Off Grid Living

Anyone living off grid?

We own a 3 bed house in Somerset, but I dream of buying a woodland and living off grid, mostly self sustaining etc

Maybe this is a long term projects thread...

Keen to hear from anyone with experience!

No experience ... but I know most woodland is sold with express permission for maximum stay of 3 months per year.

Try Finland.

My dream since about the age of 16. You may find it very difficult to buy a woodland with rights to live there, unless you can prove you have to be on site, say for work reasons.
As we don't have a lot of woodlands left, what you can and can't do in one, even if you own it, is well regulated.
Easiest way is to find an amiable farmer willing to "lease" you a bit of land, try to make your dwelling as barn like as possible.
Or, join an existing cooperative or commune.

Anyone living off grid?

... is unlikely to be able to read this, but ...

Off grid doesn’t mean no internet...

Haven’t laughed this hard in a while. Thanks

I’m not expecting to have rights to live, aka a permanent dwelling.

There’s quite a few 3-7acre lots up for sale around here!

Only advice I can give is don't buy off sites like woodlands.co.uk, they sell parcels of woodland, bought as a whole, split in smaller plots, and it only takes one owner to be neglectful and the whole woodland is affected.
I really do hope you find a way to achieve your dream, then you can let me know how you did it.

What does off grid in a UK context mean?

I always think of the US (or US citizens living in remote parts of Ecuador.

Isn’t there an island off Norway anyone can live as long as you are self sustainable

For me at least;

Not living in a bricks and mortar house, not working 9-5 Monday to Friday, not sending children to school, not being hooked into the system of council tax/gas/electric/water, aim to grow produce, or at least reduce dependence on supermarket shopping

We would love vanlife, but need more space with bikes/kids etc

Read Coming into the Country by John McPhee for a proper taste of off grid life in Alaska.

Art of Manliness’ latest podcast is all about ‘ How to Simplify Your Life and Get Off the Grid’.

not sending children to school

Woah. Hope you like them. Thing is, they may not like you.

Off grid doesn’t mean no internet...

Yes. Yes it does. It absolutely does. The internet IS ‘The Grid’. Haven’t you even seen the Matrix?!*

I’m not trying to piss on your parade. Seems like a great thread topic. But maybe a bit polarising. I mean, school is a bloody great thing. I can’t see why no school could ever be a good thing. Srsly... No school? How will they meet other children? Lemme guess no vax either? Lonely, ill kids. No-one wants them, hating us aged 15 wishing they had an iPhone 17.

*for the record, I haven’t seen The Matrix. I am edgelord.

PS love you man, & I am drunk.

8.40 on a Sunday night and had a few beers, I'm impressed and jealous :)

Art of Manliness

do not want

As a family of five we have lived/travelled in a van. We currently live in a house but we still home-ed. We’re planning our next trip now.
It’s not for everyone but it’s worth considering a lifestyle that’s right for you and your family, even if it differs from social norms.
PM me if you have questions.

Is it possible to live off grid in the UK? Our indigenous travelling communities seem to be endlessly persecuted.

Cool. Good to understand. Some of that I'd guess, some I wouldn't.

Genuinely not meant in a flippant/dick way, but have you thought about a caravan?

Good to find someone else who reads AoM!

I lived in a van with my wife and our first child for about 3 years, you do find people who live off grid in the UK but it can be quite a deep culture and can be hard to find lots of good info until you are 'in it' as it were. Lots of varying styles and definitions of Off Grid

Is barge life off grid? Plenty of people doing that cheapily around my way (east midlands)

I enjoy Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Wild, lots of people living this life in thier own, individual ways

Recent Gaurdian picture essay on Scottish hermits:
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/25/splendid-isolation-in-search-of-scotlands-hermits

Croft tenancies still come up from time to time which seem the easiest way to do it in the UK

One of those 'hermits' is not far from me!

We do not agree with the school system;

Learning is life, not done in one place 9-3 Monday to Friday.

Learning is fluid, learning is everything you do.

In life you have choices, school prepares you to become a robot... like a conveyer belt of humans...

It suits many, but we do not wish for that style.

Just because one doesn’t go to school, doesn’t mean you don’t meet people.

Home Ed groups and forest school to start, then you have a multitude of clubs / activities where you will meet like minded people without the rules and regulations of a school environment; so you are more likely to form deeper bonds.

School works for lots of people, just like 9-5 jobs do.

Barge life would be awesome!

Maybe off grid isn’t the right terminology, but it’s still an idea to be formed for us!