countryside, see if anything catches the eye and then doing some digging on the places you find with the local authorities.

[@peterbalac1915]

Good luck with that one, small parcels of land are hard to come by most of it it is crofters land. You will find doors slammed in yr face as soon as you open your mouth.

[@Johnniebhoy83]

@@peterbalac1915 Mebbe, but you never know what might happen on the day, never dismiss anything out of hand when house-hunting, keep an open mind. Best free advice I could give to any prospective buyers.

[@invasion23]

Looking at offers over 90 grand for tiny plot. 0.8 acres or something like that. Daylight robbery

[@mikehanafin8543]

Off grid helps us to break free of rat race , making greedy landlord's rich

[@nandodando9695]

The only way to have more land under humanities feet is to build an orbital ring. That is the only way to produce land faster than human can breed into it. Who doesn't want an O'Neil cylinder?

[@nandodando9695]

Humans

[@andybmunro]

I say better being detached.I reckon your ASD missunderstood genius gene

[@z2-trappy359]

I reckon if we were tae go back tae medieval times removing anything made after but we still had oor minds now scotland would have world domination because we have alot a people who would live outdoors in the wild without WiFi and that fine

[@elixr7777]

Fruits animals vibes

[@pw2809]

i disagree = he isn't social distancing and wearing a mask.... so so wrong and not being controlled by Mr Boris Potato head.

[@mcredneck884]

squatting?

[@pedallinraw]

🙂👌🏻

[@missadda8890]

If he is squatting and on the dole then I have no respect for him just another leech if he is financially independent and has paid for his accommodation then good for him he seems lonely which is sad.

[@colinhunter1910]

your never living of the grid m8 with a car and mobil phone

[@therickpound]

Not sure it’s a dream, plenty to do by the looks of it to be even close to sorted

[@steves7013]

Jake looks like he's happy!😀

[@adriankingdon3055]

Looks fine alright. Do you think he needs a Ford Mondeo and a privet hedge? 😆

[@andypugh2000]

Looks pretty sorted to me, what a lovely life to lead.

[@petecoventry6858]

So you rely on Diesel which uses Electricity and machinery to extract - so you are not off grid then. My god they use that title anywhere these days

[@perryman12345]

No. Everything runs on his own self sense of satisfaction. The MPG is a little better to.

[@b3njys235]

Listen to fucking Pete

[@spinny2010]

Off grid in its simplest form means not being hooked up to the national GRID. Mains water, gas, or electric.

[@NeillWylie]

In order to move your limbs your body needs to send electrical signals. Off the grid doesn't exist! It's apparently fake news!

[@Critical_Stinking]

@@NeillWylie the sheer pedantry made me piss myself mate. Nice one

[@flalingbashers2957]

Shame he’s not into cleaning up

[@stepho9999]

Bum

[@stepho9999]

@@billyballoonhead.6734 thought that would get a reply ...i am very interested in your way of life ,,could see myself doing it .what is the situation with council ans so on ...there are plenty of uninhabited islands in your neck of the woods ,,could i just go live on one ????

[@bobbyfischer6786]

@@stepho9999 aye theres loads of islands in aberdeen.... They have yellow illuminated markers on them. Choose one

[@stepho9999]

@@bobbyfischer6786 keep your daft remarks to yourself ,and get a job ..

[@perryman12345]

@@stepho9999 😅😅😅 How's life in Yorkshire. ? Plenty of bums there ya know. Big fat ones to. Eeee lad lard on tawwwst. Yummeh

[@bobbyfischer6786]

@@stepho9999 geography not your forté, then?

[@herbsuperb6034]

I wouldn't idealize this way of living. Our current population cannot support everyone living like this. #1, there would be no fish. #2, billions would die. Our 7 Billion+ population requires organized agriculture, and distribution/transportation based on the internal combustion engine and a ready supply of fuel, which requires heavy industry, and organized labor/manufacturing. This man would contribute FAR more to the world by participating in society. Granted, there are many that 'participate in society', but do nothing but TAKE from it, and attack it, making it more difficult for hard-working people to prosper and live well. I call these people Democrats.

[@GusMac6129]

Off the grid, but drives a car, which needs a registered address driver's licence & insurance & drinks scrumpy jack & has fresh milk. I'd be more impressed, if he lived off the land.

[@eleanor.shadow]

I don’t reckon he’s doing this to impress you, so...

[@GusMac6129]

@@eleanor.shadow It's ok miss WOKE. It was more a dig at the BBC clickbait title.

[@Xacute00]

@@GusMac6129 yeah kinda not the same as living off the grid hes more of a hermit ig

[@jaimecarr3900]

Does off grid not just means no leccy, gas utility bills etc

[@eleanor.shadow]

@@GusMac6129 Mrs Woke to you :)

[@jayman7752]

She left you mate. Move on.